“His majesty, monsieur le duc, wishes that you should prepare mesdames to receive our dear countess here, when she shall appear before them to pay the homage of her respect and devotion.”
The king, emboldened by these words, said, “Yes, my dear duke, I can only find you in the château who have any influence over the princesses, my daughters. They have much respect, and no less friendship, for you. You will easily bring them to reason.”
As M. de la Vauguyon seemed in no hurry to undertake the charge, the maréchal added,
“Yes, sir, to manage this business properly, you and M. de Senlis are the only men in the kingdom.”
The maréchal had his reasons for saying this, for a secret jealousy existed between the governor and the grand almoner. M. de la Vauguyon made haste to say, that he could not resist his majesty’s orders, and his desire to be agreeable to me.
“Ah! you will then do something for me?” I replied. “I am delighted and proud.”
“Madame,” replied the duke with much gravity, “friends are proved on occasion.”
“The present one proves your attachment to me,” said I in my turn; “and his majesty will not think it wrong of me, if, as a recompense, I embrace you in his presence”: and, on saying this, I went up to the duc de la Vauguyon, and gave him two kisses, which the poor man took as quietly as possible.
“That’s well,” said the king. “You are, la Vauguyon, a man of a thousand. Listen attentively to me. I wish much that the comtesse du Barry should be presented; I wish it, and that, too, in defiance of all that can be said and done. My indignation is excited beforehand against all those who shall raise any obstacle to it. Do not fail to let my daughters know, that if they do not comply with my wishes, I will let my anger fall heavily on all persons by whose counsels they may be persuaded; for I only am master, and I will prove it to the last. These are your credentials, my dear duke, add to them what you may think fitting; I will bear you out in any thing—”
“Mercy!” said the duc de Richelieu to me in an undertone, “the king has poured forth all his energy in words; he will have none left to act upon if he meets with any resistance.” The maréchal knew the king well.