Unpublished letter of Louis XV--Madame du Barry's cousin, M. de
Maupeou--The comtesse du Barry saves the life of a young girl seduced by
the arts of the curé of her village--She obtains pardon of the comte
and comtesse de Louerne--The king presents her with Lucienne--A second
meeting with the youthful prophet--His further predictions--He is sought
for--His mysterious letter to the countess
"How does my sweet friend contrive to bear our tedious separation?
is she happy and amused? In that case I can say, she has greatly the
advantage over him who now addresses her. No, my lovely countess, I am
dragging on a tedious and uninteresting existence, spite of the great
and earnest endeavors of my good cousin and host to provide for my
enjoying the gaiety by which I am surrounded; but, alas! amidst the many
faces with which his mansion is thronged, that one which is dearest
to me is wanting, and all becomes a blank in my eyes; and I yawn with
irrepressible weariness in the midst of the glittering pageants given
to honor my arrival; and you may rest assured that I shall hail with
delight the termination of a visit, which seems already to have swelled
the period of our separation into ages. I will not attempt to conceal
from you, that those who have good cause to envy your supreme dominion
over my heart, have set every scheme in action to lead me even into
a temporary oblivion of you, but their attempts are as vain as their
impotent rivalry, and need cause no uneasiness to you, my beloved
friend. I frequently smile at the vast pains and precautions of which
my '_sacred person_' is the object; and I am _continually_ encountering
'_by chance_' some of those fair ladies who would fain usurp your place,
sometimes bedecked with jewels rare, and sometimes, as Racine says,
"_------ dans le simple appareil D'une beaute, qu'on vient d'arracher au
sommeil._'
"Madame de Grammont, for instance, takes an infinity of trouble
respecting my choice of your successor, which she is resolved shall be
either herself or one of her choosing. I protest to you that I find all
these plots and counterplots very amusing; and can only say, that my
daughters, who are completely duped by those practising them, must be
more completely deceived than I had imagined possible. Nor can I quite
deny that I feel a half mischievous delight in reducing to despair,
"'_-------ce peuple de rivales Qui toutes, disputant, d'un si grand
interet, Des yeux d'Assuérus attendent leur arret._'
"_Assuérus_ (which, of course, means me) keeps one perpetual reply to
all their high-sounding praises and eulogiums of such or such a lady.
'She is well enough, certainly; but the comtesse du Barry excels her a
hundredfold': then follow such shrugs, such contortions of countenance,
and such vain efforts to repress the rage of disappointed vanity and
ambition, that I am nearly ready to die with laughter.
"Apropos of dying; I inquired the number of deaths which took place at
Chantilly last week; only four, they say! Now I think that number quite
sufficient for the size of the place. I walked as far as the village
cemetery, which is large and judiciously placed. I must tell you, that
one of my footmen has gone to that last journey from which none return:
he was a tall, presuming sort of fellow, remarkable for nothing but
his impertinence, and the continual scrapes he was forever getting into
amongst the soubrettes. However, he met with his death in some sudden
brawl. My people sought to conceal this piece of intelligence from me;
but having once heard of it, I despatched Flamarens to ascertain in what
corner of the cemetery he has been interred.
"The duc de Tresmes talks much of you, and boasts greatly to the honor
of your friendship; he has dubbed himself your '_sapajou_'; this is not
amiss for a peer of France, and what is still more gratifying, he has
assumed a title which, I believe, no one in the kingdom will attempt
to dispute his incontestable claim to call his own. Villeroi is
all impatience to return to Versailles. The dukes of Richelieu and
d'Aiguillon, both uncle and nephew, recommend themselves to your
kind recollection. Thus you see you may reckon upon a few devoted and
attached friends, even without him, whose hand is busily tracing these
lines, and he, I can promise you, is inferior to none in the truest love
and affection for you.
