memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第52部分

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〃Really；　my　dear　countess；〃　cried　she；　〃you　should　not　live　at　court；　you　are　absolutely　unfit　for　it。〃

〃It　may　be　so；〃　replied　I；　〃but　I　would　rather　quit　Versailles　altogether　than　be　surrounded　by　false　and　perfidious　friends。〃

All　the　remonstrances　of　the　good…natured　marechale　were　fruitless；　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　pardon　a　man　who　had　so　openly　outraged　my　friendship。

Directly　I　saw　the　king；　I　related　the　whole　affair　to　him。

〃It　must　be　confessed；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　duke　has　behaved　very　ill　towards　you；　but　he　has　certainly　shown　his　taste　as　far　as　regards　Sophie。　　She　is　a　sweet　creature。〃

〃Ah！　　you　are　all　alike；〃　cried　I。　　〃You　gentlemen　think　a　pretty　face　an　excuse　for　every　fault；　and　he　only　deserves　blame　who　can　attach　himself　where　beauty　is　wanting。〃

〃Because　he　is　a　simpleton　for　so　doing；〃　said　Louis　XV　with　the　utmost　gravity；　giving　me　at　the　same　time　an　affectionate　embrace。



CHAPTER　XXIV


The　prince　des　Deux　PontsPrince　MaxThe　dauphin　and　Marie　AntoinetteThe　comtesse　du　Barry　and　Bridget　RupertThe　countess　and　Genevieve　MathonNoelFresh　amoursNocturnal　adventure　Conclusion　of　this　intrigue

All　my　friends　were　not　treacherous　as　the　duc　de　Villeroi；　and　I　may　gratefully　assert　I　have　possessed　many　true　and　sincere　ones　who　have　ever　faithfully　adhered　to　my　fortunes。　　One　in　particular　I　shall　mention　here；　that　I　may　recommend　him　to　your　warmest　esteem；　for；　although　of　high　and　distinguished　rank；　he　did　not　despise　the　good　opinion　of　the　meanest　citizen。　　I　speak　of　the　prince　de　Deux　Ponts；　Charles　Auguste　Christian。　　This　prince；　who　chanced　to　visit　France　during　the　zenith　of　my　court　favour；　was　very　desirous　of　seeing　me；　and　both　he　and　his　brother　were　presented　to　me　by　the　comte　de　la　Marche；　their　friend；　and　they　quickly　requested　the　honor　of　my　friendship。　　Auguste　Christian　pleased　me　most　by　his　gentle　and　amiable　manners；　although　most　persons　gave　the　preference　to　his　brother；　Maximilian　Joseph；　better　known　by　the　name　of　prince　Max。　　Auguste　Christian；　in　the　fervour　of　his　attachment；　speaking　openly　to　me　of　the　delicacy　of　the　situation；　proposed　to　me；　in　case　of　any　reverse；　that　I　should　seek　an　asylum　in　his　dominions；　and　I　must　do　him　the　justice　to　say；　that　at　the　death　of　the　king；　far　from　forgetting　his　proffer；　he　lost　no　time　in　reminding　me　of　it。　Fidelity　and　attachment　such　as　his；　is　sufficiently　rare　to　merit　a　place　in　my　journal。　　The　prince　des　Deux　Ponts　was　presumptive　heir　to　an　immense　inheritance；　that　of　the　electorate　of　Bavaria；　and　the　electorate　Palatine；　to　the　latter　of　which　he　was　direct　heir　after　the　decease　of　his　cousin；　the　present　elector。　　I　could　almost　wish　that　he　had　already　succeeded　to　these　possessions：　he　can　never　reign　too　soon　for　the　happiness　of　his　subjects。

