memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第91节

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ather。　　A　message　was　despatched　to　them；　and　mesdames　Adelaide　and　Sophie；　after　having　a　long　conference　with　him；　by　his　advice；　summoned　the　bishops　of　Meaux；　Goss；　and　de　Senlis；　and　held　a　species　of　council；　in　which　it　was　unanimously　agreed　that　nothing　ought　to　prevent　their　entering　upon　an　explanation　with　the　king；　and　offering　him　spiritual　succour。

Who　was　to　undertake　the　delicate　commission；　became　the　next　point　to　consider。　　M。　de　Roquelaire　declined；　not　wishing；　as　he　said；　to　infringe　upon　the　rights　of　the　grand　almoner；　who　was　now　at　Versailles。　　M。　de　la　Roche　Aymon　was　therefore　sent　for；　requesting　his　immediate　attendance。　　Never　did　invitation　arrive　more　；　or　more　cruelly　disturb　any　manoeuvring　soul。　　However；　to　refuse　was　impossible；　and　the　cardinal　arrived；　execrating　the　zeal　of　his　reverend　brother　of　Paris；　who；　after　having　explained　the　state　of　affairs　to　him；　informed　him　that　he　was　sent　for　the　purpose　of　discharging　his　office　by　preparing　the　king　for　confession。

The　grand　almoner　replied；　that　the　sacred　duty　by　no　means　belonged　to　him；　that　his　place　at　court　was　of　a　very　different　nature；　and　had　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　directing　the　king's　conscience。　　His　majesty；　he　said；　had　a　confessor；　who　ought　to　be　sent　for；　and　the　very　sight　of　him　in　the　royal　chamber　would　be　sufficient　to　apprize　the　illustrious　invalid　of　the　motives　which　brought　him　thither。　　In　a　word；　the　grand　almoner　got　rid　of　the　affair；　by　saying；　〃that；　as　it　was　one　of　the　utmost　importance；　it　would　be　necessary　to　confer　with　his　royal　highness；　the　dauphin；　respecting　it。〃



CHAPTER　XLII


　First　proceedings　of　the　councilThe　dauphin　receives　the　prelates　with　great　coolnessSituation　of　the　archbishop　of　Paris　Richelieu　evades　the　project　for　confessing　the　kingThe　friends　of　madame　du　Barry　come　forwardThe　English　physicianThe　abbe　TerrayInterview　with　the　prince　de　SoubiseThe　prince　and　the　courtiersLa　Martiniere　informs　the　king　of　France　the　true　nature　of　his　complaintConsequences　of　this　disclosure

The　different　members　of　this　　declared　themselves　in　favour　of　this　advice；　much　to　the　grief　and　chagrin　of　the　princess　Adelaide。　　She　easily　perceived　by　this　proposition　that　the　court　would　very　shortly　change　masters；　and　could　she　hope　to　preserve　the　same　influence　during　the　reign　of　her　nephew　she　had　managed　to　obtain　whilst　her　father　held　the　sceptre？　However；　she　made　no　opposition　to　the　resolution　of　the　prelates；　who　forthwith　proceeded　to　the　dauphin；　who　received　them　with　considerable　coolness。　　As　yet；　but　ill…assured　in　the　new　part　he　had　to　play；　the　prince　showed　himself　fearful　and　embarrassed。　The　dauphiness　would　willingly　have　advised　him；　but　that　prudence　would　not　permit　her　to　do；　so　that　the　dauphin；　left　wholly　to　himself；　knew　not　on　what　to　determine。

This　was　precisely　what　the　grand　almoner　had　hoped　and　expected；　and　he　laughed　in　his　sleeve　at　the　useless　trouble　taken　by　the　archbishop；　and　whilst　he　openly　affected　to　promote　his　desires　as　much　as　was　in　his　power；　he　secretly　took　measures　to　prevent　their　success。　　M。　de　Beaumont；　who　was　of　a　most　open　and　upright　nature；　was　far　from　suspecting　these　intrigues；　indeed；　his　simple　and　pious　character　but　ill…qualified　him　for　the　corrupt　and　deceitful　atmosphere　of　a　court；　especially　such　a　one　as　Versailles。　　His　situation　now　became　one　of　difficulty；　abandoned　by　the　bishops　and　the　grand　almoner；　disappointed　in　his　hopes　of　finding　a　supporter　in　the　dauphin；　what　could　he　do　alone　with　the　princesses；　who；　in　their　dread　of　causing　an　emotion；　which　might　be　fatal　to　their　parent；　knew　not　what　to　resolve　upon。　　As　a　last　resource；　they　summoned　the　　abbe　Mandaux；　the　king's　confessor。　　The　prelate　excited　his　zeal　in　all　its　fervour；　and　this　simple　and　obscure　priest　determined　to　undertake　that　which　many　more　eminent　personages　had　shrunk　from　attempting。

He　therefore　sought　admittance　into　the　chamber　of　the　king；　where　　he　found　the　ducs　de　Duras　and　de　Richelieu；　to　whom　he　communicated　the　mission　upon　which　he　was　come。

At　this　declaration；　the　consequences　of　which　he　plainly　foresaw；　the　duc　de　Duras　hesitated　to　reply；　scarcely　knowing　how　to　ward　off　a　blow　the　responsibility　of　which　must　fall　upon　him　alone。　The　duc　de　Richelieu；　with　greater　self…command；　extricated　him　from　his　difficulty。

