A slight preface--Arrival at Versailles--_"La toilette"_--Portrait of
the king--The duc de Richelieu--The marquis de Chauvelin--The duc de la
Vauguyon-Supper with the king--The first night--The following day--The
curiosity of comte Jean--Presents from the king--How disposed of
The chances against our succeeding in our enterprise were at least a
thousand to one. The sea upon which, trusting to the favorable influence
of my leading star, we were about to venture, was filled with rocks and
shoals which threatened the poor mariner who should direct his bark near
them. In the first place, I had to dread my obscure birth, as well as
the manner in which my life had been passed; and still more had I to
fear the indifferent reputation of comte Jean. There was more than
sufficient in all this to disturb a head far stronger than I could
boast. However, thanks to my thoughtfulness, no troublesome thoughts
interfered to break my rest on the night preceding a day so important
to me, and I slept as tranquilly as though upon waking I had no other
occupation for my time than a walk on the boulevards, or a drive to the
Bois de Boulogne.
Comte Jean, however, had passed a very different night; for once, the
whisperings of ambition had overcome even his natural indifference and
carelessness, and tired of tossing upon a sleepless pillow, he arose
at the first break of day, reproached me for slumbering so long, and
allowed me neither peace nor rest till I joined him dressed for our
journey. At length, we set out according to our agreement with Lebel; I
was closely muffled up in my large _calèche_--the carriage rolled along
till we reached Versailles, where we had for the last month engaged a
lodging, which might be useful to us in all events; we alighted, and
after vainly seeking a few moments' repose, proceeded on foot to Lebel,
in whose apartments we were to attire ourselves in a suitable manner.
"You are welcome," said the comte, "pray consider yourself as at home."
"I accept your augury," replied I, "it would be amusing enough to find
that my young prophet had predicted rightly."
"Well then," said my conductor, laughing, "I recommend you to manage a
slip on the staircase, it would be taking possession after the manner of
the ancients."
"No, no, I thank you," answered I; "no falls if you please, they are not
propitious in France."
Whilst we were thus speaking, we were crossing a long suite of chambers,
and reached the one at which we were expected. We knocked cautiously
at a door, which was opened to us with equal caution. Scarcely had we
entered, than Lebel came eagerly forward to receive us.
"Ah, madame!" cried he, "I began to fear you might not come, you have
been looked for with an impatience--"
"Which can hardly equal mine," interrupted I; "for you were prepared
for your visitor, whilst I have yet to learn who is the friend that so
kindly desires to see me."
"It is better it should be so," added Lebel; "do not seek either to
guess or discover more, than that you will here meet with some cheerful
society, friends of mine, who will sup at my house, but with whom
circumstances prevent my sitting down at table."
"How!" said I, with affected surprise, "not sup with us?"
"Even so," replied Lebel; and then added with a laugh, "_He_ and I sit
down to supper together! What an idea! No! you will find that just as
the guests are about to sit down at table, I shall suddenly be called
out of the room, and shall only return at the close of the repast."
All this was but of small import to me. Nevertheless, I affected to
regret the unavoidable absence of Lebel. In fact, I believe that the
first breath inspired at court is fraught with falsehood and deceit,
entirely destructive to every feeling of natural candor.
Lebel, with the most ceremonious gallantry, conducted me to a private
dressing-room, where I found several females waiting to assist me at
my toilet; I abandoned myself to their cares, which were, indeed, most
skilfully exercised in my behalf. They wrought wonders in my appearance,
bathing me after the Eastern fashion, adorning my hair and person, till
I issued from their hands blooming and beauteous as an houri.
When I returned to the room in which Lebel was expecting me, his
surprise was almost overpowering.
"You are, indeed," exclaimed he, "the new sun which is to rise upon
Versailles."
"Excellent!" cried I, laughing extravagantly, "but like the planet you
are pleased to compare me with, I must reserve my splendid rising till I
have obtained fresh powers from the aid of night."*
*_Mais avant de me lever il faut que je me couche_,
is the witty reply in the original, but which it is
impossible to render fully and piquantly through the
dilution of a translation.--tr.
The comte entered, and joined his congratulations upon the beauty of my
appearance; all at once the hasty, sound of a bell, violently pulled,
was heard.
"The object of your attack approaches," said Lebel to me, "it would be
as well to reconnoitre a little. Remember, not a word of his rank, no
cast down, timid looks at his sovereign power; no bending of knees, or
faltering of voice."