Prince　Max　had　served　in　France；　he　was　extremely　well　looked　upon　at　court　both　by　the　king　and　the　princesses。　　As　for　the　dauphiness；　prejudiced　against　him　as　she　was　by　her　mother；　she　naturally　regarded　him　with　an　eye　of　cool　mistrust；　and　manifested　her　open　dislike　by　never　inviting　him　to　any　of　her　parties。　　Prince　Max　spoke　of　this　pointed　neglect　to　the　king；　who　immediately　summoned　the　dauphin。　　〃My　son；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃I　see　with　regret　that　prince　Max　is　never　an　invited　guest　at　any　of　your　balls　and　fetes。　　Remember；　he　belongs　to　a　family　which　has　been　our　most　ancient　ally；　and　do　not　take　up　the　quarrels　of　a　house　which；　until　your　marriage；　has　ever　been　disposed　in　deadly　hatred　to　us。〃

If　the　dauphin　was　not　gifted　with　a　very　extensive　capacity；　he　was　possessed　of　sufficient　plain　sense　to　comprehend；　and　to　enter　into　the　views　of　his　grandfather；　to　whom　he　pledged　his　word；　that　henceforward　prince　Max　should　be　treated　with　more　respect；　and　he　kept　his　word；　for　the　instant　he　returned　to　his　apartments；　he　commanded　the　duc　de　la　Vauguyon　to　add　the　name　of　prince　Max　to　the　list　of　invited　persons。　　When　the　paper　was　drawn　out　it　was　carried　to　the　dauphiness；　who　was　with　her　husband。　　She　read　on　till　she　came　to　the　name　of　prince　Max；　which　she　desired　might　be　erased；　but　the　dauphin　interfered。　〃Oblige　me；〃　cried　he；　〃by　suffering　this　name　to　remain；　his　ancestors　have　for　ages　been　the　friends　of　our　family；　and　his　alliance　may　one　day　be　useful　to　us　in　Germany。〃

The　dauphiness　comprehended　the　signification　of　these　words；　and　her　fine　eyes　were　filled　with　tears。　　However；　she　no　longer　insisted　upon　the　erasure；　when　her　husband；　who　most　tenderly　loved　her；　further　declared　it　to　be　the　king's　desire　that　nothing　should　be　done　which　could　in　any　way　displease　the　prince　des　Deux　Ponts。　　He　was；　therefore；　from　that　period　invited　to　the　house　of　Marie　Antoinette；　who　indemnified　herself　for　this　compulsory　civility；　by　refusing　to　bestow　upon　him　one　single　smile　or　gracious　word。　　It　must　indeed　be　agreed　that　the　dauphiness　had　brought　with　her　into　France　too　many　Austrian　notions；　which　she　was　long　in　losing　for　those　of　a　wife　and　mother；　but　now　at　the　moment　of　my　writing　this；　she　is　much　changed；　and　is　as　true　a　French　woman　as　though　she　had　been　born　and　bred　in　Paris。　　Unfortunately；　the　people　appear　slow　in　giving　her　credit　for　her　altered　opinions；　and　to　this　mistake　will　she　owe　the　loss　of　that　general　love　and　popularity　to　which　she　has　such　just　claims。

