presentedhertotheking，saying，
　　“Sire，Inowdoforthislady，inmyowndrawing-room，whatshe
　　willhavethekindnesstodoformeatthestate-chamber。“
　　“Ah，“repliedtheking，“isitmadamedeBearnthatyoupresent
　　tome？
　　Iamindeeddelighted。
　　Herhusbandwasoneofmyfaithful
　　servants:Iwasmuchpleasedwithhersonwhenhewasoneof
　　pages，andIperceivethatsheherselfisdesirousoftestifying
　　tomeherattachmenttomyperson。
　　Ithankyou，madame；you
　　cannotconferagreaterfavoronme，andIshallembraceevery
　　opportunityofprovingtoyouhowmuchsatisfactionyourconduct
　　affordsme。“
　　Eachwordthatthekingutteredwenttotheheartofthecountess。
　　However，makingavirtueofnecessity，shereplied，thatshewas
　　proudandhappyatwhatthekinghadsaidtoher，andthatit
　　wouldbeherconstantaimtopleasehismajesty，flattering
　　herselfthatthekingwouldremembertheservicesoftheBearn
　　family，andwouldthinkofherinthedispensationofhisbounties。
　　“Youmayrelyonit，madame，“repliedLouisXV，“especiallyif
　　thecomtesseduBarryappliestomeinyourbehalf。“
　　Then，turningtowardsme，“When，then，isthisredoubtable
　　presentationtotakeplace？“
　　“Ontheday，sire，whenyourmajestyshallthinkproper，“Ireplied。
　　“Well！
　　IwillsendtheducdeRichelieutoyou，whowillarrange
　　thewhole。“
　　Thissettled，thesubjectwasturned，butmadamedeBearnlost
　　hertongueentirely。
　　Inspiteofallherendeavors，herforehead
　　becamecontractedeverymoment，andIamsureshewentaway
　　vexedanddisappointed。
　　Thefollowingmorning，thecomteJeanandmysister-in-lawwent
　　toherhouse。
　　Theytestifiedtheirregretforwhathadoccurred
　　thepreviousevening；theyassuredherthatwewouldnottake
　　anyadvantageoftheconditionlessengagementwhichshehadmade
　　topresentme，andthataltho’itwasimpossibletoaskthe
　　requiredguaranteesfromtheking，stillweshouldmostundeviatingly
　　adheretotheclausesofthetreaty:theyadded，thattheycame
　　toenquirewhensheshouldchoosetoreceivethehundredthousand
　　livres。
　　Thecountessreplied，thatinspiteoftherealdisadvantage
　　whichshemusthenceforwardlaborunderinthisaffair，shefelt
　　greatfriendshipforme，andwouldnotrefusetoobligeme，and
　　sheflatteredherselfthatIwouldespousehercausewiththe
　　king。
　　ThecomteJeanassuredherofthis，andsettledwithher
　　theperiodofthepaymentofthehundredthousandlivres，which
　　weretobepaidatsightonherdrawingonM。delaBorde，the
　　court-banker。
　　Thusthenmypresentationwasanassuredmatter:nothingnow
　　couldpreventit，atleastIfanciedsotomyself。
　　Ireckoned
　　withoutmyhost；Ididnotknowyetallthemaliceofacourtier
　　ladyorgentleman。
　　Asitwas，however，M。deChoiseulandhis
　　vilesisterhadgainedoveroneofmyservants，fortheyknewall
　　thathadpassed。
　　TheysoonlearnedthatmadamedeBearnhadcome
　　tosupperwithme，andthataftersupperavisitoftheking’shad
　　decidedthisladyonmypresentation:thistheydeterminedtoprevent。
　　Forthisend，theydespatchedasambassadorthechevalierde
　　CoignytothehouseofmadamedeBearn。
　　He，followingthe
　　instruction，soughtbyturnstoseduceandintimidatethecountess，
　　butallwentfornothing。
　　MadamedeBearntoldthechevalierde
　　Coigny，thatshehadbeenwithmetoaskmyinfluencewiththe
　　chancellor。
　　Thechevalierleftherwithoutbeingabletoobtain
　　anyotherinformation。
　　ThisbadsuccessdidnotdisheartentheChoiseuls。
　　Theysent
　　thistimetomadamedeBearn，M。deRoquelaure，bishopofSenlis，
　　andgrandalmonertotheking。
　　Thisprelatewasmuchlikedat
　　court，andinhighfavorwithmesdamestheking’sdaughters。
　　We
　　weregoodfriendstogetheratlast，butinthisparticularhewas
　　veryneardoingmegreatwrong。
　　M。deRoquelaurehavingcalled
　　onmadamedeBearn，toldherthathewellknewthenatureofher
　　communicationswithme。
　　“Donotflatteryourself，“saidhe，“thatyouwillobtainthro’
　　theinfluenceofthecomtesseduBarry，allthathasbeenpromised
　　you。
　　Youwillhaveopposedtoyouthemostpowerfuladversaries
　　andmostaugustpersonages。
　　Itcannotbeconcealedfromyou，
　　thatmesdamescontemplatethepresentationofthiscreaturewith
　　theutmostdispleasure。
　　Theywillnotfailtoobtaingreatinfluence
　　overthefuturedauphin，andwilldoyoumischiefwithhim；so
　　that，whetherintheactualstateofthings，orinthatwhichthe