The advice thus given was useless. Comte Jean, who bore the reputation
of, at least, a man of much cool impudence, was, I am certain, more
deficient than myself in courage upon the occasion, and I verily
believe, asked himself several times whether he dared appear before his
prince with one whom he was falsely asserting to be his sister-in-law.
However these thoughts might or might not have disturbed him, we
proceeded onwards till we reached the apartment where our invited
friends were expecting us; and here I will, with the reader's
permission, digress awhile, in order to say a few introductory words
respecting the four personages with whom I had the honor of supping.
And first, Louis XVth, king of France (or as he was upon the present
occasion styled the baron de Gonesse), was one of those sentimental
egotists who believed he loved the whole world, his subjects, and his
family; while in reality, the sole engrossing object was _self_.
Gifted with many personal and intellectual endowments, which might have
disputed the palm with the most lively and engaging personages of the
court, he was yet devoured by ennui, and of this he was well aware,
but his mind was made up to meet this ennui, as one of the necessary
accompaniments of royalty. Devoid of taste in literary matters, he
despised all connected with the _belles-lettres_, and esteemed men only
in proportion to the number and richness of their armorial bearings. M.
de Voltaire ranked him beneath the lowest country-squire; and the very
mention of a man of letters was terrifying to his imagination from its
disturbing the current of his own ideas; he revelled in the plenitude
of power, yet felt dissatisfied with the mere title of king. He ardently
desired to signalize himself as the first general of the age, and
prevented from obtaining this (in his opinion) highest of honors,
entertained the utmost jealousy of Frederick II, and spoke with
undisguised spleen and ill-humor of the exploits of his brother of
Prussia.
The habit of commanding, and the prompt obedience he had ever met
with, had palled upon his mind, and impressed him with feelings of
indifference for all things which thus appeared so easily obtained;
and this satiety and consequent listlessness was by many construed into
melancholy of disposition. He disliked any appearance of opposition to
his will; not that he particularly resented the opposition itself, but
he knew his own weakness, and feared lest he should be compelled to make
a show of a firmness he was conscious of not possessing. For the clergy
he entertained the most superstitious veneration; and he feared God
because he had a still greater awe and dread of the devil. In the hands
of his confessor he confidently believed was lodged the absolute power
to confer on him unlimited license to commit any or every sin. He
greatly dreaded pamphlets, satires, epigrams, and the opinion of
posterity and yet his conduct was that of a man who scoffs at the
worlds judgment. This hasty sketch may with safety be taken as the
portrait of Louis XV, although much might be added; yet for the present
I will confine myself to the outline of my picture, which I shall have
frequent occasion to retouch in the course of my journal; it is my
intention to present him in all possible lights before the reader, and
I flatter myself I shall produce a perfect resemblance of the man I seek
to depict. Let us now proceed to consider the duc de Richelieu.
This nobleman, when in his seventy-second year, had preserved, even in
so advanced an age, all his former pretensions to notice; his success in
so many love affairs, a success which he never could have merited, had
rendered him celebrated; he was now a superannuated coxcomb, a wearisome
and clumsy butterfly; when however, he could be brought to exercise his
sense by remembering that he was no longer young, he became fascinating
beyond idea, from the finished ease and grace of his manner, and the
polished and piquant style of his discourse; still I speak of him as
a mere man of outward show, for the duke's attainments were certainly
superficial, and he possessed more of the jargon of a man of letters
than the sound reality. Among other proofs of consummate ignorance he
was deficient even in orthography, and was fool enough to boast of
so disgraceful a fact, as though it conferred honor on him; perhaps,
indeed, he found that the easiest way of getting over the business.
He possessed a most ignoble turn of mind; all feelings of an elevated
nature were wanting within him. A bad son, an unkind husband, and a
worse father, he could scarcely be expected to become a steady friend.
All whom he feared, he hesitated not to trample under foot; and his
favorite maxim, which he has a hundred times repeated to me, was, that
"we should never hesitate to set our foot upon the necks of all those
who might in any way interfere with our projects--dead men [he would
further add] tell no tales!" There was one person, nevertheless, whom he
detested and flattered at the same time, and this was Voltaire, who well
repaid him in like coin. He called the duc de Richelieu, the tyrant of
the tennis-court* (_tripot_), and the duke returned the compliment
by invariably designating him "Scoundrel" and "Poetaster"; the only
difference was that the duc de Richelieu only treated the poet thus in
_sotto voce_, whilst M. de Voltaire sought not to conceal, either in his
writings or conversation, his candid opinion of the illustrious duke
and peer; and he might justly accuse the duke of ingratitude, for he,
no doubt, owed a considerable portion of the reputation he enjoyed as
a general, to the brilliant verses in which Voltaire had celebrated his
exploits.