Prince　Auguste　Christian　entertained　for　me　a　sincere　regard；　which　I　returned　with　the　truest　friendship。　　My　feelings　were　as　pure　and　simple　as　his　own；　spite　of　the　odious　calumnies　with　which　my　enemies　have　attacked　this　harmless　acquaintance；　but　their　slander　in　this　matter　was　no　worse　than　the　manner　in　which　they　spoke　of　every　person　who　visited　me。　　According　to　their　report；　I　was　the　mistress　of　all　who　presented　themselves。　'Tis　well　for　you；　ye　courtly　dames；　that　you　may　convert　friends　into　lovers　with　impunity；　be　the　number　ever　so　large　none　dares　arraign　your　conduct；　but　for　those　of　more　humble　pretensions　it　is　indeed　considered　atrocious　to　number　more　than　two　admirers；　should　we　ask　to　swell　the　list　to　a　thirdwhat　comments；　what　scandal；　what　vilifying　reports　are　in　circulation！　　In　this　letter；　my　friend；　I　shall　speak　to　you　exclusively　of　myself。　You　will　find　little　in　my　conduct　to　praise；　and　I　fear；　　much　to　blame。　　You　will　easily　perceive　my　heart　was　better　than　my　head；　and　dear　as　your　opinion　is　to　me；　I　write　on　in　the　hope；　that　should　my　candid　avowal　lose　me　any　portion　of　your　esteem；　it　will　yet　obtain　me　a　larger　share　of　your　friendship。　　The　dismissal　of　Sophie　from　my　service　occasioned　a　vacancy　in　my　household。　　Immediately　her　departure　was　known；　I　received　numberless　solicitations　from　all　who　heard　of　it。　　Three　days　afterwards；　Henriette　came　to　inform　me　that　the　wife　of　an　attorney　of　Chatelet　solicited　the　task　of　serving　me　in　Sophie's　stead；　that　she　was　a　well…looking　and　respectable　person；　and　might　very　probably　suit　me。

〃Will　you　see　her；　madam？〃　　continued　Henriette。　　〃She　is　recommended　by　the　marchioness　de　Montmorency。〃

〃Willingly；〃　answered　I；　〃desire　her　to　come　in。〃　　Henriette　left　me　and　quickly　returned；　introducing　the　new　candidate。

At　the　first　glimpse　I　recognised　Brigitta　Rupert；　that　haughty　girl；　who　had　been　my　early　friend　and　companion　at　Saint　Aure；　but　who　found　it　impossible　to　continue　her　friendship　and　favour　to　a　humble　milliner's　girl。　　The　sight　of　her　occasioned　me　a　surprise　by　no　means　of　a　pleasing　nature；　and　the　involuntary　start　I　gave；　evidently　recalled　me　to　her　recollection。　　In　a　moment　her　cheeks　assumed　the　paleness　of　death；　and　her　self…love　seemed　to　suffer　the　most　horrible　torments　at　the　light　in　which　our　rencontre　mutually　placed　us。　　As　soon　as　she　could　command　herself　sufficiently　to　speak；　she　cried；

〃Ah！　　madam；　do　I　then　appear　in　your　presence？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　I；　〃before　the　poor　and　humble　milliner　to　whom　you　so　harshly　refused　your　friendship；〃

〃Fortune　has　well　avenged　you；　madam；〃　said　Brigitta；　in　a　melancholy　tone；　〃and　as　I　can　easily　imagine　how　unpleasant　the　sight　of　me　must　be；　I　will　hasten　to　relieve　you　from　it。〃

These　last　words　touched　me；　and　restored　me　in　a　degree　to　my　natural　good　temper。

〃Brigitta；〃　said　I　to　her；　〃after　the　little　affection　you　have　ever　manifested　for　me；　it　would　be　impossible　as　well　as　unwise　to　take　you　into　my　service；　but　let　me　know　in　what　way　I　can　best　promote　the　interest　of　yourself　and　husband；　and　I　pledge　myself　to　accomplish　it　for　you。〃

〃I　thank　you；　madam；〃　answered　she；　resuming　her　accustomed　haughtiness；　〃I　came　to　solicit　a　situation　near　the　person　of　the　comtesse　du　Barry。　　Since　that　is　refused　me；　I　have　nothing　more　to　request。〃

〃Be　it　as　you　please；〃　replied　I。　　Brigitta　made　a　low　courtesy；　and　quitted　the　room。

Henriette；　who　had　been　the　witness　of　this　scene；　expressed　her　apprehensions　that　I　should　be　displeased　with　her　for　introducing　an　unwelcome　visitor　to　me。　　〃No；〃　cried　I；　〃'tis　not　with　you　I　am　vexed。；　but　myself。〃

〃And　why　so；　dear　madam？〃

〃Because　I　reproach　myself　with　having　in　my　own　prosperity　forgotten　one　of　my　earliest　and　dearest　friends；　who