memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第94节

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solation　they　were　in　equal　need　of　themselves。

Spite　of　the　orders　I　had　given　to　admit　no　person；　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　would　insist　upon　seeing　me。　　He　exerted　his　best　endeavours　to　persuade　me　to　arm　myself　with　courage；　and；　like　a　true　and　attached　friend；　appeared　to　lose　sight　of　his　own　approaching　fall　from　power　in　his　ardent　desire　to　serve　me。

In　this　mournful　occupation　an　hour　passed　away；　and　left　my　dejected　companions　sighing　over　the　present；　and；　anticipating　even　worse　prospects　than　those　now　before　them。



CHAPTER　XLIII


Terror　of　the　kingA　complicationFilial　piety　of　the　　princesses　Last　interview　between　madame　du　Barry　and　Louis　XVConversation　with　the　marechale　de　MirepoixThe　chancellor　MaupeouThe　fragment　Comte　Jean

Perhaps　no　person　ever　entertained　so　great　a　dread　of　death　as　Louis　XV；　consequently　no　one　required　to　be　more　carefully　prepared　for　the　alarming　intelligence　so　abruptly　communicated　by　La　　Martiniere；　and　which；　in　a　manner；　appeared　to　sign　the　king's　death…warrant。

To　every　person　who　approached　him　the　despairing　monarch　could　utter　only　the　fatal　phrase；　〃I　have　the　small…pox；〃　which；　in　his　lips；　was　tantamount　to　his　declaring　himself　a　dead　man。　Alas！　　had　his　malady　been　confined　to　the　small…pox；　he　might　still　have　been　spared　to　our　prayers；　but；　unhappily；　a　complication　of　evils；　which　had　long　been　lurking　in　his　veins；　burst　forth　with　a　violence　which；　united　to　his　cruel　complaint；　bade　defiance　to　surgical　or　medical　skill。

Yet；　spite　of　the　terror　with　which　the　august　sufferer　contemplated　his　approaching　end；　he　did　not　lose　sight　of　the　interests　of　the　nation　as　vested　in　the　person　of　the　dauphin；　whom　he　positively　prohibited；　as　well　as　his　other　grandsons；　from　entering　his　chamber　or　even　visiting　the　part　of　the　chateau　he　occupied。　　After　this　he　seemed　to　divest　himself　of　all　further　care　for　sublunary　things；　no　papers　were　brought　for　his　inspection；　nor　did　he　ever　more　sign　any　official　document。

The　next　request　made　by　Louis　XV　was　for　his　daughters；　who　presented　themselves　bathed　in　tears；　and　vainly　striving　to　repress　that　grief　which　burst　forth　　in　spite　of　all　their　endeavours。　　The　king　replied　to　their　sobs；　by　saying；　〃My　children；　I　have　the　small…pox；　but　weep　not。　　These　gentlemen　　＇pointing　towards　the　physicians＇　assure　me　they　can　cure　me。〃　But；　while　uttering　this　cheerful　sentence；　his　eye　caught　the　stern　and　iron　countenance　of　La　Martiniere；　whose　look　of　cool　disbelief　seemed　to　deny　the　possibility　of　such　an　event。

With　a　view　to　divert　her　father　from　the　gloom　which　all　at　once　came　over　his　features；　the　princess　Adelaide　informed　him　that　she　had　a　letter　addressed　to　him　by　her　sister；　madame　Louise。

〃Let　me　hear　it；〃　cried　the　king；　〃it　is；　no　doubt；　some　heavenly　mission　with　which　she　is　charged。　　But　who　knows？〃　　He　stopped；　but　it　was　easy　to　perceive　that　to　the　fear　of　death　was　added　a　dread　of　his　well…being　in　another　world。　　Madame　Adelaide　then　read　the　letter　with　a　low　voice；　while　the　attendants　retired　to　a　respectful　distance。　　All　eyes　were　directed　to　the　countenance　of　the　king；　in　order　to　read　there　the　nature　of　its　contents；　but　already　had　the　ravages　of　his　fatal　disease　robbed　his　features　of　every　expression；　save　that　of　pain　and　suffering。

