memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第93节

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nquiring；　with　something　of　a　sarcastic　expression；　whether　his　majesty　had　been　pronounced　convalescent？　　The　prince　comprehended　the　bitterness　of　the　question。

〃You　are　severe；　madam；〃　replied　he；　〃yet　I　can　solemnly　affirm　that　circumstances；　and　not　inclination；　have　kept　me　from　your　presence　until　now。〃

〃May　I　believe　you？〃　　said　I。　　〃Are　you　quite　sure　you　have　not　been　imitating　the　policy　of　the　abbe　Terray？〃　　Upon　which　I　related　the　behaviour　of　the　comptroller…general。

　〃Priest…like；〃　answered　the　prince。

〃And　is　it　not　…like　also？〃　　inquired　I。

〃Perhaps　it　may；〃　rejoined　M。　de　Soubise；　〃for　the　two　species　of　priest　and　courtier　so　nearly　resemble　each　other　in　many　particulars；　as　to　have　become　well　nigh　amalgamated　into　one；　but　I　claim　your　indulgence　to　make　me　an　exception　to　the　general　rule；　and　to　class　me　as　a　soldier　and　a　man　of　honour；　besides　which；　you　are　too　lovely　ever　to　be　forgotten；　and　your　past　goodness　to　me　will　ensure　you　my　services　let　what　may　occur。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　I；　extending　my　hand；　〃as　a　reward　for　your　candour；　which　I　receive　as　genuine；　I　will　request　your　forgiveness　for　any　annoyance　I　may　have　caused　you　on　your　family's　account；　I　ought　never　to　have　resented　any　thing　they　have　done。　　My　presence　here　could　not　fail　of　being　highly　disagreeable　to　them；　however；　they　will　soon　be　relieved　from　that　source　of　uneasiness；　my　stay　draws　rapidly　to　a　close。〃

The　prince　de　Soubise；　with　a　ready　grace　and　obliging　manner；　for　which　I　shall　ever　remember　him　with　a　grateful　recollection；　endeavoured　to　dispel　my　apprehensions　as　to　the　state　of　the　king；　but　whilst　I　acknowledged　the　kindness　of　his　intention；　my　heart　refused　all　comfort　in　a　case；　which　I　too　well　knew　was　utterly　hopeless。

The　state　of　affairs　was　now　so　manifest；　that　already　an　obsequious　crowd　beseiged　the　doors　of　the　dauphin；　anxious　to　be　first　in　the　demonstration　of　their　adoration　of　the　rising　sun；　but　the　young　prince；　aided　by　the　clear…minded　advice　of　his　august　spouse；　refused；　with　admirable　prudence；　to　receive　such　premature　homage；　and　since　he　was　interdicted　by　the　physicians　from　visiting　the　royal　invalid；　he　confined　himself　within　his　apartments；　admitting　no　person　but　a　select　few　who　possessed　his　confidence。

The　disappointed　satellites；　frustrated　in　their　endeavours　to　in　gratiate　themselves　with　the　dauphin；　turned　their　thoughts　towards　the　comte　de　Provence；　imagining　that　this　prince；　spite　of　his　extreme　youth；　might　have　considerable　influence　over　the　mind　of　his　brother；　the　dauphin。　　But　this　idea；　however　plausible；　was　by　no　means　correct；　it　was　too　much　the　interest　of　ambitious　and　mercenary　men　to　create　a　want　of　harmony　between　the　royal　pair；　and　up　to　the　moment　in　which　I　am　writing；　no　attempts　have　been　made　to　produce　a　kinder　and　more　fraternal　feeling　between　two　such　near　relatives。

