“Memoirs of Madame du Barri” by Baron de Etienne-Léon Lamothe-Langon – Ch. 19
Commonplace Book – Pages 127-128
“Memoirs of Madame du Barri” – Chapter 19: The Revolution
- Command of troops was given to the Marechal Duc de Broglie, aided by Baron de Besenval
- July 13, 1789: Duc de Cosse pays a quick visit du Barri to inform her that the regiments are to put down the National Assembly. Duc de Cosse was now colonel of the Swiss corps and confidant.
- July 14th: “all Paris had risen in a body and declared against the royal family…the taking of the Bastille, and the massacre of M. de Launcy, M. Flesselles, and several others.”
- July 15th: du Barri receives a visit from the Marechale de Mirepoix. The Polignacs, the Prince de Conde, the Duc de Bourbon, the Duc d’Enghien and the Prince de Conti have all fled and abandoned them.
- July 17th: “the whole of the Comte d’Artois family…and a greater number of courtiers took the road to Brussels, while the Polignacs, with the Prince de Lambsec, filed off towards Germany.”
- One evening, a strange gentlemen comes to du Barri asking, “You are aware of the spot in the Chateau of Versailles, where the late King concealed a casket of vast importance, and -” “It is evident…that you are in possession of the secret…Louis XV confided this fact only to yourself, the chancellow, and the Prince de Soubise…”
- du Barri refuses to tell, and Madame de Campan takes her to Marie Antoinette. du Barri tells her of the casket, proves her loyalty, and the two forgive eachother.
“Dans les jardins de Trianon
Je cherchais des roses nouvelles
Mais helas! les fleurs les belles
Avaient peri sous l’aquilon
J’eus beau chercher les dons de Flore,
Les hivers les avaient detruits,
Je ne trouvais que des soucis
Qu’humectaient les pleurs de l’Aurore
- “Tis a young man of about 18 years fo age, who comes every day and sings in the same place verses of different songs, each having some reference to myself. I fancied he might be poor, and have sent him some money, which he has always refused, and I cannot doubt that this youthful musician employs this method as an assurance of his love for his queen.”
- Comte de Fersen, a Swiss gentleman, with the Marechal de Mouchy, find Louis XV’s golden casket and deliver it safely to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. “All the papers found in the casket had been consigned to the flames, with the exception of a very thick manuscript written in the late King’s own hand, and which her majesty had reserved for her private perusal.”
- Dec 20, Paris: M. de Laclos is a member of the Orleans party. She confronts him at the opera, and refuses to join his side. She tells him of how the casket was found and the papers inside had been burned, thereby unable to fall into his hands.
- Later, during the night, some robbers, while she was in Paris, broke into Luciennes and stole her diamonds and other items, worth no less than 500,000 crowns.
“Memoirs of Madame du Barri” by Baron de Etienne-Léon Lamothe-Langon – Ch. 11
Commonplace Book – Pages 121-122
“Memoirs of Madame du Barri” – Chapter 11: A Difficult Case
- Madame du Fumel: neither handsome nor agreeable; “who would have passed through the world without exciting the smallest notice”; large fortune; illustrious birth; married to Comte d’Hargicourt; “perfect fury”
- Comte d’Hargicourt: “merry creature”; jovial and facetious temperament; witty; boisterous laugh; remained silent if he couldn’t take part in conversation; “virtues were all of the negative kind”; unaffected disposition; “went through the world honestly and inoffensively; du Barri raised him to colonel
- Madame Pater: beautiful; cold; taciturn; haughty; “she seemed to think universal homage her right and claim”; repulsive manners; former husband was jealous and mistrustful; now married to Baron de N___; Comte d’Hargicourt is in love with her
- Marechale de Mirepoix confirms the Duc de Duras is using Comte d’Hargicourt to get Madame Pater close to the King. She heard this amongst Madame du Deffant, Marechale de Luxembourg, Mesdames de Cambis and de Boufflers, the Bishop de Mirepoix and le Carracioli.
- The King acquired on ability to “assume the appearance of friendship towards those very persons he had resolved upon depriving of their place at Court “from the Duc de Villeroi, his tutor, and Cardinal de Fleury, his Mentor.
- Comte Jean bribes the valet Blagnac to raid Madame Pater’s private papers and he claims a letter stating: “I have had extreme honor of being presented to his majesty…but, alas!…this great prince is growing old…although the Comtesse du Barri contrives…to make him believe he is still young.”
