memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第67部分

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hope　of　ever　shining　in　public　opinion　whilst　so　formidable　a　　was　uttered　against　them；　and　her　decrees；　from　which　there　was　no　appeal；　either　stamped　a　man　with　dishonour；　or　introduced　him　as　a　first…rate　candidate　for　universal　admiration　and　esteem；　and　her　hatred　was　as　much　dreaded　as　ever　her　smiles　had　been　courted：　for　my　own　part；　I　always　felt　afraid　of　her；　and　never　willingly　found　myself　in　her　presence。

After　I　had　obtained　for　madame　de　Valentinois　the　boon　I　solicited；　I　was　conversing　with　the　king　respecting　madame　de　Luxembourg；　when　the　chancellor　entered　the　room；　he　came　to　relate　to　his　majesty　an　affair　which　had　occasioned　various　reports；　and　much　scandal。　　The　viscount　de　Bombelles；　an　officer　in　an　hussar　regiment；　had　married　a　mademoiselle　Camp；　Reasons；　unnecessary　for　me　to　seek　to　discover；　induced　him；　all　at　once；　to　annul　his　marriage；　and　profiting　by　a　regulation　which　forbade　all　good　Catholics　from　intermarrying　with　those　of　the　reformed　religion；　He　demanded　the　dissolution　of　his　union　with　mademoiselle　Camp。　This　attempt　on　his　part　to　violate；　upon　such　grounds；　the　sanctity　of　the　nuptial　vow；　whilst　it　was　calculated　to　rekindle　the　spirit　of　religious　persecution；　was　productive　of　very　unfavourable　consequences　to　the　character　of　M。　de　Bombelles；　the　great　cry　was　against　him；　he　stood　alone　and　unsupported　in　the　contest；　for　even　the　greatest　bigots　themselves　would　not　intermeddle　or　appear　to　applaud　a　matter　which　attacked　both　honour　and　good　feeling：　the　comrades　of　M。　de　Bombelles　refused　to　associate　with　him；　but　the　finishing　stroke　came　from　his　old　companions　at　the　military　school；　where　he　had　been　brought　up。　On　the　27th　of　November；　1771；　the　council　of　this　establishment　wrote　him　the　following　letter：

〃The　military　school　have　perused　with　equal　indignation　and　grief　the　memorials　which　have　appeared　respecting　you　in　the　public　prints。　　Had　you　not　been　educated　in　this　establishment；　we　should　merely　have　looked　upon　your　affair　with　mademoiselle　Camp　as　a　scene　too　distressing　for　humanity　and　it　would　have　been　buried　in　our　peaceful　walls　beneath　the　veil　of　modesty　and　silence；　but　we　owe　it　to　the　youth　sent　to　us　by　his　majesty；　for　the　inculcation　of　those　principles　which　become　the　soldier　as　the　man；　not　to　pass　over　the　present　opportunity　of　inspiring　them　with　a　just　horror　of　your　misguided　conduct；　as　well　as　feeling　it　an　imperative　duty　to　ourselves　not　to　appear　indifferent　to　the　scandal　and　disgraceful　confusion　your　proceedings　have　occasioned　in　the　capital。　　We　leave　to　the　ministers　of　our　religion；　and　the　magistrates　who　are　appointed　to　guard　our　laws。　　to　decide　upon　the　legality　of　the　bonds　between　yourself　and　mademoiselle　Camp；　but　by　one　tribunal　you　are　distinctly　pronounced　guilty　towards　her；　and　that　is　the　tribunal　of　honour；　before　that　tribunal　which　exists　in　the　heart　of　every　good　man。　　You　have　been　universally　cited　and　condemned。　　There　are　some　errors　which　all　the　impetuosity　of　youth　is　unable　to　excuse；　and　yours　are　unhappily　of　that　sort。　　The　different　persons　composing　this　establishment；　therefore；　concur　not　only　in　praying　of　us　to　signify　their　sentiments；　but　likewise　to　apprize　you；　that　you　are　unanimously　forbidden　to　appear　within　these　walls　again。〃

The　chancellor　brought　to　the　king　a　copy　of　this　severe　letter；　to　which　I　listened　with　much　emotion；　nor　did　the　king　seem　more　calm　than　myself。

'This　is；　indeed；〃　said　he　at　length；　〃a　very　sad　affair；　we　shall　have　all　the　quarrels　of　Protestantism　renewed；　as　if　I　had　not　had　already　enough　of　those　of　the　Jansenists　and　Jesuits。　　As　far　as　I　can　judge；　M。　de　Bombelles　is　entitled　to　the　relief　he　seeks；　and　every　marriage　contracted　with　a　Protestant　is　null　and　void　by　the　laws　of　France。〃

〃Oh；　sire；〃　cried　I；　〃　would　I　had　married　a　Protestant。〃

The　king　smiled　for　a　moment　at　my　jest；　then　resumed：

〃I　blame　the　military　school。〃


〃Is　it　your　majesty's　pleasure；〃　inquired　the　chancellor；　〃that　I　should　signify　your　displeasure　to　them？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　replied　Louis；　〃it　does　not　come　within　your　line　of　duty；　and　devolves　rather　upon　the　minister　of　war；　and　very　possibly　he　would　object　to　executing　such　a　commission；　for　how　could　I　step　forward　as　the　protector　of　one　who　would　shake　off　the　moral　obligation　of　an　oath　directly　it　suits　his　inclinations　to　doubt　its　legality？　　This　affair　gives　me　great　uneasiness；　and　involves　the　most　serious　consequences。　　You　will　see　that　I　shall　be　overwhelmed　with　petitions　and　pamphlets；　demanding　of　me　the　revocation　of　the　edict　of　Nantes。〃