I　quitted　the　king　as　little　as　possible；　watching　with　deep　concern　the　progress　of　a　malady；　the　nature　of　which　was　a　secret　to　himself　alone；　for；　in　the　dread　of　incurring　my　displeasure；　no　person　had　ventured　to　acquaint　him　with　the　awful　fact。　　By　the　aid　of　the　grand　almoner；　I　had　triumphed　over　the　wishes　of　the　archbishop　of　Paris；　and　those　of　the　confessor。　　The　princes　and　princesses　awaited　the　event；　all　was　calm　composure；　when；　all　at　once；　the　barriers　I　had　been　so　carefully　erecting　were　crushed　beneath　my　feet；　at　one　sudden　and　unexpected　blow。

The　king　was　by　no　means　easy　in　his　own　mind　with　regard　to　his　illness。　　The　many　messages　that　were　continually　whispered　around　him；　the　remedies　administered；　and；　above　all；　the　absence　of　his　grandsons；　all　convinced　him　that　something　of　a　very　unusual　and　alarming　nature　was　progressing。　　His　own　feelings　might；　likewise；　well　assure　him　that　he　was　attacked　by　an　illness　of　no　ordinary　nature。　　Tortured　beyond　further　bearing　by　the　suggestions　of　his　fancy；　Louis　XV　at　length　resolved　to　ascertain　the　truth；　and；　with　this　intent；　closely　questioned　Bordeu　and　Lemonnier；　who　did　their　best　to　deceive　him。　　Still；　dissatisfied　with　their　evasive　replies；　he　watched　an　opportunity；　when　they　were　both　absent；　to　desire　La　Martiniere　would　at　once　explain　the　true　malady　with　which　he　was　then　suffering。　　La　Martiniere　puzzled　and　confused；　could　only　exclaim；

〃I　entreat　of　you；　sire；　not　to　fatigue　yourself　with　conversation；　remember　how　strongly　you　have　been　forbidden　all　exertion。〃

〃I　am　no　child；　La　Martiniere；〃　cried　Louis　XV；　his　cheeks　glowing　with　increased　fire；　〃and　I　insist　upon　being　made　acquainted　with　the　precise　nature　of　my　present　illness。　　You　have　always　served　me　loyally　and　faithfully；　and　from　you　I　expect　to　receive　that　candid　statement　every　one　about　me　seems　bent　upon　concealing。〃

〃Endeavour　to　get　some　sleep；　sire；〃　rejoined　La　Martiniere；　〃and　do　not　exhaust　yourself　by　speaking　at　present。〃

〃La　Martiniere；　you　irritate　me　beyond　all　endurance。　　If　you　love　me；　speak　out；　I　conjure　you；　and　tell　me；　frankly；　the　name　of　my　complaint。〃

　〃Do　you　insist　upon　it；　sire？〃

〃I　do；　my　friend；　I　do。〃

〃Then；　sire；　you　have　the　small…pox；　but　be　not　alarmed；　it　is　a　disease　as　frequently　cured　as　many　others。〃

〃The　small…pox！〃　　exclaimed　the　king；　in　a　voice　of　horror；　〃have　　I　indeed　that　fatal　disease？　　and　do　you　talk　of　curing　it？〃

〃Doubtless；　sire；　many　die　of　it　as　well　as　other　disorders；　but　we　are　sanguine　in　our　hopes　and　expectations　of　saving　your　majesty。〃

The　king　made　no　reply；　but；　turned　heavily　in　his　bed　and　threw　the　coverlet　over　his　face。　　A　silence　ensued；　which　lasted　until　the　return　of　the　physicians；　when；　finding　they　made　no　allusion　to　his　condition；　the　king　addressed　them　in　a　cool　and　offended　tone。

〃Why；〃　said　he；　〃have　you　concealed　from　me　the　fact　of　my　having　the　small…pox？〃　　This　abrupt　inquiry　petrified　them　with　astonishment；　and　unable　to　frame　a　proper　reply；　they　stood　speechless　with　alarm　and　apprehension。　　〃Yes；〃　resumed　the　king；　〃but　for　La　Martiniere；　I　should　have　died　in　ignorance　of　my　danger。　　I　know　now　the　state　in　which　I　am；　and　before　long　I　shall　be　gathered　to　my　forefathers。〃

