第69章
"Madame, good morning," said he to me, "I come to offer my congratulations, you really are become quite one of us; upon my word, the most experienced courtier has nothing more to teach you.""I am as yet in ignorance of the cause to which I may ascribe these compliments, M. le marechal, which I greatly fear surpass my poor merits; and which even you will be compelled to retract them when I am better known to you.""Fear it not, madame," said he, "your commencement is a master-stroke;and the letter you yesterday addressed to the comtesse d'Egmont--""Ah, sir," exclaimed I, with unfeigned astonishment, "in her place I certainly should not have selected you as my confidant in the affair.""And who could she better have selected than her father? But that is not the matter in hand. My daughter is filled with anger against you; and if I must speak the truth, I do not think your behavior towards her quite what it should have been.""Really, monsieur, I was not prepared for a reproach of this kind;and what can madame d'Egmont allege against me? 'Tis she who has pursued me with the most bitter sarcasms, the most determined malice; and, I may add, the most impertinent behavior. I entreat your pardon for using such strong expressions, but her behavior allows of none milder. And what have I done in my turn? snatched from a lingering death an unfortunate young man, whose only crime consisted in having pleased this unreasonable madame d'Egmont. I procured the king's protection for the miserable object of the princess's affection; I obtained his safe removal to another country; and, having done all this, I communicated my knowledge of the transaction to the comtesse d'Egmont. Does this bear any comparison with her line of conduct towards me?""But your letter, madame; your letter--"
"Would bear alterations and amendments, sir, I am aware: I admit Idid not sufficiently insist upon the atrocity of such an abuse of power.""You are then resolved, madame, to make us your enemies.""I should be very sorry, monsieur le duc, to be compelled to such extremities; but if your friendship can only be purchased at the price of my submitting to continually receive the insults of your family, I should be the first to cease to aspire to it. If Madame d'Egmont holds herself aggrieved by me, let her carry her complaint before the parliament; we shall then see what redress she will get. She has compromised the king's name by an arbitrary act; and since you thus attack me, you must not take it amiss if I make the king acquainted with the whole business."The marechal, surprised at so severe a reply, could no longer restrain the rage which filled him. "I should have thought, madame," said he, "that my daughter, in whose veins flows royal blood, might have merited some little consideration from the comtesse du Barry.""It is well, then, monsieur le duc," replied I, "to point out to you your error. I see in my enemies their works and actions alone, without any reference to their birth, be it high or low;and the conduct of madame d'Egmont has been so violent and unceasing towards me, that it leaves me without the smallest regret for that I have pursued towards her."I had imagined that this reply would still further irritate the angry feelings of the duc de Richelieu, but it did not: he easily guessed that nothing but the king's support could have inspired me to express myself with so much energy; and, if paternal vanity strove in his heart, personal interests spoke there with even a louder voice. He therefore sought to lay aside his anger, and, like a skilful courtier, changing his angry look and tone for one of cheerfulness:
"Madame," said he, "I yield; I see it will not do to enter the lists against you. I confess I came this morning but to sound your courage, and already you have driven me off the field vanquished. There is one favor I would implore of your generosity, and that is, to be silent as to all that has transpired.""I shall not speak of it, monsieur le duc," replied I, much moved, "unless you or madame d'Egmont set me the example.""In that case the affair will for ever remain buried in oblivion;but, madame, I will not conceal from you, that my daughter has become your most bitter and irreconcilable enemy. ""The motives which have actuated me, monsieur le marechal, are such as to leave me very little concern upon that subject. Iflatter myself this affair will not keep you away from me, who would fain reckon as firmly on your friendship as yon may do on mine."The marechal kissed my hand in token of amity, and from that moment the matter was never mentioned.
A similar scene had already occurred with the prince de Soubise, relative to the exile of his daughter. Was it not somewhat strange, as well as unjust, that all the noblemen of the day wished to preserve to their relations the right of offending me with impunity, without permitting me even the right of defending myself.