"The ladies of whom I would have you be most on your guard are mesdames
de C., de B., de P., de G. They really throw themselves in my way till I
can call them nothing but fools for their pains; but I must do them the
justice to say that they are less ambitious than you, and so that they
could rob you of your place would care very little whether I could offer
them my heart with the other honors to which they aspire; in fact, 'tis
time we were together again, for the people here seem determined to
profit by my stay amongst them. My cousin entertains us magnificently,
and pleasure succeeds pleasure in a continual round of enchantment: he
tells me he has others still more charming in store against the time
when you will honor him with your presence. Am I right in promising this
will be ere very long? Adieu, what a long letter have I written you. I
will now conclude by bestowing an imaginary kiss on that lovely face,
which must satisfy me till I have the felicity of seeing you again.
"And now, my dear friend and fairest countess, I will end my lengthened
epistle by praying God to have you ever in His holy care and keeping."
The receipt of this letter afforded me the liveliest pleasure, and
I wrote to the king regularly every night and morning. I might here
introduce a specimen of my own epistolary style, but I will not; for
altho' the whimsical and extravagant things my pen gave utterance to
were exactly to the king's taste, they might surprise you; but my royal
correspondent loved the wild and bizarre turn of my expressions, and I
fulfilled his wishes; perhaps it was not the only instance in which I
gratified his inclination.
My _cousin_, the chancellor of France, had remained to keep me company
instead of joining the party at Chantilly. _My cousin_, say you, and by
what right or title could M. de Maupeou become such? I will tell
you. First of all he only aspired to the honor of relationship, but
afterwards, turning over the archives of his family, he found the most
incontestable proofs of his belonging to the ancient families of the
du Barry; and full of joy, he hurried to me, unrolling at my feet
his genealogical tree, to the great amusement of comte Jean and my
sisters-in-law, who, after a long examination, declared that he was
justly entitled to the appellation of first cousin; from that period
he always addressed me _cousin_, which I flattered him by returning
whenever I was in the humor.
About this period I was the happy instrument in saving from death a
young girl whose judges (as will be seen) were about to sentence her
to be hanged without fully understanding whether she were innocent or
guilty. This unfortunate creature was a young and pretty country girl,
whose worthy pastor, the curé de Liancourt, had availed himself of the
influence he possessed, and of the advantages of his authority over
the poor creature's mind, to seduce her from the paths of virtue.
Unfortunately, just at the time when she expected to produce a living
witness of their amour, and when she trusted to the cares of the curé to
procure for her those comforts her unfortunate situation required, the
author of her shame was suddenly carried off by a violent death, and the
wretched girl, either thro' ignorance or the shame of having listened to
the illicit passion of a priest, neglected to make any of those formal
declarations required by the law, and gave birth to a dead infant.
The justice of the village, informed of her fault, caused her to be
arrested, and recorded against her sentence of death, a decision which
was afterwards approved by parliament.
The poor girl was in this extremity when, happily for her, M. de
Mandeville, a worthy man from either Normandy or Picardy, who had served
in the black musketeers, resolved upon attempting the revocation of the
severe sentence which had been passed upon her, by addressing the king
thro' my mediation; he accordingly followed me to Marly, where I then
was, and lost no time in forwarding to me the following billet:--
"MADAME,--Beauty has ever been found the inseparable companion of
goodness; to yours I would appeal to obtain the favor of an immediate
audience. My reasons for requesting it are not to solicit either place
or pension, but to save the life of an erring creature whose crime
has been that of ignorance. I await your reply with the most lively
impatience, and have the honor to remain, etc., etc."
This note puzzled me excessively, however I gave orders for the
immediate introduction of M. de Mandeville, whose appearance was even
more prepossessing than his note; he looked and spoke like an honorable
man endowed with that sensibility so precious and so rare; he put
into my hands the petition, whilst he explained to me the particulars
relative to it, and I instantly wrote to the chancellor the following
note, of which a thousand copies were taken in the course of the day.
Altho' it has been many times in print, I shall offer no apologies for
again submitting it to your perusal.
