Memoirs of a Physician (22 page)
” No matter, sire,” said the countess, covering her royal lover with kisses, ” you are not the less a clever man.”
” That is not what the world in general says. Terray is execrated.”
” Who is not ? And for foreign affairs ? “
” That honest fellow, Bertin, whom you know.”
” No.”
” Then whom you do not know.”
” But, among them all, I cannot find one good minister ‘
” So be it ; now tell me yours.”
” I will only tell you one.”
“You dare not tell me; you are afraid.”
” The marshal.”
” The marshal ? What marshal ? ” said the king, mak-ing a wry face.
” The Duke de Eichelieu.”
“That old man? That chicken-hearted wretch?”
” Good ! The conqueror of Mahon a chicken-hearted wretch ! “
” That old debauchee ? “
” Sire, your companion.”
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” A immoral man, who frightens all the women.”
” That is only since he no longer runs after them.”
” Do not speak to me of Kichelieu ; he is my raw-head- and-bloody-bones. The conqueror of Mahon took me into all the gaming-houses in Paris. We were lampooned. No I no! Kichelieu! The very name puts me beside my-self.”
” You hate them so much ? “
” Whom ? “
” The Eichelieus.”
” I abhor them.”
“All?”
” All. What a worthy duke and peer Monsieur Fronsac makes. He has deserved the rack twenty times.”
” I give him up ; but there are more Eichelieus in the world than he.”
” Ah ! yes, D’Aiguillon.”
“Well?”
The reader may judge, if, at these words, the ears of the nephew were not strained in the boudoir.
” I ought to hate him more than all the others, for he hounds all the bawlers in France upon me and yet it is a weakness which I cannot conquer he is bold, and does not displease me.”
” He is a man of spirit ! ” cried the countess.
” A brave man, and zealous in the defense of the royal prerogative. He is a model of a peer.”
” Yes, yes a hundred times yes ! Make something of him.”
The king looked at the countess and folded his arms.
” What, countess ! Is it possible that you propose such a thing to me, when all France demands that I should exile and degrade this man ? “
Mme.
Dubarry folded her arms in her turn.
” Just now,” said she, ” you called Eichelieu chicken-hearted the name belongs more properly to j^ourself.”
” Oh, countess ! “
” You are very proud because you have dismissed Monsieur de Choiseul.”
” Well, it was not an easy task.”
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” You have done it, and you have done well ; but you are afraid of the consequences.”
1 1
“Of course. What do you accomplish by sending away Monsieur de Choiseul ? “
” Give the parliament a kick in the seat of honor.” ” And you will not give them two ! Diable ! Raise both your feet one after the other, be it understood. The parliament wished to keep Choiseul; you send him away. They want to send away D’Aiguillon; keep him.” ” I do not send him away.”
“Keep him improve and considerably enlarged.” ” You want an office for this firebrand ? ” ” I want a recompense for him who defended you at the risk of his position and fortune.”
” Say of his life, for he will be stoned some fine morning along with your friend Maupeou.”
” You would encourage your defenders very much, if they could only hear you.”
” They pay me back with interest, countess.” ” Do not say so ; facts contradict you in this case.” ” Ah, well ! But why this eagerness for D’Aiguillon ? ” ” Eagerness ! I do not know him ; I have seen and spoken to him to-day for the first time.”
” Ah ! that is a different affair. Then it is from conviction of his merit and I respect conviction in others, because I never have it myself.”
” Then give “Richelieu something in D’Aiguillon’s name, since you will not give D’Aiguillon anything in his own.” ” Richelieu ! nothing ! Never, never, never ! ” ” Then something to Monsieur d’Aiguillon, since you refuse Richelieu ! “
” What ! give him a portfolio ? That is impossible at present.”
” I understand that ; but after some time, perhaps. Remember that he is a man of resources #nd action, and that with Terray, D’Aiguillon, and Maupeou, you will have the three heads of Cerberus. Remember, too, that your ministry is only a jest which cannot last.”
” You are mistaken, countess, it will last three months.”
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” In three months, then, I have your promise ? “
” Oh ! oh ! countess.’”’