*_La Comedie Francaise_--tr.
The marquis de Chauvelin was equally skilful as a warrior and
diplomatist. Gentle, graceful, and witty, he joined to the most extreme
versatility of talent the utmost simplicity of character. Once known,
he could not fail of being valued and esteemed, and the king entertained
the most lively regard for him. The noble minded marquis was far from
taking advantage of his sovereign's favor, far from it; he neither
boasted of it, nor presumed upon it. This truly wonderful man died,
unhappily, too soon for me, for the king on whom he bestowed the sagest
counsels, and for foreign courts who knew and appreciated his worth.
I shall have occasion to speak of him hereafter; he had a brother, a
wicked little hump-backed creature, brave as Caesar, and a bitter enemy
to the Jesuits, whom he did not a little contribute to overturn in the
parliament of Paris, to which he belonged. The king detested this man
as much as he loved and cherished the brother, and that is saying not a
little.
The fourth guest was the duc de la Vauguyon, the really _perpetual_
tutor to the princes of France, for he had educated four successively.
He had displayed in the army both bravery and talent, but he was a
confirmed Jesuit, and conducted himself towards me upon the strictest
principles of his order. He will appear again on the scene hereafter,
but for the present I must lay him aside, whilst I return to my _entrée_
to the saloon, which I was about to enter.
Immediately after Lebel had conducted me into it, he was called away,
and quitted us. The king rose and approached me, saluting me with the
most admirable gallantry, and addressing to me the most encouraging and
gratifying words. His gentle, yet polished manners, fine countenance,
noble air, and the free and unrestrained glances of admiration which
sparkled in his eyes, communicated to me a feeling of support and
confidence which effectually reassured me, and roused me from the
involuntary emotion I had felt at the moment when I first appeared in
his presence. The king addressed a few words to comte Jean, and then
regarded him steadily, as tho' he were trying to recall his features;
but his eye quickly turned on me again, upon whom he bestowed the most
intoxicating attention. Never was first sight more effective, and never
did a flame so rapidly increase as did the passion of my noble adorer.
Ere we had seated ourselves at the supper-table, he was ages gone in
love.
It would have provoked a smile from any countenance to perceive how
the respect and admiration with which the three courtiers regarded
me increased in proportion as the sentiments of the king towards me
betrayed themselves more and more. At first I had been considered as
a person of little or no importance. Soon, however, as their sagacious
eyes discovered the state of their masters mind, the air of familiarity
with which they had regarded me gave place to a more studied politeness,
which, in its turn, as matters progressed, was superseded by the most
delicate attention; and ere we rose from table these gentlemen watched
my looks with the most eager anxiety to obtain the honor of my notice,
and hopes of future patronage from one whom they easily foresaw would be
fully qualified to bestow it. Comte Jean observed all that was passing
in profound silence. As for me, I talked and laughed with perfect
freedom from restraint, and my frank unaffected mirth appeared to
enchant the king; I knew that he was weary of the nice formalities of
courtly beauty, and desired to refresh his eyes and ears with something
less refined, and I gratified him to his heart's wish. The conversation
became lively and animated, the merits of men of letters were discussed,
the French and Italian theatre passed in review before us, and finally,
we amused ourselves with anecdotes relative to the intrigues of court.
The baron de Gonesse related to us a circumstance which had just been
communicated to him by a county magistrate. I must here apprize the
reader that these administrators of justice were directed to collect all
the facts, scandalous, horrible, ridiculous, or piquant, which occurred
within their jurisdiction, in order that, being forwarded to the
king, they might aid in distracting his mind from the heavy cares of
government. Alas! how many strange and eventful things have I since
learned by similar channels.
The supper terminated, the king's friends remained some time conversing
with us. Whilst these noblemen were busily celebrating my praises in
words sufficiently loud to reach the king's ear, the baron de Gonesse,
standing by my side, was prosecuting his suit in the most ardent terms.
I received his overtures with becoming grace and modesty. As I have
before said, the exterior of the king was very prepossessing, and what
he wanted in youth, he made up by all the mature graces of dignified
royalty. At last Lebel appeared, and made me a sign to rise from my
seat. Up to this period nothing had arisen to betray the incognito of
the august monarch, and in order to keep up my pretended ignorance
of his grandeur, I quitted the apartment with little ceremony. Lebel
conducted me to an adjoining chamber, furnished with the utmost
magnificence. When we were seated, he turned to the comte Jean, who had
followed us, and said, "It rests with yourself whether you will return
to Paris, or remain at Versailles. But as for _milady_, who seems
much fatigued, she will, we trust, honor us by accepting a bed at the
castle."
