第34章

desiredmenottoshowVoltaire’slettertothekinguntilIhad

readitpreviouslytomyself。

“Hedoesnotlikethisextraordinary

man，“headded，“andaccuseshimofhavingfailedinrespect，

andperhapsyouwillfindinthispapersomeexpressionwhich

maydispleasehim。“

ScarcelyhadIputtheepistleinmypocket，whenthekingentered。

“Whatareyoutalkingabout，“saidhe，“youseemagitated？“

“OfM。deVoltaire，sire，“Ireplied，withsomuchpresenceof

mindastopleasetheducdeRichelieu。

“What，isheathistricksagain？

Haveyouanycauseofcomplaint

againsthim？“

“Quitethereverse；hehaschargedM。d’ArgentaltosaytoM。de

Richelieu，thathewassorrythathecouldnotcomeandprostrate

himselfatmyfeet。“

“Ah，“saidtheking，rememberingthelettertotheducd’Aiguillon，

“hepersistsinhiscoquetriestowardsyou:thatisbetterthan

beinglampoonedbyhim。

Butdonotplacetoomuchconfidencein

thisgentlemanofthechamber:heweighseverythingintwoscales；

andIdoubtmuchwhetherhewillspareyouwhenheevincesbut

littleconsiderationforme。“

CertainlyRichelieuhadagoodopportunityofundertakingthe

defenceofhisillustriousfriend。

Hedidnosuchthing；andI

havealwaysthoughtthatVoltairewasthepersonwhomtheduke

detestedmoreheartilythananyotherpersonintheworld。

Hedid，

infact，dreadhimtoomuchtoesteemhimasarealfriend。

“M。d’Argental，“saidtheking，“unitesthenatmycourtthedouble

functionofministerofParmaandstewardofFerney。*Arethese

twoofficescompatible？“

*ThenameofVoltaire’sresidence-TRANS

“Yes，sire，“repliedtheduke，laughing，“sincehehasnot

presentedofficiallytoyourmajestythelettersofhiscreationas

comtedeTournay。“

Thekingbegantolaugh。

Thiswasthenameofanestatewhich

Voltairehad，andwhichhesometimesassumed。

UnpublishedletterofVoltairetomadameduBarry——Replyofthe

countess——ThemarechaledeMirepoix——Herfirstinterviewwith

madameduBarry——AnecdoteofthediamondsofmadamedeMirepoix——

Thekingpaysforthem——Singulargratitudeofthemarechale——The

portfolio，andanunpublishedletterofthemarquisedePompadour

BythewayinwhichthekingcontinuedtospeaktomeofM。de

Voltaire，Iclearlysawhowrightthedukewasinadvisingmeto

readthelettermyselfbeforeIshowedittomyaugustprotector。

I

couldnotreadituntilthenextday，andfounditconceivedinthe

followingterms:——

“MADAMELACOMTESSE:——Ifeelmyselfurgedbyanextremedesire

tohaveanexplanationwith