The　princesses　now　took　their　stations　beside　their　parent；　and　established　themselves　as　nurses；　an　office　which；　I　can　with　truth　affirm；　they　continued　to　fill　unto　the　last　with　all　the　devotion　of　the　purest　filial　piety。

　On　this　same　day　Louis　XV　caused　me　to　be　sent　for。　　I　ran　to　his　bedside　trembling　with　alarm。　　The　various　persons　engaged　in　his　apartment　retired　when　they　saw　me；　and　we　were　left　alone。

〃My　beloved　friend；〃　said　the　king；　'I　have　the　small…pox；　I　am　still　very　ill。〃

〃Nay；　sire；〃　interrupted　I；　〃you　must　not　fancy　things　worse　than　they　are；　you　will　do　well；　depend　upon　it；　and　we　shall　yet　pass　many　happy　days　together。〃

〃Do　you　indeed　think　so？〃　　returned　Louis　XV。　　〃May　heaven　grant　your　prophecy　be　a　correct　one。　　But　see　the　state　in　which　I　now　am；　give　me　your　hand。〃

He　took　my　hand　and　made　me　feel　the　pustules　with　which　his　burning　cheeks　were　covered。　　I　know　not　what　effect　this　touch　of　my　hand　might　have　produced；　but　the　king　in　his　turn　patted　my　face；　pushed　back　the　curls　which　hung　negligently　over　my　brow；　then；　inclining　me　towards　him；　drew　my　head　upon　his　pillow。　　I　submitted　to　this　whim　with　all　the　courage　I　could　assume；　I　even　went　so　far　as　to　be　upon　the　point　of　bestowing　a　gentle　kiss　upon　his　forehead。　　But；　stopping　me；　with　a　mournful　air；　he　said；　〃No；　my　lovely　countess；　I　am　no　longer　myself；　but　here　is　a　miniature　which　has　not　undergone　the　same　change　as　its　unfortunate　master。〃

I　took　the　miniature；　which　I　placed　with　respectful　tenderness　in　my　bosom；　nor　have　I　ever　parted　with　it　since。

This　scene　lasted　for　some　minutes；　after　which　I　was　retiring；　but　the　king　called　me　back；　seized　my　hand；　which　he　tenderly　kissed；　and　then　whispered　an　affectionate　〃Adieu。〃　　These　were　the　last　words　I　ever　heard　from　his　lips。

Upon　re…entering　my　apartments　I　found　madame　de　Mirepoix　awaiting　me；　to　whom　I　related　all　that　had　taken　place；　expressing；　at　the　same　time；　my　earnest　hope　of　being　again　summoned；　ere　long；　to　the　presence　of　my　friend　and　benefactor。

〃Do　not　deceive　yourself；　my　dear；〃　said　she；　〃depend　upon　it　you　have　had　your　last　interview；　you　should　have　employed　it　more　profitably。　　His　portrait！　　why；　if　I　mistake　not；　you　have　　already。　　Why　did　you　not　carry　about　with　you　some　deed　of　settlement　ready　for　signature？　　he　would　have　denied　you　nothing　at　such　a　moment；　when　you　may　rest　assured　he　knew　himself　to　be　taking　his　last　farewell。〃

〃Is　it　possible？〃　　exclaimed　I。　　〃And　can　you　really　suppose　the　king　believed　he　spoke　to　me　for　the　last　time？〃

〃I　have　not　the　slightest　doubt　of　it；　I　have　known　him　for　many　a　day。　　He　remembers　the　scene　of　Metz；　and　looks　upon　you　as

forming　the　second　edition　of　the　poor　duchesse　de　Chateauroux；　who；　by　the　by；　was　not　equal　to　you　in　any　respect。〃