"MONSIEUR LE CHANCELLOR,--I do not profess to understand your laws, but
they seem to me as unjust as barbarous. They are contrary to both reason
and humanity, if they put to death an unfortunate female for giving
birth to a still-born child without having previously disclosed her
situation to any one; and yet, according to the memorial annexed to
this, the petitioner is so circumstanced. Here is an unhappy girl about
to pay with the forfeit of her life for her ignorance of such a law,
or because the modesty and even shame attendant upon her disgraced
condition prevented her conforming to it. I appeal to your sense of
justice; the wretched girl, concerning whom I write, is a fit object
for the exercise of your lenity, and I venture to assure myself that you
will at least effect the commutation of her punishment. Your own kind
feelings will dictate all I would ask further for her.
"I am, etc., etc."
I felt very certain that, from the manner in which I had expressed
myself, the consent of M. de Maupeou was quite certain; I therefore said
to my visitor, the handsome musketeer,
"And now, sir, the noble work of charity, in which you have associated
me must be completed: go yourself and see the chancellor, tell him
you come from me, and do not quit him till you obtain the reply I have
solicited."
M. de Mandeville loaded me with thanks and praises which I did not
really merit, because in the present instance I acted as much from
the wish to gratify my own feelings as his. My name and my letter were
talismans before which all doors flew open, and he reached, without
difficulty, the presence of the chief administrator of justice, who,
having read the memorial and the note I had affixed to it, said, "That
is sufficient, sir; have the goodness to assure madame la comtesse du
Barry, my cousin, that the reprieve she desires is already granted; and
as my fair relation appears to fear trusting implicitly to my personal
friendship and humanity, I will set her mind at rest by putting you in
possession of the legal forms requisite for the prisoner."
He immediately issued the necessary orders for suspending the execution
of the sentence, which M. de Mandeville lost no time in communicating to
the poor girl, who, a very few days afterwards, received a full pardon,
and was thus, in a manner, snatched from an unmerited and ignominious
death. The musketeer requested permission to present my _protegee_ to my
notice. She really was a very pretty girl, her feelings overpowered
her, and she fainted in her attempt to throw herself at my feet; I soon
revived her by the aid of those restoratives which my staring people
stupidly did not try to offer, and then to send her away perfectly happy
and cheerful, I slipped into the pocket of her apron a _rouleau_ of
fifty louis which the king had given me for her use. And here I must
remark, that this prince, avaricious as he naturally was, was yet
always ready to perform a good action, and, indeed, in this respect,
he possessed many excellent qualities to which no one has ever yet done
justice. When I next saw the chancellor--"Do you know, my fair cousin,"
said he, "that if I wished to set you and the parliament quarreling
together I need only just whisper in what manner you treat our laws?"
"Your laws," exclaimed I, "are barbarous edicts, made rather for
tigers than for men. Your punishments are atrocious, nor do I see their
application to correct a single malefactor; particularly in the case
of this young girl it is abominable, and if the king would listen to me
such savage edicts should not long remain unrepealed."
"That may do very well," replied M. de Maupeou, "some time hence, but
not just now; ere our penal code can be revised we must have magistrates
more supple than those who now dispute our slightest innovation; and if,
by the grace of God, we can manage to make a clear house of them, why we
may confidently anticipate the noblest results."
By these and similar insinuations the chancellor bespoke that aid and
assistance which I afterwards so largely rendered him when he commenced
the ruin of parliaments.
Upon another occasion my credit and influence were employed with equal
success. The objects of my present exertions were the comte and comtesse
de Louerne. Both husband and wife were deeply loaded with debts, a thing
common enough with the nobility of the time; these debts they never
paid, another thing by no means unusual; their creditors, whose flinty
hearts were but little moved by the considerations of their rank and
high blood, sent officers to enforce payment, when the Louernes opposed
them with positive force and violence, and the laws, thus outraged,
condemned them to suffer death. In vain did persons of the highest rank
in the kingdom intercede in their behalf, imploring of the chancellor
to interpose with the king; altho' deaf to every other entreaty he
instantly granted a reprieve at my solicitation, declaring I was the
only person who could have effected so much in behalf of the distressed
culprits, as well as being the only source thro' which the king's mercy
could be obtained.
