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by his old and avaricious mistress; madame de Langeac; alias Subutin。 Langeac could not endure me。 She felt that it was better to be the mistress of Louis XV than that of the ; for so her lover was called at court。 I knew that she was no friend of mine; and that her lover sided with the Choiseuls against me; and was consequently the more delighted to see the little scoundrel come to receive the order for avenging me。 He entered with an air of embarrassment; and whilst he made me a salute as low as to the king; this latter; in a brief severe tone; ordered him to send the sieur Ledoux to Saint Lazare forthwith。 He departed without reply; and half an hour afterwards returned; to say that it was done。 The king then said to him;
〃Do you know this lady?〃
〃No; sire。〃
〃Well; I desire you henceforward to have the greatest consideration for her as my best friend; and whoever wishes to prove his zeal for me; will honor and cherish her。〃
The king then invited him to sup with us; and I am sure that during the whole repast I was the hardest morsel he had to digest。
Some days afterwards I made acquaintance with a person much more important than the little duke; and destined to play a great part in the history of France。 I mean M。 de Maupeou; the late chancellor; who; in his disgrace; would not resign his charge。 M。 de Maupeou possessed one of those firm and superior minds; which; in spite of all obstacles; change the face of empires。 Ardent; yet cool; bold; but reflective; the clamors of the populace did not astonish; nor did any obstacles arrest him。 He went on in the direct path which his will chalked out。 Quitting the magistracy; he became its most implacable enemy; and after a deadly combat he came off conqueror。 He felt that the moment had arrived for freeing royalty from the chains which it had imposed on itself。 It was necessary; he has said to me a hundred times; for the kings of France in past ages to have a popular power on which they could rely for the overturning of the feudal power。 This power they found in the high magistracy; but since the reign of Louis XIII the mission of the parliaments had finished; the nobility was reduced; and they became no less formidable than the enemy whom they had aided in subduing。
〃Before fifty years;〃 pursued M。 de Maupeou; 〃kings will be nothing in France; and parliaments will be everything。〃
Talented; a good speaker; even eloquent; M。 de Maupeou possessed qualities which made the greatest enterprises successful。 He was convinced that all men have their price; and that it is only to find out the sum at which they are purchasable。* As brave personally as a marechal of France; his enemies (and he had many) called him a coarse and quarrelsome man。 Hated by all; he despised men in a body; and jeered at them individually; but little sensible to the charms of our sex; he only thought of us by freaks; and as a means of relaxation。 This is M。 de Maupeou; painted to the life。 As for his person; you know it as well as I do。 I have no need to tell you; that he was little; ugly; and his complexion was yellow; bordering upon green。 It must be owned; however; that his face; full of thought and intelligence; fully compensated for all the rest。
*This gentleman would have been an able coadjutor for Sir Robert Walpole。 …Trans。
You know how; as first president of the parliament of Paris; he succeeded his father as vice…chancellor。 At the resignation of the titular M。 de Lamoignon*; the elder Maupeou received his letters of nomination; and as soon as they were registered; he resigned in favor of his son。 The Choiseuls had allowed the latter to be nominated; relying on finding him a creature。 I soon saw that the Choiseuls were mistaken。
*In September; 1768。 (au。)
It was in the month of October; that Henriette; always my favorite; came to me with an air of unusual mystery; to say; that a black* and ugly gentleman wished to see me; that on the usual reply that I was not visible; he had insisted; and sent; at the same time; a cautiously sealed note。 I took it; opened; and read these words:
*i。e。; black…haired and/or dressed in black (Gutenberg ed。)
〃The chancellor of France wishes to have the honor of presenting his respectful homage to madame la comtesse du Barry。〃
〃Let him come in;〃 I said to Henriette。
〃I will lay a wager; madame; that he comes to ask some favor。〃
〃I believe;〃 replied I; 〃that he is more frequently the solicited than the solicitor。〃
Henriette went out; and in a few minutes led in; thro' the private corridors which communicated with my apartment; his highness monseigneur Rene Nicolas Charles Augustin de Maupeou; chevalier and chancellor of France。 As soon as he entered I conceived a good opinion of him; altho' I had only seen him walk。 His step was firm and assured; like that of a man confident in the resources of his own talents。
〃Madame la comtesse du Barry;〃 he said; 〃would have a right to complain of me; if I did not come and lay my person at her feet。 I had the more impatience to express to her my devotion; as I feared she had been prejudiced against me。〃
〃How; monseigneur?〃
〃The gate by which I entered the ministry〃
〃Is not agreeable to me; as being that of my enemies; but I feel assured that you will not side with them against me。〃
〃Certainly not; madame; it is my wish to give you pleasure in every thing; and I flatter myself I may merit your friendship。〃
After many other compliments; the Chancellor asked me; with much familiarity; when my presentation was to take place; and why it had not yet occurred。 I replied; that the delay arose from the intrigues of Choiseul; and the king shrunk from the discontent of a handful of courtiers。
〃I am sorry for it;〃 said M。 de Maupeou; 〃in the first place; madame; because of the interest I take in you; and also because for his majesty; it would be a means of striking terror into the opposing party。 You know; madame; how annoying parliaments are to all your friends; and with what bitterness those of Bretagne and Paris; at this moment; are pursuing the duc d'Aiguillon。〃
〃Do you think;〃 I replied with emotion; 〃that matters are unfavorable towards him?〃
〃I hope not; but he must be warmly supported。〃
〃Ah! I will aid him with all my influence。 He is no doubt innocent of the crimes imputed to him。〃
〃Yes; certainly。 He has done no other wrong than to defend the authority of the crown against the enmity of the parliaments。〃
We continued some time to talk of parliaments and parliament men: then we agreed that M。 de Maupeou should see me again; accompanied by the duc d'Aiguillon; who should have the credit of presenting him; and he left me with as much mystery as he had entered。
When the king came to see me; I said to him; 〃I have made acquaintance with your chancellor: he is a very amiable man; and I hope that he will not conduct himself improperly towards me。〃
〃Where did you see him?〃
〃Here; sire; and but a short time since。〃
〃He came then to visit you?〃
〃Yes; in person; that he might obtain the favor of being permitted to pay his court to me。〃
〃Really what you tell me seems perfectly unaccountable。