第84章

hadrecentlygivenordersthatthethreeunclesandtwobrothers

ofJulieshouldberaisedbyrapidpromotiontothehighest

militaryrank；atthesametimethegrandalmonerinformedme

hehadreceivedhismajesty’sexpresscommandtoappointacousin

oftheyoungladytothefirstvacantbishopric。

Thesevariousreportsthrewmeintoatrainofpainfulanduneasy

reflections。

LouisXV。

hadneverbeforebestowedsuchmarksof

favouruponanyofthe

hadattainedthisheightwiththemostinconceivablerapidity。

Chamillyinterruptedmymeditations，bypresentinghimselfwith

anaccountofhishavingbeencommissionedbyhismajestyto

causeamostsplendidsuitofdiamondstobepreparedfor

mademoiselleJulie，thekingnotconsideringanyjewelsofParis

worthyheracceptance。

Bywayofafinishtoallthis，Ilearned

thattwoladies，oneofwhomwasaduchess，hadopenlyboasted

atVersaillesoftheirrelationshiptoJulie。

Thiswasamore

decidedcorroborativethanalltherest。

Courtiersofeither

sexareskilfuljudgesoftheshiftingsofthewindofcourt

favour，andIdeemedithightimetosummonmybrother-in-law

tomyassistance，aswellastourgehimtoexerthisutmost

energiestosupportmytotteringpower。

MycommunicationtormentedcomteJeanasmuchasitdidme；he

proposedseveralmeansofcombatingthisrisinginclinationonthe

partofLouisXV。

Iassentedtowhateverhesuggested，andweset

toworkwithaneagerness，increasedonmypartbyaspeciesof

gloomypresentiment，whichsubsequenteventsbuttoofatally

confirmed。

ThemarechaledeMirepoix，who，frombeingongood

termswitheveryperson，wassuretobeawareofallthatwasgoing

on，spoketomealsoofthisrivalwhowasspringingupin

obscurityandretirement；anditwasfromthesamesourceI

learnedwhatIhavetold

youofthetwoladiesofthecourt。

She

advisedmenottoabandonmyselftoablindconfidence，andthis

opinionwasstrengthenedwhenIrelatedallIhadgatheredupon

thesubject。

“Youmayjustlyapprehend，“saidshe，“thatJuliewillinstilsome

ofherboldandfearlessnatureintotheking，andshouldshe

presumetoputherselfincompetitionwithyou，victorywouldin

allprobabilityinclinetothesideofthelastcomer“；andIfelt

buttootrulythatthemarechalespokewithtruth。

Afewdaysafterthis，thekingbeingalonewithme，comteJean

entered。

Aftertheusualsalutations，heexclaimed，“Ihavejust

seenamostlovelycreature。“

“Whoisshe？“

inquiredhismajesty，hastily。

“Nohigh-borndame，“answeredcomteJean，“butthedaughterofa

cabinet-makeratVersailles；IthinkIneverbeheldsuch

matchlessbeauty。“

“Alwaysexceptingpresentcompany，“repliedtheking。

“Assuredly，“rejoinedmybrother-in-law，“but，sire，thebeauteous

objectofwhomIspeakisanymphingrace，asylphinairy

lightness，andanangelinfeature。“

“ComteJeanseemsdeeplysmittenindeed，madam，“exclaimed

LouisXV，turningtowardsme。

“NotIindeed，“repliedmybroth