hispliancyofdispositionratherthanhisresistancethatwemust
　　contendwith，andIgotoactuponit。
　　“
　　Itheninstructedthedukewithwhathadpassedbetweenmeand
　　theprincedeSoubise。
　　WhenIhaddone，thedukereplied:
　　“ExpectnothingfromtheprincedeSoubise:hewillspeak，no
　　doubt；buthow？
　　Inajesting，laughingway。
　　If，however，you
　　thinkhecanatallserveyou，givehimallyourconfidence。“
　　“No，no，never，“Irepliedwithquickness；“itisnotathingtobe
　　donelightly；wedonotselectaconfidant，counsellor，orfriend，
　　atrandom。
　　Doyounotknowthis，M。leduc？
　　Itisrequisitethat
　　theheartoftheonewhospeaksshouldreposeitselfontheheart
　　ofthefriendwholistens。
　　IrepeattoyouthatIhavenofeelingof
　　confidencetowardsM。deSoubise。
　　Infact，“Iaddedwithvisible
　　andtroubledemotion，“mychoiceismade，andyouhavetoomuch
　　heroismtowishtocombatit。“
　　Attheseflatteringwordsthedukeprecipitatedhimselfatmyfeet，
　　andsworetosupportmycausewithallhispowerandinterest。
　　I
　　repliedthatIfullyreliedonhisdevotionandprudence。
　　Comte
　　Jeanentered，anditwasagreedbetweenusthreethatIshouldsay
　　nomoretothekingofmypresentationbeforetheducd’Aiguillon
　　hadspokentohimofit；thatIshouldcontentmyselfwith
　　complainingwithoutpeevishness，andthatweshouldleavethe
　　openingmeasuretotheprincedeSoubise，andlethimbreakthe
　　icetohismajesty。
　　TheprincedeSoubisebehavedexactlyasthedukehadtoldme:he
　　cametomethenextmorningwithamysteriousair，whichalready
　　informedmeofallhehadtosay。
　　Hesaidthathehadvainly
　　tormentedtheking；thathismajestywishedthingstoremainjust
　　astheywere，anddesiredthatuntilaneworderofthingsnothing
　　shouldbealtered。
　　“Iamsorryforit，monsieurlemarechal，“Ireplied。
　　“WhilstIam
　　inthisprecarioussituation，whilstIremaininacornerofthe
　　stageasaconfidanteoftragedy，Icandonothingformyfriends，
　　particularlyforyou，monsieurlemarechal。“
　　“Onthecontrary，madame，“hereplied，“thekingwillbemore
　　disposedtolistentoyouwhilsthewillsupposethatyour
　　influenceisunknown。“
　　“Oh，“criedIwithafeelingofanger，“yougentlemencourtiers
　　thinkofnothingbutpolitics。
　　Asforme，whoamawoman，Ihave
　　othermattersforconsideration:Imusthavehonors，title，rank。
　　Myself-lovesufferscruellywhenIseemyselfimmolatedbythe
　　fearwhichtheladiesdeGrammontandthreeorfourotherintriguers
　　oftheirpartyareabletoexcite。“
　　Theprincewassomewhatstartledatthefreedomoflanguage
　　whichIusedtowardsladiesinsuchcreditatcourt:hebeggedme
　　tomoderatemyfeelings，andbelessmovedandexcited。
　　Bythis
　　theprincedeSoubiselosttheesteemwhichImighthaveaccorded
　　him，andthesecondplaceinmycounsels，whichImighthave
　　givenhim。
　　Itoldtheduke，whocametoseemethemomentafterwards，ofthe
　　failureoftheprince’sattempt。
　　Hetoldmethathehadnothoped
　　forabetterresult。
　　Hewenttotheking，flatteringhimselfwith
　　hopesofbettersuccess，butdidnotfindhim。
　　ThedaughtersofLouisXVhadunitedagainstmewithafury
　　whichnothingcouldjustify。
　　Theywereincessantlytalking
　　scandalofmypastlife，asiftherewereonlysaintsatcourt，as
　　iftheyhadnopranksoftheirowntoreproachthemselveswith。
　　Allthechateauknewoftheirlovers，andtherewas
　　evidenceofthetendernessofmadameAdelaide:asformadame
　　Louiseshewasanangeluponearth，andwastheonlyonewho
　　didnotjoininthecryagainstme。
　　Ontheotherhand，theking，
　　whilsthehadbutlittleloveforhisdeardaughters，preserved
　　towardsthemacomplaisanceandexternalappearanceofkindness
　　whichwasasubstituteforparentallove。
　　When
　　criedout，hestoppedhisearswithhistwohands，andseemed，
　　whilstlookingproudlyatFrance，tosay，“AmnotIagoodfather，
　　andarenotmydaughtersveryhappy，forIletthemcryoutwith
　　alltheirmight？“
　　Thenextdaytheducd’Aiguillonwentagaintotheking，andfound
　　himbewilderedwithfamilyscenesandthemurmuringsofthe
　　Choiseuls。
　　Whenmyambassadorhaddeliveredhismessage，the
　　kingaskedhimifhe，aswellastheprincedeSoubise，hadbeen
　　setuponhishaunchesbyme。