〃Sir；〃　said　he　to　the　abbe；　〃your　zeal　is　highly　praise…worthy；　both　the　duke　and　myself　are　aware　of　all　that　should　be　done　upon　such　an　occasion　as　the　present；　and　although　I　freely　admit　that　the　sacred　act　you　speak　of　is　of　an　imperative　nature；　yet　I　would　observe；　that　the　king　being　still　in　ignorance　of　his　fatal　malady；　neither　your　duties　nor　ours　can　begin；　until　the　moment　when　the　physicians　shall　have　thought　proper　to　reveal　the　whole　truth　to　his　majesty。　　This　is　a　matter　of　form　and　etiquette　to　which　all　must　submit　who　have　any　functions　to　fulfil　in　the　chateau。〃

The　duc　de　Duras　could　have　hugged　his　colleague　for　this　well…　timed　reply。　　The　abbe　Mandaux　felt　all　the　justness　of　the　observation；　yet　with　all　the　tenacity　of　his　profession；　he　replied；

〃That　since　it　rested　with　the　physicians　to　apprize　the　king　of　his　being　ill　with　the　small…pox；　they　ought　to　be　summoned　and　consulted　as　to　the　part　to　take。〃

At　these　words　the　duc　de　Duras　slipped　away　from　the　group；　and　went　himself　in　search　of　Doctor　Bordeu；　whom　he　brought　into　an　angle　of　the　chamber　out　of　sight　of　the　king's　bed。　　The　duc　de　Duras　having　explained　to　him　what　the　abbe　had　just　been　saying　to　them；　as　well　as　the　desire　he　had　manifested　of　preparing　the　king　to　receive　the　last　sacraments；　the　doctor　regarded　the　abbe　fixedly　for　some　instance；　and　then　inquired　in　a　severe　tone；　〃Whether　he　had　promised　any　person　to　murder　the　king？〃

This　abrupt　and　alarming　question　made　the　priest　change　colour；　whilst　he　asked　for　an　explanation　of　such　a　singular　charge。

〃I　say；　sir；〃　replied　Bordeu；　〃that　whoever　speaks　at　present　to　his　majesty　of　small…pox；　confession；　or　extreme　unction；　will　have　to　answer　for　his　life。〃

〃Do　you；　indeed；　believe；〃　asked　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　〃that　the　mention　of　these　things　would　produce　so　fatal　a　result？〃

〃Most　assuredly　I　do；　and　out　of　one　hundred　sick　persons　it　would　have　the　same　effect　upon　sixty；　perhaps　eighty；　indeed；

I　have　known　the　shock　produce　instantaneous　death。　　This　I　am　willing　to　sign　with　my　own　blood　if　it　be　necessary；　and　my　professional　brother　there　will　not　dispute　its　truth。〃

At　these　words　he　made　a　sign　for　Lemonnier　to　advance；　and　after　having　explained　to　him　the　subject　of　conversation；　begged　of　him　to　speak　his　opinion　openly　and　candidly。　　Lemonnier　was　somewhat　of　a　courtier；　and　one　glance　at　the　two　noblemen　before　whom　he　stood；　was　sufficient　to　apprize　him　what　opinion　was　expected　from　him。　　He；　therefore；　fully　and　unhesitatingly　confirmed　all　that　Bordeu　had　previously　advanced。

Strong　in　these　decisions；　the　duc　de　Duras　expressed　his　regret　to　the　confessor　at　being　unable　to　accord　his　request。　　〃But；〃　added　he；　〃You　perceive　the　thing　is　impossible；　unless　to　him　who　would　become　a　regicide。〃

This　terrible　expression　renewed　the　former　terror　of　the　abbe；　who；　satisfied　with　having　shown　his　zeal；　was；　perhaps；　not　very　sorry　for　having　met　with　such　insurmountable　obstacles。　　He　immediately　returned　to　the　apartment　of　madame　Sophie；　where　the　council　was　still　assembled；　and　related　the　particulars　of　his　visit；　whilst　the　poor　archbishop　of　Paris；　thus　foiled　in　every　attempt；　was　compelled　to　leave　Versailles　wholly　unsuccessful。

I　heard　all　these　things　from　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　he　told　me　that　nothing　could　have　been　more　gratifying　than　the　conduct　of　Bordeu　and　Lemonnier；　and　that　I　had　every　reason　for　feeling　satisfied　with　the　conduct　of　all　around　me。　　〃It　is　in　the　moment　of　peril；〃　said　he；　〃that　we　are　best　able　to　know　our　true　friends。〃

〃I　see　it；〃　replied　I；　〃and　since　our　danger　is　a　mutual　one　ought　we　not　to　forget　our　old　subjects　of　dispute？〃

〃For　my　own　part；　madam；〃　returned　he；　〃I　do　not　remember　that　any　ever　existed；　besides；　is　not　my　cause　yours　likewise？　　A　new　reign　will　place　me　completely　in　the　background。　　The　present　king　looks　upon　me　as　almost　youthful；　while；　on　the　contrary；　his　grandson　will　consider　me　as　a　specimen　of　the　days　of　Methuselah。　　The　change　of　masters　can　be　but　to　my　disadvantage；　let　us；　therefore；　stand　firmly　together；　that　we　may　be　the　better　enabled　to　resist　the　attacks　of　our　enemies。〃

〃Do　you　consider；〃　inquired　I；　〃that　we　may　rely　upon　the　firmness　of　the　duc　de　Duras？〃

〃As　safely　as　you　may　on　mine；〃　answered　he；　〃so　long　as　he　is　not　attacked　face　to　face；　but　if　they　once　assail　him　with　the　arms　of　etiquette；　he　is　a　lost　man；　he　will　capitulate。　　It　is　unfortunate　for　him　that　I　am　not　likely　to　be　near　him　upon　such　an　occasion。〃

Comte　Jean；　who　never　left　me；　then　took　up　the　conversation；　　and　advised　M。　de　Richelieu　to　leave　him　to　himself　as　little　as　　possible；　it　was；　therefore；　agreed　that　we　should　cause　the　duc　de　Duras　to