第14章

"You will, ere long," said he, "see the whole court at your feet, but beware of considering them all as your friends; have a care, above all, of the duchesse de Grammont. She has been long endeavoring to obtain the king's affections, and she will see with hatred and fury another more worthy engrossing the place she has so vainly contended for; she and her impertinent brother will call in the aid of the devil himself to dispossess you of your elevated seat; you are lost if you do not twist both their necks.""How, monsieur le marechal, shall I mark my career by a murder?""You take me too literally; I only mean that in your place Iwould not be at the trouble of keeping any terms with them.""Ah, monsieur le duc, I understand you now; yet it seems a bad augury to have to begin my reign by cabals and intrigues.""Alas! my fair comtesse, you are too good, too guileless for a court life; between ourselves we are all hypocrites more or less;mistrust every one, even those make the finest protestations.""In that case the first object of my suspicion would be my old and esteemed friend the marechal de Richelieu.""Ah, madame! this is not fair usage, thus to turn my weapons against myself, and to fight me with my own arms."Upon this the duke quitted me, and scarcely had he left the room, when the duc la Vauguyon entered. This gentleman offered me no advice; he contented himself by styling the Jesuits his "very good friends," and continually turning the conversation upon their merits. I allowed him to express his attachment, without interruption, for these disagreeable men, whom I determined in my own mind to have nothing to do with, recollecting all I had heard of their dislike to our sex. After an hour passed in amusing talk, the duc de la Vauguyon retired, well pleased with his visit, and his place was immediately supplied by comte Jean, to whom Icommunicated all that had passed between my late visitors and myself.

"For heaven's sake," said he, "let us not be the dupes of these great lords; before we range ourselves under the banners of either of them let us secure our own footing; let us wait till you are presented.""But, my good friend, I must be a married lady to obtain that honor.""And so you will be shortly, do not be uneasy about that. Ihave written to my brother William to set out without delay for Paris. Your swain will be easily induced to marry you. What do you think of that?"I gave comte Jean to comprehend, by signs, that I left my destiny in his hands, and he kissed my hands and withdrew. The king managed to steal a few minutes to converse with me.

"You did not intrust me, my sweet friend," said he, "with the circumstance of your having formerly known the duc de Richelieu;less reserved on the subject than you were, he told me he had seen you at the house of madame Lagarde, who considered you one of her dearest friends.""Sire," replied I, "I was too much occupied with your majesty, to think of any other person in the world."My answer delighted him, he looked at me in the most gracious manner.

"You would almost persuade me that you love me," said he, smiling.

"Indeed, your majesty," said I, "I only pray that you desire the continuance of my affection.""In that case," replied he, kissing my hand with fervor, "you do but partake of my tenderness for you."These words flattered my vanity, and here I must declare that if I never felt for the king that violent attachment which is termed love, I ever entertained for him the warmest esteem. He was so attentive, so kind to me, that I must have been a monster of ingratitude could I have looked upon him with indifference.

Our supper on this night was again lively as the first had been.

The duc de Richelieu entertained us with several amusing anecdotes;not that they contained any thing very piquant, but the duke related them well, and we were all in the humor to be pleased, and laughed heartily at what he said. Comte Jean, whose eye constantly followed me, appeared perfectly satisfied with all Isaid or did. As for the king, he seemed enchanted with me, and seemed wholly occupied in watching my looks, that he might anticipate my wants. After supper, in the < tete-a-tete > which followed, he explained himself in terms which left me no doubt how securely my empire over him was established. Had he been less explicit on the subject, the flattering marks of favor, and the adulatory compliments I received from all on the following day, would well have assured me of it. I was no longer an obscure and friendless individual, but the beloved mistress of the king;I was, to use the expression of Lebel, a new sun which had arisen to illumine horizon of Versailles. I could no longer doubt my power when I saw noble personages present themselves to solicit the most servile employments about my person. Amongst others, Imight instance a certain lady de St. Benoit, who continued first lady of my chamber, during the whole time of my regency;--my justly-valued Henriette being contented to take the second place of honor.