All　around　him　strove　to　combat　this　idea；　and　exerted　their　utmost　endeavours　to　persuade　the　royal　patient　that　his　disorder　had　assumed　the　most　favourable　shape；　and　that　not　a　shadow　of　danger　was　perceptible；　but　in　vain；　for　the　blow　had　fallen；　and　the　hapless　king；　struck　with　a　fatal　presentiment　of　coming　ill；　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　all　they　could　advance。

Bordeu；　deeply　concerned　for　what　had　transpired；　hastened　to　announce　to　the　duc　de　Richelieu　the　turn　which　had　taken　place　in　the　face　of　affairs。　　Nothing　could　exceed　the　rage　with　which　the　news　was　received。　　The　duke　hurried　to　the　king's　bedside。

〃Is　it；　indeed；　true；　sire；〃　inquired　he；　〃that　your　majesty　doubts　of　your　perfect　restoration　to　health？　　May　I　presume　to　inquire　whether　any　circumstance　has　occurred　to　diminish　your　confidence　in　your　medical　attendants？〃

〃Duc　de　Richelieu；〃　replied　the　king；　looking　as　though　he　would　search　into　his　very　soul；　〃I　have　the　small…pox。　　〃

〃Well；〃　returned　the　duke；　〃and；　as　I　understand；　of　a　most　favourable　sort；　perhaps；　it　might　have　been　better　that　La　Martiniere　had　said　nothing　about　it。　　However；　it　is　a　malady　as　readily　subdued　by　art　as　any　other；　you　must　not　allow　yourself　to　feel　any　uneasiness　respecting　it；　science　has　now　so　much　improved　in　the　treatment　of　this　malady。〃

〃I　doubt　not　its　ability　to　cure　others；　but　me！　　Indeed；　duc　de　Richelieu；　I　would　much　rather　face　my　old　parliament　than　this　inveterate　disease。〃

〃Your　majesty's　being　able　to　jest　is　a　good　sign。〃

At　this　moment；　ignorant　of　all　that　had　taken　place；　I　entered　the　room；　for；　in　the　general　confusion；　no　person　had　informed　me　of　it。　　The　moment　Louis　XV　perceived　me；　he　exclaimed　in　a

hollow　tone；

〃Dearest　countess；　I　have　the　small…pox。〃

At　these　words　a　cry　of　terror　escaped　me。

〃Surely；　sire；〃　exclaimed　I；　〃this　is　some　wandering　of　your　imagination；　and　your　medical　attendants　are　very　wrong　to　permit　you　to　indulge　it　for　a　minute。〃

〃Peace！〃　　returned　Louis　XV　；　〃you　know　not　what　you　say。　　I　have　the　small…pox；　I　repeat；　and；　thanks　to　La　　Martiniere；　I　now　know　my　real　state。〃

I　now　perceived　whose　hand　had　dealt　the　blow；　and　seeing　at　once　all　the　consequences　of　the　disclosure；　exclaimed　in　my　anger；　turning　towards　La　Martiniere；

〃You　have　achieved　a　noble　work；　indeed；　sir；　you　could　not　restrain　yourself　within　the　bounds　of　prudence；　and　you　see　the　state　to　which　you　have　reduced　his　majesty。〃

La　Martiniere　knew　not　what　to　reply；　the　king　undertook　his　defence。

〃Blame　him　not；〃　said　he；　〃but　for　him　I　should　have　quitted　this　world　like　a　heathen；　without　making　my　peace　with　an　offended　God。〃

At　these　words　I　fainted　in　the　arms　of　doctor　Bordeu；　who；　with　the　aid　of　my　attendants；　carried　me　to　my　chamber；　and；　at　length；　succeeded　in　restoring　me。　　My　family　crowded　around　me；　and　sought　to　afford　me　that　consolation　they　were　in　equal　need　of　themselves。

Spite　of　the　orders　I　had　given　to　admit　no　perso