〃And　what；　sire；〃　asked　the　chancellor　gravely；　〃could　you　do；　that　would　better　consolidate　the　glory　of　your　reign？〃

〃Chancellor；〃　exclaimed　Louis　XV；　stepping　back　with　unfeigned　astonishment；　〃have　you　lost　your　senses？　　What　would　the　clergy　say　or　do？　　The　very　thought　makes　me　shudder。　　Do　you　then　believe；　M。　de　Maupeou；　that　the　race　of　the　Clements；　the　Ravaillacs；　the　Damiens；　are　extinct　in　France？〃

〃Ah；　sire；　what　needless　fears。〃

〃Not　so　needless　as　you　may　deem　them；〃　answered　the　king。　　〃I　have　been　caught　once；　I　am　not　going　to　expose　myself　to　danger　a　second　time。　　You　know　the　proverb；no；　no；　let　us　leave　things　as　my　predecessors　left　them；　besides；　I　shall　not　be　sorry　to　leave　a　little　employment　for　my　successor；　he　may　get　through　it　how　he　can；　and　spite　of　all　the　clamouring　of　the　philosophers；　the　Protestants　shall　hold　their　present　privileges　so　long　as　I　live。　　I　will　have　neither　civil　nor　religious　war；　but　live　in　peace　and　eat　my　supper　with　a　good　appetite　with　you；　my　fair　comtesse；　for　my　constant　guest；　and　you；　M。　de　Maupeou；　for　this　evening's　visitor。〃

The　conversation　here　terminated。



CHAPTER　XXXI


　Madame　du　Barry　purchases　the　services　of　Marin　the　gazetteer　Louis　XV　and　madame　de　RumasM。　de　Rumas　and　the　comtesse　du　BarryAn　intrigueA　present　upon　the　occasionThe　duc　de　Richelieu　in　disgrace100；000　livres

This　Marin；　a　provencal　by　birth；　in　his　childhood　one　of　the　choristers；　and　afterwards　organist　of　the　village　church；　was；　at　the　period　of　which　I　am　speaking；　one　of　the　most　useful　men　possible。　　Nominated　by　M。　de　St。　Florentin　to　the　post　of　censor　royal；　this　friend　to　the　philosophers　was　remarkable　for　the　peculiar　talent；　with　which　he　would　alternately　applaud　and　condemn　the　writings　of　these　gentlemen。　　Affixing　his　sanction　to　two　lines　in　a　tragedy　by　Dorat　had　cost　him　twenty…four　hours'　meditation　within　the　walls　of　the　Bastille；　and　for　permitting　the　representation　of　some　opera　（the　name　of　which　I　forget）　he　had　been　deprived　of　a　pension　of　2；000　francs；　but；　wedded　to　the　delights　of　his　snug　post；　Marin　always　contrived；　after　every　storm；　to　find　his　way　back　to　its　safe　harbor。　　He　had　registered　a　vow　never　to　resign　the　office　of　censor；　but　to　keep　it　in　despite　of　danger　and　difficulty。　　I　soon　discovered　that　he　passed　from　the　patronage　of　Lebel　to　that　of　Chamilly；　and　I　was　not　slow　in　conjecturing　that　he　joined　to　his　avocations　of　censor　and　gazetteer　that　of　purveyor　to　his　majesty's　。

Spite　of　my　indefatigable　endeavors　to　render　Louis　XV　happy　and　satisfied　with　the　pleasures　of　his　own　home；　he　would　take　occasional　wandering　fits；　and　go　upon　the　ramble；　sometimes　in　pursuit　of　a　high…born　dame；　at　others　eager　to　obtain　a　poor　and　simple　；　and　so　long　that　the　object　of　his　fancy　were　but　new　to　him；　it　mattered　little　what　were　her　claims　to　youth；　beauty；　or　rank　in　life。　　The　marechale　de　Mirepoix　frequently　said　to　me；　〃Do　you　know；　my　dear　creature；　that　your　royal　admirer　is　but　a　very　fickle　swain；　who　is　playing　the　gay　gallant　when　he　ought　to　be　quietly　seated　at　his　own　fireside。　　Have　a　care；　he　is　growing　old；　and　his　intellect　becomes　more　feeble　each　day；　and　what　he　would　never　have　granted　some　few　years　back；　may　be　easily　wrung　from　him　now。　　Chamilly　aspires　at　governing　his　master；　and　Marin　seconds　him　in　his　project。〃

At　length；　roused　to　a　sense　of　impending　evil；　by　the　constant　reminding　of　the　marechale；　I　summoned　Marin　to　my　presence。　〃Now；　sir；〃　said　I；　as　he　approached；　〃I　would　have　you　to　know　that　I　am　apprised　of　all　your　tricks：　you　and　your　friend　Chamilly　are　engaged　in　a　very　clever　scheme　to　improve　your　own　fortunes　at　the　expense　of　the　king　your　master。〃

Marin　burst　into　loud　protestations　of　his　innocence；　declaring　that　he　was　as　innocent　as　the　lamb　just　born。　　I　refused　to　believe　this；　and　desired　he　would　explain　to　me　why　he　went　so　frequently　to　the　apartments　of　M。　Chamilly。

〃Alas；　madam！〃　　replied　Marin；　〃I　go　thither　but　to　solicit　his　aid　in　craving　the　bounty　of　his　majesty。〃

〃You　are　for　ever　pleading　poverty；　miserly　being；〃　cried　I；　〃you　are　far　richer　than　I　am；　but　since　you　want　money　I　will　supply　you　with　it；　and　in　return　you　shall　be　my　secret　newsman；　and　royal　censor　in　my　service。　　Now　understand　me　clearly；　every　month　that　you　faithfully　bring　me　an　account　of　certain　goings　on；　I　will　count　into　your　hand　five　and　twenty