The comtesse and the duc d'Aiguillon--M. de Soubise--Louis XVand the duc d'Aiguillon--Letter from the comtesse to the king--Answer of the king-The "<Nouvelles a la Main>"--The comtesse and Louis XV--The supper--The court ladies mystified--The comtesse and M. de SartinesI was still triumphing at the skill which I had displayed in my conference with the prince de Soubise when the duc d'Aiguillon entered.
"Good heaven," said he, kissing my hand very tenderly, "into what inquietude did you throw me by your dear and cruel letter.
The ambiguity of your style has caused me inexpressible sorrow;and you have added to it by not allowing me to come to you at the first moment.""I could not: I thought it would be dangerous for you to appear before the king previously to having seen me.""Would the king have thought my visit strange?" asked the duke, not without some emotion.
"That is not the point. The black spite of my enemies has not yet deprived me of the counsels of a friend. But as it is necessary to speak to the king in my favor, I wish that he should not know that you do so at my request."After this I related to the duke my conversation with the king.
"Your situation is delicate," said he to me, "but it should not trouble you. The king is weak, we must give him courage. It is his pliancy of disposition rather than his resistance that we must contend with, and I go to act upon it. "I then instructed the duke with what had passed between me and the prince de Soubise. When I had done, the duke replied :
"Expect nothing from the prince de Soubise: he will speak, no doubt; but how? In a jesting, laughing way. If, however, you think he can at all serve you, give him all your confidence.""No, no, never," I replied with quickness; "it is not a thing to be done lightly; we do not select a confidant, counsellor, or friend, at random. Do you not know this, M. le duc? It is requisite that the heart of the one who speaks should repose itself on the heart of the friend who listens. I repeat to you that I have no feeling of confidence towards M. de Soubise. In fact," I added with visible and troubled emotion, "my choice is made, and you have too much heroism to wish to combat it."At these flattering words the duke precipitated himself at my feet, and swore to support my cause with all his power and interest. Ireplied that I fully relied on his devotion and prudence. Comte Jean entered, and it was agreed between us three that I should say no more to the king of my presentation before the duc d'Aiguillon had spoken to him of it; that I should content myself with complaining without peevishness, and that we should leave the opening measure to the prince de Soubise, and let him break the ice to his majesty.
The prince de Soubise behaved exactly as the duke had told me: he came to me the next morning with a mysterious air, which already informed me of all he had to say. He said that he had vainly tormented the king; that his majesty wished things to remain just as they were, and desired that until a new order of things nothing should be altered.
"I am sorry for it, monsieur le marechal," I replied. "Whilst I am in this precarious situation, whilst I remain in a corner of the stage as a confidante of tragedy, I can do nothing for my friends, particularly for you, monsieur le marechal.""On the contrary, madame," he replied, "the king will be more disposed to listen to you whilst he will suppose that your influence is unknown.""Oh," cried I with a feeling of anger, "you gentlemen courtiers think of nothing but politics. As for me, who am a woman, I have other matters for consideration: I must have honors, title, rank.
My self-love suffers cruelly when I see myself immolated by the fear which the ladies de Grammont and three or four other intriguers of their party are able to excite."The prince was somewhat startled at the freedom of language which I used towards ladies in such credit at court: he begged me to moderate my feelings, and be less moved and excited. By this the prince de Soubise lost the esteem which I might have accorded him, and the second place in my counsels, which I might have given him.
I told the duke, who came to see me the moment afterwards, of the failure of the prince's attempt. He told me that he had not hoped for a better result. He went to the king, flattering himself with hopes of better success, but did not find him.
The daughters of Louis XV had united against me with a fury which nothing could justify. They were incessantly talking scandal of my past life, as if there were only saints at court, as if they had no pranks of their own to reproach themselves with.
All the chateau knew of their lovers, and there was <living>
evidence of the tenderness of madame Adelaide: as for madame Louise she was an angel upon earth, and was the only one who did not join in the cry against me. On the other hand, the king, whilst he had but little love for his dear daughters, preserved towards them a complaisance and external appearance of kindness which was a substitute for parental love. When <mesdames royales>
cried out, he stopped his ears with his two hands, and seemed, whilst looking proudly at France, to say, "Am not I a good father, and are not my daughters very happy, for I let them cry out with all their might?"The next day the duc d'Aiguillon went again to the king, and found him bewildered with family scenes and the murmurings of the Choiseuls. When my ambassador had delivered his message, the king asked him if he, as well as the prince de Soubise, had been set upon his haunches by me.
The duke, nothing intimidated at this, told the king that far from having wished that he should be my interpreter, I had requested him not to allude to the matter.