　　Theduke，nothingintimidatedatthis，toldthekingthatfarfrom
　　havingwishedthatheshouldbemyinterpreter，Ihadrequested
　　himnottoalludetothematter。
　　“Why，then，“saidLouisXVlaughing，“doyounotfollowthe
　　adviceofthecomtesse？“
　　“BecauseIentertainasincereattachmentforher，andthatIam
　　vexedtohearitsaidthattherearepersonswholeadyourmajesty。“
　　“Whoaretheinsolentsthatholdsuchlanguage？“
　　“Theysurroundyou，sire。
　　Thereisnotafemaleherebutaffirms
　　thatyoudarenotdecideonthepresentationofthecomtesse。“
　　“Ialoneammaster，andwillletthemknowitwhentheopportunity
　　arrives；butthepresentmomentisnotfitting。
　　Thecomtesseknows
　　howwellIloveher；andifshewillproveherfriendshiptowards
　　me，shewillremainquietforsometime。“
　　Thedukethoughtitbesttobesilent，andcametome。
　　After
　　relatingtheconversation，headded，“Donotappearatalldejected；
　　thekingwouldnotthenvisityoulestheshouldfindyououtof
　　temper。
　　WereIyouIshouldwritetohim；awordofpeacewould
　　sethimatease。“
　　Iapprovedthisadvice，andinstantlypennedthefollowingletter:——
　　Sire-Theytellmethatyourmajestyhasbeentormented
　　onmyaccount。
　　ItisatreasonofwhichIalonecould
　　believemyselfcapable。
　　ButwhyshouldIcomplain？
　　You
　　havedonesomuchformethatIoughttoesteemmyself
　　happy:youraugustfriendshipconsolesmethro’allmy
　　annoyances。
　　BeassuredthathenceforthIshallpoutno
　　more；Iwillbethebestsheepintheworld，relyingon
　　myshepherdfornothavingmyfleececuttooclosely；
　　forafterallIthinkIamthepettedewe，etc。“
　　Ashorttimeafterwardsapagebroughtmeasplendidboxof
　　withapairofrubyear-ringssurroundedwithdiamonds，andthis
　　shortbillet:——
　　“Yes，assuredlyyouaremypetewe，andalwaysshall
　　be。
　　Theshepherdhasastrongcrookwithwhichhe
　　willdriveawaythosewhowouldinjureyou。
　　Relyon
　　yourshepherdforthecareofyourtranquillity，and
　　thepeaceofyourfuturelife。“
　　Intheeveningthekingvisitedme。
　　Hewasembarrassed，butIset
　　himateasebyshowinghimalaughingcountenance，talkingonly
　　ofhispresent，whichIhadinmyears，andshakingmyheadabout
　　tokeepthedropsinmotion，whichsparkledwithgreatbrilliancy。
　　Hewaspleasedatthis，anddidnotleavemealltheevening。
　　In
　　themorningwewerethebestfriendsintheworld。
　　Somedayselapsed，whencomteJeancametome，bringingtwo
　　infamousarticleswhichhadappearedinthe“，“
　　andweredirectedagainstme。
　　Theywereatrociousanddeeply
　　chagrinedme:Iplacedthemonthemantel-piece，whereallwho
　　cameincouldseethem。
　　TheducdeDurasreadthem，andsaid，
　　“Concealtheseatrocitiesfromtheking。“
　　“No，“wasmyreply，“Iwishhimtoreadthem，thathemayknow
　　howhisaffectionsarerespected，andhowthepoliceofParisare
　　employedindoingtheirdutytothethrone。“
　　TheselastwordsannoyedM。deDuras，betweenwhomandM。de
　　Sartinestherewasaconnection:thedukewasindebtedtothe
　　lieutenant-generalofpoliceforthespecialsurveillancewhichhe
　　keptoverayounggirlofwhomhe，theducdeDuras，wasfoolishly
　　enamoured。
　　TremblingforhisM。deSartines，he
　　wrotetohiminhaste，buthadnotcourageortalentenoughto
　　undertakethedefenceoftheguiltyperson。
　　Thekingcameasusual；hisgeneralstationwasatthechimney-piece，
　　whereheamusedhimselfwithlookingatthebaublesthatornamented
　　it。
　　The““fellinhisway。
　　Hereadthem
　　once，thenagain；then，withoututteringaword，threwtheminto
　　thefire。
　　Iobservedhim，andsawthathewasfullofemotion
　　whichhesoughttoconceal，buttheangerburstforthsoon。
　　The
　　princedeSoubise，whosuppedwithusthatevening，askedtheduc
　　deDurasifhehadreadthe““
　　“No，“wasthereply；“Iseldomreadsuchnonsense。“
　　“Andyouarequiteright，“saidtheking。
　　“Thereisatpresenta
　　mostinconceivablemaniaforwriting。
　　Whatistheuse，Iaskyou，
　　gentlemen，ofthisdelugeofbooksandpamphletswithwhich
　　Franceisinundated？
　　Theyonlycontainthespiritofrebellion:
　　thefreedomofwritingoughtnottobegiventoeverybody。
　　Thereshouldbeinawell-regulatedstatesevenoreightwriters，
　　notmore；andtheseundertheinspectionofgovernment。
　　Authors