memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第17部分

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rd　to　all　these　indignities。〃

〃Yet；〃　said　the　duc　de　Duras；　〃M。　de　Sartines　does　wonders。〃

〃Then　why　does　he　tolerate　such　insults？　　I　will　let　him　know　my　discontent。〃

The　duc　de　Duras　was　alarmed；　and　kept　his　mouth　closed。　　The　king　then；　resuming　his　gaiety；　joked　the　two　gentlemen　on　their　secret　intrigues：　then　changing　the　conversation　suddenly；　he　talked　of　the　expected　arrival　of　the　king　of　Denmark。

〃Duc　de　Duras；〃　said　he；　〃you　and　your　son　must　do　the　office　of　master　of　ceremonies　to　his　　majesty。　　I　hope　you　will　endeavor　to　amuse　him。〃

〃Yes；　sire。〃

〃Mind；　what　you　undertake　is　no　joke。　　It　is　no　easy　matter　to　amuse　a　king。〃

This　was　a　truth　which　I　perceived　at　every　moment；　and　our　monarch　was　not　the　one　to　be　amused　with　trifling　exertion。　　Frequently　when　he　entered　my　apartment　he　threw　himself　on　an　ottoman；　and　yawned　most　excessively；　yes；　yawned　in　my　company。　　I　had　but　one　mode　of　rousing　him　from　this　apathy；　but　it　was　a　sure　one。　　I　spoke　of　the　high　magistracy　and　its　perpetual　resistance　to　the　throne。　　Then　the　king　aroused；　instantly　sprung　from　his　seat；　traversed　the　room　with　rapid　strides；　and　declaimed　vigorously　against　the　；　thus　he　styled　the　parliaments。　　I　confess；　however；　that　I　only　had　recourse　to　the　〃black　gowns〃　at　the　last　extremity。　　Little　did　I　think　that　at　a　later　period　I　should　league　myself　against　them。　　On　the　one　hand；　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　hated　them　mortally；　and　on　the　other；　the　comte　Jean；　like　a　real　Toulousian；　would　have　carried　them　in　his　slippers；　so　that　wavering　between　the　admiration　of　the　one　and　the　hatred　of　the　other；　I　knew　not　which　to　listen　to；　or　which　party　to　side　with。　　But　to　return　to　present　matters。

The　king　was　always　thinking　of　the　〃《　Nouvelles　a　la　Main；》〃　and　determined　to　avenge　me　as　openly　as　I　had　been　attacked。　　Two　or　three　days　afterwards　he　gave　a　supper；　to　which　he　invited　the　duchesse　and　comtesse　de　Grammont；　madame　de　Forcalquier；　the　princess　de　Marsan；　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix；　and　the　comtesses　de　Coigny　and　de　Montbarrey。　　They　were　seated　at　table　laughing　and　amusing　themselves；　they　talked　of　the　pleasure　of　being　to　；　of　having　no　；　they　pierced　me　with　a　hundred　thrusts；　they　triumphed！　　And　yet　the　king　was　laughing　in　his　sleeve。　　At　a　premeditated　signal　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；　one　of　the　guests；　asked　his　majesty　if　he　had　seen　the　comtesse　du　Barry　that　day。　　This　terrible　name；　thrown　suddenly　into　the　midst　of　my　enemies；　had　the　effect　of　a　thunder…clap。　　All　the　ladies　looked　at　each　other　first　and　then　at　the　king；　and　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；　reserving　profound　silence。　　His　majesty　then　replied；　that　he　had　not　had　the　happiness　of　visiting　me　that　day；　not　having　had　one　moment's　leisure；　then　eulogized　me　at　great　length；　and　ended　by　saying　to　the　duke；　　〃If　you　see　the　comtesse　before　I　do；　be　sure　to　say　that　I　drank　this　glass　of　wine　to　her　health。〃