My self-created brother-in-law understood as well as I did the
significance of these words, and clearly read in their import how far
I had attracted the favor of the king. In order to have rendered the
impression more lasting, we could have wished that matters had been less
precipitated, but we were under a roof where everything yielded to the
caprices of its master, and resignation to his will became a matter
of course. And here I trust I may be pardoned if I pass over certain
details which could not, at this lapse of time, interest or amuse any
one; besides, altho' I have found no difficulty in reciting former
events of my life, I find my pen more prudish and coy than were my ears
or mouth. All I shall say is, that the following day, as soon as I was
left alone in my chamber, Lebel entered, and prostrating himself at the
side of my bed,--
"Madame la comtesse," said he, "is queen and mistress here. Not only has
your noble lover failed to communicate to me the usual signal of disgust
or dislike, but he has spoken of you to me in the most favorable light,
declaring, that, for the first time in his life, he felt the influence
of a true and sincere affection; for this reason he desired I would not
convey to you the contents of this casket, as originally intended."
"And what does it contain?" asked I, with childish eagerness.
"Oh, a trifle unworthy of her who is now the mistress of his warmest
love; only a purse containing a hundred louis, and a suit of emeralds
worth a similar sum. He bade me say it might have served to recompense a
mere fleeting fancy, but that it is unworthy of your charms, nor can he
insult you by the offer of it."
"Will he then see me again?" inquired I.
"To-morrow evening, if agreeable to you."
"Only say that his wishes are mine."
"Would you wish to see the comte Jean before you rise? He has been
waiting with the utmost impatience to see you since seven o'clock this
morning."
"Let him come in."
The comte entered, and I saw by the triumphant joy painted on his face,
that Lebel had told him of propitious state of things. He ran up to me
with outstretched arms, congratulating me upon my success, and putting
at the same time several questions, to which, either from mere womanly
caprice, or presuming upon my recent elevation to the character of prime
favorite, I refused to reply.
My folly drew down on me his severe anger, and several oaths escaped his
lips, which, echoed back by walls so unused to similar violence, struck
Lebel with terror. That faithful ally placed his hand over his mouth,
imploring of him to recollect himself, and the place he was in. As for
me, dreading some foolish burst of his impetuosity, I tried some of my
sweetest smiles, and inviting him to sit beside me, related to him and
Lebel those particulars which my pen refuses to retrace. Amongst other
things, I told them I had said to the king, that I had perfectly known
who he was all the preceding evening when supping with him, and that
he had the simplicity to say, "he was surprised I had not appeared more
embarrassed in his presence."
Our conversation terminated, I wished to return to Paris, and I was,
without further hindrance, allowed to depart. Scarcely had I arrived
there an hour, than I received from his majesty a magnificent diamond
agraffe, worth at least 60,000 francs, and bank notes to the amount of
200,000 livres.
Comte Jean and myself were well nigh stupefied with astonishment at the
sight of such treasures; to us, who had never in our lives possessed
such sums, they appeared inexhaustible. My brother-in-law divided them
into two equal portions, one of which he put into his pocket, and the
other into my _escritoire_. With this arrangement I did not interfere;
nothing seemed to me more simple than that he should satisfy his need
out of my superfluity. I bestowed two thousand crowns upon Henriette,
and expended in the course of the day at least a quarter of my riches
in trifles, as unnecessary as useless; and all this without once
remembering that as I owed my present abundance to a momentary
inclination on the part of the king, so the turn of an hour, or a
fresh fancy on the part of my munificent adorer, might reduce me to the
unprovided state in which I had been so lately. That evening was passed
_tête-à-tête_ with comte Jean; he thought, as I did, that the foundation
of our treasure was firm as a rock, and he gave me many counsels for the
future which I promised to observe; for indeed it was to my own interest
to do so. Upon how many follies did we then debate, which, but a few
days afterwards we found practicable. The different ministers passed in
review before us; some we determined upon retaining, whilst others were
dismissed, and already I began in idea to act with sovereign power over
these illustrious personages, amongst whom I anticipated shortly playing
so important a part. "After all," said I, "the world is but an amusing
theatre, and I see no reason why a pretty woman should not play a
principal part in it."