Of the presentation--The king and the duc de Richelieu at comtesse du Barry's-- M. de la Vauguyon--Conversation--Letter of the duke to the comtesse du Barry-- Reply--The countess unites herself with the Jesuit party--Madame Louise-- Madame Sophie--M. Bertin--Madame de Bercheny
This fit of anger of madame Adelaide had given additional courage to the cabal. It began to exclaim and plot against me with redoubled force; hoping thus to intimidate the king, and effectually bar my presentation; but it only tended to hasten it. One evening, when the king and the marechal de Richelieu were with me, he said to me,
"A stop must be put to these clamors. I see that until you are presented, there will be doubts perpetually arising and tormenting us on the subject; and until it takes place I shall have no ease. Parbleu! Let us take the best means in our power of reducing these malcontents to silence."
" Sire," replied the marechal, "make your will palpable, and you will see all the court submit."
"Yes, but my daughters?"
"Mesdames know better than any persons the deference due to your orders."
"I assure you," replied the king, "that it will be an unpleasant quarter of an hour for me to pass."
"Well, sire, then charge one of us with the mission: the bishop of Senlis, for instance, or M. de la Vauguyon. I feel assured that either of them will acquit himself admirably in the business, with the previous understanding that your majesty will support him with your authority."
"I will do so most assuredly; but it will be best not to use it but at the last extremity. I have no wish to be made a bugbear to my family."
"As to the selection of an ambassador," I interrupted, "I beg it may not fall on M. de Roquelaure; he has been working against me for some time."
"Why not send M. de Jarente?" inquired the king.
"Ah, sire," replied the duke, "because we cannot trust him; he is a gay fellow. Madame Sophie might tell him, that he only took the part of madame du Barry, because he passes his life amongst petticoats."
"True enough," said the king, "I prefer the duc de la Vauguyon: he has a good reputation--"
"And well deserved," said the old marechal, sneering. "Yes, sire, he is a pious man; at least, he plays his part well. "
"Peace, viper; you spare nobody."
"Sire, I am only taking my revenge."
"Why do you not like the governor of my grandsons?"
"In truth, sire, I must confess to you, that except yourself and the ladies, I have not many likings at Versailles."
Louis XV smiled, and I pulled the bell; when a valet appeared, I said, "Go and find M. de la Vauguyon for his majesty."
When we were alone, "What, already? "said Louis XV.
"Madame is right," replied the duke, "we must strike while the iron is hot."
The king began to pace up and down the room, which was his invariable custom when anything disturbed him: then suddenly stopping,
"I should not be astonished at a point blank refusal from M. de la Vauguyon."
"Oh, sire, make yourself easy; the governor has no inclination to follow the steps of Montausier or Beauvilliers. In truth you are very candid; and I must tell you, that you have too good an opinion of us."
At this moment M. de la Vauguyon entered. He saluted the king with humility; and asked him, in a mild tone of voice, what his pleasure was with him. "A real mark of your zeal," was the king's reply.
"And of your gallantry," added the marechal, who saw the hesitation of the king. Louis XV was enchanted that another should speak for him. M. de Richelieu continued:
"His majesty, monsieur le duc, wishes that you should prepare mesdames to receive our dear countess here, when she shall appear before them to pay the homage of her respect and devotion."
The king, emboldened by these words, said, "Yes, my dear duke, I can only find you in the chateau who have any influence over the princesses, my daughters. They have much respect, and no less friendship, for you. You will easily bring them to reason."
As M. de la Vauguyon seemed in no hurry to undertake the charge, the marechal added,
"Yes, sir, to manage this business properly, you and M. de Senlis are the only men in the kingdom."
The marechal had his reasons for saying this, for a secret jealousy existed between the governor and the grand almoner. M. de la Vauguyon made haste to say, that he could not resist his majesty's orders, and his desire to be agreeable to me.
"Ah! you will then do something for me?" I replied. "I am delighted and proud."
"Madame," replied the duke with much gravity, "friends are proved on occasion."
"The present one proves your attachment to me," said I in my turn; "and his majesty will not think it wrong of me, if, as a recompense, I embrace you in his presence": and, on saying this, I went up to the duc de la Vauguyon, and gave him two kisses, which the poor man took as quietly as possible.
"That's well," said the king. "You are, la Vauguyon, a man of a thousand. Listen attentively to me. I wish much that the comtesse du Barry should be presented; I wish it, and that, too, in defiance of all that can be said and done. My indignation is excited beforehand against all those who shall raise any obstacle to it. Do not fail to let my daughters know, that if they do not comply with my wishes, I will let my anger fall heavily on all persons by whose counsels they may be persuaded; for I only am master, and I will prove it to the last. These are your credentials, my dear duke, add to them what you may think fitting; I will bear you out in any thing--"
"Mercy!" said the duc de Richelieu to me in an undertone, "the king has poured forth all his energy in words; he will have none left to act upon if he meets with any resistance." The marechal knew the king well.
"I doubt not, sire," replied the duc de la Vauguyon, "that the respectful duty of mesdames will be ready to comply with your desires."
"I trust and believe it will prove so," replied the king hastily. "I am a good father, and would not that my daughters should give me cause to be angry with them. Let madame Adelaide understand, that she has lately had a mistaken opinion of me, and that she has an opportunity of repairing her error in the present instance. The princesses are not ignorant that I have often shut my eyes upon certain affairs--. Enough; they must now testify their attachment for me. Why should they oppose the presentation of the comtesse? Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu! they were not so squeamish in the days of madame de Pompadour."
At these latter words I could not forbear laughing. La Vauguyon and de Richelieu left us and here the conversation terminated.
The next morning they brought me a note from the duc de la Vauguyon. Thus it ran:--
MADAME,--Ready to serve you, I wish to have a few minutes' conversation with you. Be persuaded that I will not tell you anything but what will be agreeable and useful to you."
I instantly answered:--
"You are too good a friend for me to refuse to see you willingly under any circumstances, and particularly the present. Your conduct yesterday assures you my eternal regard. Come instantly; my grateful heart expects you with impatience."
My sister-in-law, to whom I showed this correspondence, said to me, "This gentleman does not come to see you for your bright eyes; and yet his visit is not disinterested."
"What interest can he have to serve?"
"None of his own, perhaps; but those villainous Jesuits."
"Don't you like them, sister of mine?"
"I hate nobody."
M. de la Vauguyon arrived; and as soon as we were alone, he said to me,
"Well, madame, I am now on the point of going to fight your battles. I have to deal with a redoubtable foe."
"Do you fear?"
"Why, I am not over confident; my position is a delicate one. Mesdames will perforce obey the orders of the king, but they will not find much pleasure in seeing me the ambassador sent to them: all the Choiseul party will vociferate loudly. Nevertheless, to prove my devotion to you, I brave it all."
"You may rely on it that I will never forget the service you are about to render me."
"I have only one favor to ask of you. Authorize me to say to mesdames, that if the pleasures of life distract your attention from religious duties, your soul is in truth fully devoted to our holy religion; and that far from supporting the philosophers, you will aid, by your influence with the king, every measure advantageous to the society of Jesuits."
The hypocritical tone in which this was uttered, almost compelled me to burst out into a fit of laughter; but the serious posture of my affairs induced me to preserve my gravity, and I answered in a serious tone,
"Not only, monsieur le duc, do I authorize you to say so much, but I beg you to declare to mesdames that I am already filled with love and respect for the Jesuits, and that it will not be my fault if they do not return amongst us."
"Ah, you are a treasure of wisdom," replied the duke