I　burst　into　a　fit　of　tears；　but　not　of　regret　for　having　allowed　my　late　interview　with　the　king　to　pass　in　so　unprofitable　a　manner。　　However；　the　marechale；　misconceiving　the　cause　of　this　burst　of　grief；　exclaimed；　〃Come；　come；　it　is　too　late　now；　and　all　your　sorrow　cannot　recall　the　last　half…hour。　　But；　mademoiselle　du　Barry；〃　continued　she；　〃I　advise　you　to　commence　　your　packing　up　at　once；　that　when　the　grand　move　comes　you　may　not　in　your　hurry；　leave　anything　behind　you。〃

These　remarks　increased　my　affliction；　but　the　marechale　had　no　intention　of　wounding　my　feelings；　and　worldly…minded　as　she　was；　considered　all　that　could　be　saved　out　of　the　wreck　as　the　only　subject　worthy　attention。　　Meanwhile；　comte　Jean；　with　a　gloomy　and　desponding　air；　continued　silently　with　folded　arms　to　pace　the　room；　till　all　at　once；　as　if　suddenly　struck　by　the　arguments　of　madame　de　Mirepoix；　he　exclaimed；

〃The　marechale　is　right〃；　and　abruptly　quitted　the　apartment；　as　if　to　commence　his　own　preparations。

Ere　madame　de　Mirepoix　had　left　me　and　she　remained　till　a　late　hour；　the　ducs　d'Aiguillon　and　de　Cosse　arrived；　who；　although　less　experienced　in　their　knowledge　of　the　king's　character；　were　yet　fully　of　her　opinion　respecting　my　last　visit　to　him。

Scarcely　had　these　visitors　withdrawn；　than　I　was　apprized　that　the　chancellor　of　France　desired　to　see　me。　　He　was　admitted；　and　the　first　glance　of　the　countenance　of　M。　de　Maupeou　convinced　me　that　our　day　of　power　was　rapidly　closing。

〃Your　servant；　cousin；〃　said　he；　seating　himself　without　the　smallest　ceremony；　〃at　what　page　of　our　history　have　we　arrived？〃

〃By　the　unusual　freedom　and　effrontery　of　your　manner；〃　answered　I；　〃I　should　surmise　that　we　have　reached　the　word　。〃

〃Oh；〃　replied　the　chancellor；　〃I　crave　your　pardon　for　having　omitted　my　best　bow；　but；　my　good　cousin；　my　present　visit　is　a　friendly　one；　to　advise　you　to　burn　your　papers　with　as　little　delay　as　possible。〃

〃Thank　you　for　your　considerate　counsel；〃　said　I；　coolly；　〃　but　I　have　no　papers　to　destroy。　　I　have　neither　mixed　with　any　state　intrigue；　nor　received　a　pension　from　the　English　government。　Nothing　will　be　found　in　my　drawers　but　some　unanswered　billets…doux。〃

〃Then　as　I　can　do　nothing　for　you；　my　good　cousin；　oblige　me　by　giving　this　paper　to　the　duc　d'Aiguillon。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　　inquired　I；　with　much　curiosity。

〃Have　you　forgotten　our　mutual　engagement　to　support　each　other；　and　not　to　quit　the　ministry　until　the　other　retired　also？　　I　have　lately　been　compelled　（from　perceiving　how　deeply　the　duke　was　manoeuvering　against　me）　to　send　him　a　copy　of　this　agreement。　Under　other　circumstances　I　might　have　availed　myself　of　this　writing；　but　now　it　matters　not；　the　blow　which　dismisses　me　proceeds　from　other　hands　than　his；　and　I　am　willing　to　leave　him　the　consolation　of　remaining　in　power　a　few　days　after　myself。　Give　him；　then；　this　useless　document；　and　now；　farewell；　my　pretty　cousin；　let　us　take　a　last　embrace。〃

Upon　which　the　chancello