Immediately upon this notification, I was waited upon by the comtesse de
Moyau, their daughter, and the baronne d'Heldorf, their daughter-in-law;
both these ladies came to me in the deepest sorrow, and I mingled
my sighs and tears with those they so plentifully shed; but this was
rendering poor service, and if I desired to aid their cause it was
requisite I should speak to the king, who was little disposed to show
any indulgence in such cases, and was never known to pass over any
attempts on the part of the nobility to resist the laws; he looked with
horror on every prospect of the return of those times which he hoped
and believed were passed and gone never to return. I well knew his
sentiments on the subject, and yet, trusting to my great influence over
his mind, I did not despair of success; besides Chon, my sister-in-law,
was constantly reminding me that people of a certain rank should support
one another, and that now was the time or never. I therefore resolved
upon befriending the daughters of comte de Louerne to the utmost of
my power, and for that purpose I placed them both in a corner of the
drawing-room so as to catch the king's eye as he entered; he observed
them, and inquired who those two ladies were. "Sire," replied I, "they
are the heart-broken daughters of the comte and comtesse de Louerne,
who implore clemency of your majesty to save the lives of the authors of
their being."
"Ah!" returned he, "madame, you know I can do nothing against the law
which they have offended."
At these cruel words the two young ladies threw themselves at his
feet, exclaiming, "Pardon, pardon, sire; in the name of heaven and your
illustrious ancestors."
"Rise, ladies," said the king; "I would willingly serve you, but I have
not the power."
"No, sire," cried I, "you must not, you cannot refuse our united
prayers; and I here vow to remain kneeling at your feet till your lips
shall pronounce the word which shall restore life and happiness to so
many afflicted hearts."
"Madame," said the king, altho' in a tone less firm, "you force me to do
what my principles condemn; but since it must be so, I yield; and only
rejoice that the first personal favor you request of me is to perform an
act of beneficence. Ladies," added he, turning towards the comtesse de
Moyau and her sister-in-law, "you owe the lives of your parents to the
generous mediation of the comtesse du Barry."
The joy of the Louernes was only equalled by the base calumny of my
enemies, who accused me of having prepared this scene, which was got up
by the king and myself to produce effect and excite popularity. Could
such disgusting falsehoods have entered the minds of any but the most
depraved? Yet those who continually watched and misrepresented my least
action appeared anxious to deprive me of even the taste for, as well
as the power of, doing good. This took place at Choisy, which we
very shortly after quitted for Compiègne, where I passed my time very
agreeably. The king would not suffer either the duchesse de Grammont
or the comtesses d'Egmont and de Brienne to accompany us upon this
excursion. It has likewise been asserted, that neither the duchesse
de Grammont nor the princesse de Beauvau was present during the king's
first visit to Chantilly: that is not correct; it was at the second that
they were forbidden by Louis to join the party. Those who fabricated
such accounts, in all probability derived their information from either
the stable or the kitchen, which was all they knew of the court of Louis
XV.
During my abode at Compiègne I dined several times at the house of
my brother-in-law, Cleon du Barry, then a captain in the regiment de
Beauce, who was, with a detachment, quartered in the neighborhood of the
castle; and he, with the rest of his brother officers, vied in endeavors
to please and amuse me. They gave fêtes in my honor, were perpetually
devising fresh schemes to render the place agreeable to me; and in that
they perfectly succeeded, for I quitted Compiègne with no other regret
than that my stay there was at an end.
The king appeared each day more and more solicitous to render me happy,
and even anticipated any wishes I might form. Amongst other marks of his
favor, he bestowed upon me the splendid pavilion de Lucienne, sold
by the duc de Penthièvre after the death of his son, the prince de
Lamballe. You know this charming spot, which both nature and art have
so liberally contributed to adorn: I have converted it into the most
perfect and delightful habitation in which a mortal could desire to
end her days. Nevertheless, this hope of passing my life tranquilly and
happily within its sheltering bosom will prove but fallacious, if I
may credit a prediction which has been verified already in part. You
doubtlessly remember the young man who so obstinately pursued me to
announce the high destiny to which I should attain, ere I had for one
moment contemplated such an elevation. Well! You will scarcely credit
me when I declare, that all recollection of him had entirely escaped me;
but, in truth, the constant vortex of a court life leaves no time for
the recollection of the past, and fills our minds with no other ideas
but to provide for the present, and occasionally to glance at the
future.