　　ageandhealthofthekingmustleadustoanticipate，youwill
　　beinamostunfortunatesituationatcourt。“
　　Theoldbishop，withhismischievousfrankness，catechisedmadame
　　deBearnsoclosely，thatatlengthshereplied，thatsomuch
　　respectanddeferencedidsheentertaintowardstheprincesses，
　　thatshewouldnotpresentmeuntiltheyshouldaccordtheir
　　permissionformetoappear。
　　M。deRoquelauretookthisreply
　　totheChoiseuls。
　　MadamedeGrammont，enchanted，thinkingthe
　　pointalreadygained，sentmadamedeBearnaninvitationtosupper
　　thenextday，butthiswasnotthecountess’sgame。
　　Shewas
　　compelledtodecidepromptly，andshethoughttopreserveastrict
　　neutralityuntilfreshordersshouldissue。
　　Whatdoyousuppose
　　shedid？
　　Shewrotetous，madamedeGrammontandmyself，that
　　shehadscaldedherfoot，andthatitwasimpossibleforhertogo
　　fromhome。
　　OnreceivinghernoteIbelievedmyselfbetrayed，forsaken。
　　Comte
　　JeanandIsuspectedthatthiswasafeint，andwentwithall
　　speedtocallonthecomtessedeBearn。
　　Shereceiveduswithher
　　usualcourtesy，complainedthatwehadarrivedattheverymoment
　　ofthedressingofherwound，andtoldusshewoulddeferit；but
　　Iwouldnotagreetothis。
　　Mybrother-in-lawwentintoanother
　　room，andmadamedeBearnbegantounswatheherfootinmy
　　presencewiththeutmostcautionandtenderness。
　　Iawaitedthe
　　evidenceofherfalsehood，when，tomyastonishment，Isawa
　　horribleburn！
　　Ididnotforamomentdoubt，whatwasafterwards
　　confirmed，namely，thatmadamedeBearnhadactuallyperpetrated
　　this，andmaimedherselfwithherownfreewill。
　　Imentallycursed
　　herRomancourage，andwouldhavesentmyheroicgodmothertothe
　　devilwithallmyheart。
　　Thusthenwasmypresentationstoppedbythefootofmadamede
　　Bearn。
　　Thismischancedidnotdampenthezealofmyfriends。
　　On
　　theonehand，comteJean，afterhavingstirredheavenandearth，
　　metwiththecomtessed’Aloigny。
　　Sheconsentedtobecomemy
　　godmotherimmediatelyafterherownpresentation，foreighty
　　thousandlivresandtheexpensesoftheceremony。
　　Butmesdames
　　receivedhersounsatisfactorily，thatmyownfeelingstoldme，I
　　oughtnottobepresentedatcourtunderherauspices。
　　Wethankedthecomtessed’Aloignytherefore，andsenther，asa
　　remuneration，twentythousandlivresfromtheking。
　　WhilstcomteJeanfailedononeside，theducd’Aiguillon
　　succeededonanother。
　　HewassomewayrelatedtomadamedeBearn。
　　Hewenttovisither，andmadeherunderstandthat，astheChoiseuls
　　neithergavenorpromisedheranything，shewouldbewrongin
　　declaringforthem:that，ontheotherhand，ifshedeclaredfor
　　me，Icouldprocureforherthefavoroftheking。
　　Madamede
　　Bearnyieldedtohispersuasions，andchargedtheducd’Aiguillon
　　tosaytome，andevenherselfwrote，thatsheputherself
　　entirelyintomyhands；andthat，assoonasshewaswell，I
　　mightrelyonher。
　　What，Ibelieve，finallydecidedthislady
　　was，thefearthatifshedidnotcomplywithwhatIrequired，
　　Ishouldcontentmyselfwiththecomtessed’Aloigny。
　　Nowassuredofmyintroductress，Ionlydirectedmyattentionto
　　thefinalobstacleofmypresentation；Imeanthedispleasureof
　　mesdames。
　　IdonotspeakofmadameLouise，ofwhomIcanonly
　　writeintermsofcommendation；butIhadopposedtomemesdames
　　VictoireandSophie，andespeciallymadameAdelaide，who，asthe
　　eldest，gavethemtheirplanofconduct。
　　Thislatter，whohad
　　giventoomuchcausetobespokenofherselftohaveanyrightto
　　talkofothers，neverceasedharanguingaboutthescandalofmy
　　life；andIhadrecently，unknowntomyself，fallenintocomplete
　　disgracewithher。
　　Thisisthecase。
　　TheapartmentfromwhichIhaddislodgedM。deNoailleshad
　　beenrequestedofthekingbymadameAdelaide。
　　Ignorantofthis
　　Ihadinstalledmyselfthere。
　　IsoonlearnedthatIhadoffended
　　theprincess，andinstantlyhastenedtoofferhertheapartments
　　shewishedtohave。
　　Shecameintothem；butasitwasnecessary
　　formetobeaccommodatedsomewhere，thekinggavemetheformer
　　apartmentsofhisdaughter。
　　ThiswaswhatmadameAdelaidecalled
　　anactoftyranny；shemadethechateauechowithhercomplaints:
　　shesaidIhaddrivenherout，thatIwishedtoseparateherfrom
　　hersisters；thatIshouldweanherfather’saffectionentirely
　　fromher。
　　Suchinjusticedistressedmeexcessively。