The　ladies　did　not　anticipate　this。　　The　duchesse　de　Grammont　particularly；　in　spite　of　long　residence　at　court；　turned　pale　to　her　very　ears；　and　I　believe　but　for　etiquette　she　would　have　fallen　into　a　swoon。　　I　learnt　afterwards　from　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix；　that　the　duchesse；　on　going　home；　gave　herself　up　to　a　fit　of　rage；　which　did　not　terminate　even　on　the　following　day。　When　the　king　related　this　occurrence　to　me；　he　was　as　proud　of　it　as　if　he　had　done　a　most　courageous　deed。

But　I　have　omitted　a　day　which　was　of　great　importance　to　me　in　its　consequences。　　I　mean　the　day　which　followed　that　on　which　I　had　complained　to　the　duc　de　Duras　of　M。　the　lieutenant　of　police。　　In　the　morning　early　my　sister…in…law　came　into　my　room。

〃Sister；〃　said　she；　〃comte　Jean　is　here　with　M。　de　Sartines；　who　begs　to　pay　his　respects　to　you。　　Will　you　receive　him？〃

〃M。　de　Sartines！　　Yes；　let　him　come　in；　I　will　treat　him　as　he　deserves。〃

Comte　Jean　then　came　in；　preceded　by　the　lieutenant　of　police：　he　wore　a　large　peruke　with　white　powder；　and　curled　with　the　utmost　care。　　Wigs　were　his　mania；　and　he　had　a　room　filled　from　floor　to　ceiling　with　these　ornaments。　　The　duc　d'Ayen　said；　that　he　never　should　be　in　trouble　about　the　council　of　state；　for　in　case　of　need；　it　might　be　found　and　replenished　from　the　house　of　the　lieutenant　of　police。　　Let　us　leave　wigs　and　revert　to　M。　de　Sartines。

He　appeared　before　me　with　the　air　of　Tartuffe；　and；　forgive　the　phrase；　。

〃Madame；〃　said　he　to　me；　〃I　have　been　informed　that　I　am　in　disgrace　with　you；　and　have　come　to　inquire　how　I　may　extricate　myself　from　this　misfortune。〃

〃You　ought　to　know；　sir。　　Twice　in　one　month　have　I　been　shamefully　insulted；　and　yet　the　first　intimation　of　such　a　thing　ought　to　have　put　you　on　your　guard。〃

M。　de　Sartines；　whom　my　tone　had　much　surprised；　endeavored　to　justify　himself；　when　comte　Jean　said　to　him；

〃My　dear　lieutenant　of　police；　all　you　have　said　goes　for　nothing。　One　thing　is　certain；　and　that　is；　that　there　is　a　deficiency　of　respect　towards　my　sister…in…law。　　You　say　that　it　is　not　your　fault：　what　proof　do　you　give　us　of　this？　　What　inquiries　have　you　made？　　What　measures　have　you　taken？　　Any？　　Why　do　you　come　to　us　if　you　aid　our　enemies？〃

M。　de　Sartines　would　fain　have　ensconced　himself　in　his　own　dignity。

〃M。　du　Barry；〃　was　his　reply；　〃I　shall　render　an　account　of　my　conduct　to　the　king。〃

〃Very　well；　sir；〃　I　replied；　〃but　do　not　suppose　that　either　you　or　the　Choiseuls　can　give　me　any　cause　of　fear。〃

M。　de　Sartines　was　thunderstruck；　my　boldness　astonished　him。　　At　length　he　said；

〃Madame；　you　are　angry　with　me　causelessly；　I　am　more　negligent　than　culpable。　　It　is　useless　to　say　this　to　the　king。〃

〃I　will　not　conceal　from　you；　sir；　that　he　knows　it　all；　and　is　greatly　discontented　with　you。　　〃

〃I　am　lost　then；〃　said　M。　de　Sartines。

〃Lost！　　not　precisely；〃　replied　comte　Jean；　〃but　you　must　decide　at　once　and　for　ever　what　party　you　will　join。　　If　you　are　with　us　they　will　use　you　harshly；　if　you　take　the　opposite　party　look　to　yourself。　　Choose。〃