However, I thought no more of my young prophet, when one Sunday, after
my return to Versailles from Compiègne, I attended mass at the castle;
all at once I caught a glimpse of my mysterious acquaintance, leaning
his back against the wall behind the altar. He was examining my
countenance with a deep and fixed attention. You may picture to yourself
my astonishment and surprise at recognising in this place the person who
had so long ago foretold my brilliant destiny. The color rushed to my
cheeks, and he could distinctly observe how much I was agitated by
his presence, and his beautiful countenance was lit up with a pleasant
smile; after which he gracefully waved his hand round his head as tho'
he would say, "Are you not queen of France?" This gesture excited my
astonishment still further; however, I returned his mute inquiry by a
slight inclination of the head, intended to say, "You are right." In
a moment a sort of cloud seemed to cover my eyes. So soon as I could
recover from the sudden dimness which obscured my vision, I endeavored
to bend my looks in an opposite direction; for so greatly was I the
point of general observation, that I feared to awaken suspicion by an
indiscreet attention to one particular person or place: and when after
some little time had elapsed, and I ventured to turn my eyes again to
the spot where the young man had been standing, he had disappeared.
I was unable to recover my astonishment at the whole affair, and the
suddenness of his departure inspired me with a lively desire to know
more of him, whether he were man or demon. I mentioned it to Chon the
same day, who, having listened to me with extreme attention, "Upon my
word," said she, "this is a most marvellous event in your history. Why
do you not mention the fact to M. de Sartines?"
"Because it appears to me folly to disturb or annoy a person who has
given me no offence; and were I to put him into the hands of the police,
I might possibly find reason to repent having acted so. On the other
hand, I would give any sum of money for one more interview with this
wonderful person."
There the conversation ended; but my sister-in-law, by an unpardonable
curiosity she ought not to have indulged in, wrote, unknown to me, to
the lieutenant of the police, entreating of him to use the most active
measures to trace out the object of my curiosity. M. de Sartines
delighted at having an opportunity of proving to me and mine his skill
and zeal, turned all his bloodhounds loose upon the track of this
unfortunate being. During these proceedings I received a letter, sealed
with five black seals, bearing the impress of a death's head. I thought
at first that it was to notify the decease of some friend, and I looked
upon the style as gloomy as it was strange; but, upon opening it, I
found it to contain the following words:--
"MADAME LA COMTESSE,--I am perfectly aware that the strict pursuit made
after me in your name is without your knowledge or sanction: those sent
in search of me have spared no pains nor trouble to ascertain my name
and abode. My abode! Let all as they value themselves avoid meeting me
there; for, when they enter it, it will be never to quit it more. Who am
I? That can only be known when this life has been exchanged for another.
I charge you, madame, to command the lieutenant, M. de Sartines., to
cease his researches after me; they would be fruitless, and might only
compromise your safety. Remember, I predicted your good fortune; was I
not correct in it? I have also foretold reverses: I am equally correct
in them also. You will see me twice more; and should I unfortunately
cross your path a third time, prepare to bid adieu to the light of
heaven and the pleasures of this world."
It is impossible to convey an idea of the excessive terror with which I
was filled upon the perusal of this billet. I summoned my sister-in-law,
and complained of the harshness of conduct thus adopted against my
pleasure. Chon was equally alarmed, and confessed to me what she had
done in asking the aid of M. de Sartines; at the same time that she was
the first to declare that it was requisite to put an end to all further
search, which, in one shape or other, might bring on the most fatal
consequences. I therefore wrote myself to M. de Sartines, thanking him
for his exertions; but saying, that my sister-in-law and myself had
learned from the lips of the mysterious stranger all we were desirous of
knowing, and that any future researches being unpleasant to him would be
equally disagreeable to me. M. de Sartines obeyed my request; and from
that period till the death of the king I heard no more of this singular
personage.