"I beg you," said the prince, "to engage her to change her language,
and to conduct herself with less boldness, if she would not have
me force her to repent."
"That, sire, is a mission painful to fulfil, and words very hard
to convey to her."
"So much the worse for her," replied the king, elevating his
voice, "if she bear any friendship for you, let her prove it in
this particular: your interests should keep her mouth shut."
The duke had no difficulty to comprehend the indirect menace
implied: he instantly renewed his regrets for the
disturbances that had occurred.
"Add ," said Louis XV. "I am content with you and
your services, duke. I have just proved this to you, by giving
your brother more than he could expect from me; but have not I
the right to have my intimacies respected? It appears to me that
if you spoke more decidedly in your family you would command
more attention."
"This makes me fear, sire, that your majesty does not believe me
sincere in my expression of the regret which I just took the
liberty to utter to your majesty."
", monsieur le duc, you certainly do not like
madame du Barry."
"I neither like nor hate her, sire; but I see with trouble that
she receives at her house all my enemies."
"Whose fault is that if it be so? Your own; you, who would never
visit her; she would have received you with pleasure, and I have
not concealed from you the satisfaction I should have experienced.
Pages:
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238