After　some　turnings　and　twistings；　accompanied　with　compliments；　M。　de　Sartines　declared　that　he　would　range　himself　under　our　banner。　　Then　I　extended　to　him　my　hand　in　token　of　reconciliation；　he　took　it　with　respect；　and　kissed　it　with　gallantry。　　Up　to　this　time　we　had　conversed　with　feelings　of　restraint　and　standing；　but　now　we　seated　ourselves；　and　begun　a　conference　in　form；　as　to　the　manner　of　preventing　a　recurrence　of　the　offensive　outrages　against　me。　　As　a　proof　of　good　intention　M。　de　Sartines　told　me　the　author　of　the　two　articles　of　which　I　complained。　　He　was　a　wretch；　named　Ledoux；　who　for　twelve　hundred　livres　per　annum　wrote　down　all　those　who　displeased　the　duchesse　de　Grammont。　　This　lady　had　no　fear　of　doing　all　that　was　necessary　to　remove　every　obstacle　to　the　publication　of　such　infamies。

After　M。　de　Sartines　had　given　us　all　the　details　which　we　desired；　and　after　I　had　promised　to　reconcile　him　to　his　master；　he　went　away　delighted　with　having　seen　me。　　Believe　me；　my　friend；　it　is　necessary　to　be　as　handsome　as　I　am；　that　is　to　say；　as　I　was；　to　seduce　a　lieutenant　of　police。



CHAPTER　VIII


The　sieur　LedouxThe　The　duc　de　la　Vrilliere　Madame　de　LangeacM。　de　MaupeouLouis　XVThe　comte　Jean

On　that　very　evening；　the　king　having　come　to　me；　I　said　to　him；

〃Sire；　I　have　made　acquaintance　with　M。　de　Sartines。〃

〃What！　　has　he　been　to　make　friends　with　you？〃

〃Something　like　it：　but　he　has　appeared　to　me　less　culpable　than　I　thought。　　He　had　only　yielded　to　the　solicitation　of　my　personal　enemy。〃

〃You　cannot　have　one　at　my　court；　madame；　the　lieutenant　of　police　would　have　done　well　not　to　have　named　her　to　you。〃

〃Thanks　to　him；　however；　I　shall　now　know　whom　I　ought　to　mistrust。　I　know　also　who　is　the　author　of　the　two　scurrilous　paragraphs。〃

〃Some　scamp；　no　doubt；　some　beggarly　scoundrel。〃

〃A　monsieur　Ledoux。〃

〃Ah；　I　know　the　fellow。　　His　bad　reputation　has　reached　me。　　It　must　be　stopped　at　last。〃

So　saying；　Louis　XV　went　to　the　chimney；　and　pulled　the　bell…rope　with　so　much　vehemence　that　ten　persons　answered　it　at　once。

〃Send　for　the　duc　de　la　Vrilliere；　if　he　be　not　suitably　attired　let　him　come　in　his　night…gown；　no　matter　so　that　he　appear　quickly。〃

On　hearing　an　order　given　in　this　manner　a　stranger　might　have　supposed　the　king　crazy；　and　not　intent　on　imprisoning　a　miserable　libeller。　　I　interceded　in　his　favor；　but　Louis　XV；　delighted　at　an　opportunity　of　playing　the　king　at　a　small　cost；　told　me　that　it　was　no　person's　business；　and　he　would　be　dictated　to　by　no　one。　I　was　silent；　reserving　myself　until　another　opportunity　when　I　could　undertake　the　defence　of　the　poor　devil。

The　duc　de　la　Vrilliere　arrived；　not　in　a　dressing…gown；　as　the　king　had　authorized；　but　in　magnificent　costume。　　He　piqued　himself　on　his　expenditure；　and　always　appeared　superbly　attired；　altho'　the　splendor　of　his　apparel　could　not　conceal　the　meanness　of　his　look。　　He　was　the　oldest　secretary　of　state；　and　certainly　was　the　least　skilful；　least　esteemed；　least　considered。　　Some　time　after　his　death　some　one　said　of　him　in　the　presen