” That is enough ; in the meantime something for the present.”
“But I have nothing.”
” You have the light horse ; Monsieur d’Aiguillon is an O ffi cer what is called a sword ; give him your light horse.”
” Very well, he shall have them.”
“Thanks!” exclaimed the countess, transported with joy, ” a thousand thanks ! “
And M. d’Aiguillon could hear a very plebeian kiss resound on the cheeks of his Majesty Louis XV.
” In the meantime,” said the king, ” order supper to be served, countess.”
” No,” said she, ” there is nothing here ; you have overpowered me with politics. My people have made speeches and fireworks, but no supper.”
” Then come to Marly ; I will take you with me.”
” Impossible ! My poor head is splitting in pieces.”
“With headache?”
” Dreadful headache.”
” You must go to bed, countess.”
” I am just going to do so, sire.”
” Adieu ! then.”
” Au revoir, rather.”
” I am somewhat like Monsieur de Choiseul ; I am dismissed.”
” Yes, but accompanied, feasted, cajoled,” said the giddy creature, pushing the king gently toward the door, and from thence to the foot of the stairs, laughing loudly and turning round at each step.
On the peristyle the countess stopped, candle in hand.
” Countess,” said the king, turning round and asceding a step.
“Sire?”
” I trust the poor marshal will not die of it.”
“Of what?”
” Of the portfolio which he has missed.”
” Countess,” said the king, turning round and ascending him with another loud laugh.
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And his majesty drove off, very much delighted with his last quodlibet upon the duke, whom he really hated.
When
Mme.
Dubarry returned to her boudoir, she found D’Aiguillon on his knees before the door, his hands clasped, his eyes ardently fixed upon her.
She blushed.
” I have failed,” said she. ” The poor marshal ! “
” Oh, I know all ! ” said he ; ” I could hear thanks, madame thanks ! “
” I thought I owed you that,” she replied, with a sweet smile ; ” but rise, duke ; else I shall think your memory is a;? retentive as your mind is highly cultivated.”
” That may well be, madame ; my uncle has told you I am nothing but your admiring and zealous servant.”
” And the king’s : to-morrow you must go and pay your respects to his majesty. Eise, I beg.”
And she gave him her hand, which he kissed respectfully.
The countess seemed to be deeply moved, for she did not add a single word.
M. d’Aiguillon was also silent, as deeply moved as she. At last,
Mme.
Dubarry, raising her head, said:
” Poor marshal ! he must know this defeat.”
M. d’Aiguillon looked upon these words as a dismissal, and bowed.
” Madame,” said he, ” I am going to him.”
” Oh, duke ! unpleasant news is always soon enough told ; do something better sup with me.”
The day was gained. D’Aiguillon, as we have seen, was the lucky man.
CHAPTEE XXII.
THE ANTECHAMBERS OF THE DUKE DE RICHELIEU.
M. DE EICHELIEU, like all the courtiers, had an hotel at Versailles, one at Paris, a house at Marly, and another at Luciennes ; a residence, in short, near each of the palaces or residences of the king.
Louis XIV., when he multiplied his places of residence
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so much, had imposed on all men of rank on all those privileged to attend the grand and little receptions and levees, the obligation of being very rich, that they might keep pace at once with the splendor of his household and the flights of his whims.
At the period of the disgrace of MM. de Choiseul and De Praslin, M. de Richelieu was living in his house at Versailles; and it was there that he returned after having presented his nephew to
Mme.
Dubarry at Luciennes.
Richelieu had been seen in the forest of Marly with the countess ; he had been seen at Versailles after the minister’s disgrace; his long and secret audience at Luciennes was known; and this, with the indiscretions of Jean Dubarry, was sufficient for the whole court to think themselves obliged to go and pay their respects to M. de Richelieu.
The old marshal was now going in his turn to inhale that delightful incense of praises, flatteries, and caresses which every interested person offered without discrimination to the idol of the day.
M. de Richelieu, however, was far from expecting all that was to happen to him ; but he rose that morning with the firm resolution of closing his nostrils against the incense, as mysses closed his ears with wax against the songs of the sirens. The result which he expected could not be known until the next day, when the nomination of the new ministry would be announced by the king himself
Great was the marshal’s surprise, therefore, when he awoke, or, rather, was awakened by the loud noise of carriages, to hear from his valet that the courtyards of the hotel, as well as the anterooms and saloons, were filled with visitors.
” Oh ! ” said he, ” it seems I make some noise already.”
” It is still early, my lord marshal,” said his valet de chambre, seeing the duke’s haste in taking off his night-cap.
“Henceforward,” replied the duke, “there will be no such word as early for me remember that.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What did you reply to the visitors?”
” That you were not up yet.”
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” Nothing more ? “
” Nothing more.”
” That was exceedingly” stupid. You should have added that I was up late last night; or, better still, you should have let me see, where is Eaf te ? “
” Monsieur Eafte is asleep,” said the valet.
” What ! asleep ! Let him be called, the wretch ! “
” Well,” said a fresh and smiling old man, who appeared at the door, ” here is Eafte ; what is he wanted for ? “
All the duke’s bombast ceased at these words.
” Ah ! I was certain that you were not asleep.”
” And if I had been asleep, where would have been the wonder? It is scarcely daylight.”
” But, my dear Eafte, you see that I do not sleep.”
” That is another thing, you are a minister how should you sleep ? “
” Oh ! now you are going to scold me,” said the marshal, making a wry face before the glass ; ” you are not satisfied?”
“I! What benefit is that to me? You will fatigue yourself to death and then you will be ill. The consequence will be that I shall have to govern the state, and that is not so amusing, sir.”
” How old you are getting, Eafte.”
” I am just four years younger than yourself, sir. Yes, I am getting old.”
The marshal stamped with impatience.
” Did you come through the antechambers ? ” asked he.
” Yes.”
“Who is there?”
” All the world.”
” What do they speak of ? “
” Every one is telling what favors he is going to ask from you.”
” That is very natural. But what did you hear about my appointment ? “
” Oh ! I would much rather not tell . you that.”
” What ! Criticisms already ? “
” Yes, and from those who have need of your assistance ! What will they say, sir, whose assistance you need ? “
8 DUMAS VOL. VII.
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” Ah, Rafte ! ” said the old man, affecting to laugh, <( those who would say you flatter me “
” Well, sir,” said Raf te, ” why the devil did you harness yourself to this wagon called a ministry? Are you tired of living and of being happy?”
” My dear fellow, I have tasted everything but that.”
” Corbleu ! you have never tasted arsenic ! Why do you not take some in your chocolate, from curiosity ? “
” Raf te, you are an idle dog ; you think that, as my secretary, you will have more work, and you shrink yon confessed as much, indeed.”
The marshal dressed himself with care.
” Give me a military air,” said he to his valet, ” and hand me my military orders.”
” It seems we are in the war department,” said Raf te.
” Good heavens ! yes. It seems we are there.”
” Oh ! But I have not seen the king’s appointment ‘ continued Rafte; “it is not confirmed yet.”
” The appointment will come in good time, no doubt.”
” Then, no doubt is the official word to-day? “
” You become more disagreeable, Rafte, as you get older. You are a formalist, and superstitiously particular. If I had known that, I would not have allowed you to deliver my inauguration speech at the Academic ; that made you pedantic.”
” But listen, my lord ; since we are in the government, let us be regular. This is a very odd affair.”
“What is odd?”
Monsieur the Count de la Vaudraye, whom I met just now in the street, told me that nothing had yet been settled about the ministry.”
Richelieu smiled.
Monsieur de la Vaudraye is right,” said he. “But have you already been out, then ? “
” Pardieu ! I was obliged. This cursed noise of carriages awoke me; I dressed, put on my military orders also, and took a turn in the town.”
” Ah ! Monsieur Rafte makes merry at my expense.”
Oh, my lord, God forbid ! But- “
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“But what?”
” On my walk, I met some one.”
“Whom?”
” The secretary of the Abbe Terray.”
