TheducdelaVauguyonhastenedtocommunicatetomethishappy
　　stateofthings；andmyjoywassogreat，thatIembracedhim
　　withthesincerestwarmth，assuringhimthatIshouldalwayslook
　　uponhimasmybestfriend，andseektotestifymyregardatevery
　　opportunitythatfellinmywayofforwardinghisinterests。
　　Somedaysafterwardsthekingbroughtmeasplendidring，worth
　　thirty-sixthousandlivres。
　　“Youmustsendthisjeweltoyourgoodfriendtheduke，“saidhe。
　　“Idarenot，“repliedI。
　　“Ifearlestitshoulddrawforth
　　hisdispleasure。“
　　“No，no，“criedtheking，“’tisnotthefashionatcourttoconstrue
　　giftslikethisintoinsults，butIshouldwishthistrifletobe
　　presentedinanindirectmanner“；and，afterhavingconsidereda
　　moment，“Ihaveit，“exclaimedhe，“Ihavethoughtofaclever
　　expedient；letusputthisringuponthefingerofthatChinese
　　mandarinbeforeus，andgivethefigurewiththering，considering
　　itmerelyanappendagetoit。
　　Assuredlythemostdisinterested
　　mancannotrefusetoacceptachinafigure。“
　　Iextolledtheking’sideaasbeingamosthappyone；andhe
　　immediatelyfittedtheringuponthelittlefingerofthemandarin，
　　whichIcausedtobecarriedtotheducdelaVauguyonwiththe
　　followingbillet:——
　　“MONSIEURLEDUC，——Youhavebeenmybestfriend；
　　’tistoyourkindofficesthatIowetheconfirmation
　　ofmyhappiness；butIwouldsecurethecontinuance
　　ofyourvaluablefriendship，andforthatpurposeI
　　sendyoualittlemagicalfigure，which，placedin
　　yourcabinet，willcompelyourthoughtstooccupy
　　themselveswithmeinspiteofyourself。
　　Iam
　　superstitiousenoughtorelygreatlyuponthe
　　talismanicvirtueofthecharmedporcelain；andfurther，
　　Imusttellyou，thatIwasnotitspurchaserinthe
　　firstinstance，neitherdidIadornitforyour
　　acceptance。
　　Ishouldnothaveventuredtooffermore
　　thantheassuranceofmyeverlastingesteemandregard
　　foryouracceptance。
　　Thetriflesentcomesfroma
　　highersource；andtheaugusthandsodeartobothof
　　us，deignedtopresideoverthearrangement。
　　Should
　　therebeinitanythingatallrepugnanttoyour
　　feelings，Ibeseechyoubearmenoillwillforit；
　　fortruly，Imaysay，Ishouldneverhavesummoned
　　couragetodothatwhichhasjustbeendonebyhim
　　whomalluniteinlovingandesteeming。“
　　Thedukereplied，-
　　“Yourtalismaniswelcome；yetitsmagicpower，far
　　fromaugmentingthewarmthofmyfeelingstowards
　　you，wouldhavediminisheditonaccountofacertain
　　accessorywithwhichmyfriendshipcouldhavewell
　　dispensed:however，whatyousayonthesubjectcloses
　　mylips。
　　Igratefullyacknowledgethedailyfavors
　　bestoweduponmefromtheaugusthandofwhomyou
　　speak；andIreceivewiththedeepestrespectmingled
　　withregretthegraciouspresenthedeignstoconvey
　　tomebyyou。
　　IownthatIshouldhavepreferred，
　　tothesplendidjewelwhichbedeckedthefingerof
　　yourdeity，aChinesecounterpart，whichmightindeed
　　haveenabledalladmiringgazerstosay，’thesetwo
　　aretrulyapair。’Asforyourself，whowouldfain
　　passfornobodyinthemunificentgift，Ithankyouat
　　leastfortheflatteringplaceyouassignmeinyour
　　recollection。
　　BeassuredIfeelitsfullvalue，and
　　youmayconfidentlyreckonuponthedisposalofmy
　　poorcreditaswellascommandthelittleinfluenceI
　　maybesaidtopossessinthecastle。
　　Adieu，madame，
　　Ientreatyouracceptanceoftheexpressionofmy
　　mostsincereandrespectfuldevotion。“
　　Theking，havingreadM。delaVauguyon’sletter，sentimmediately
　　tothechinamanufactorytopurchasethefellowmandarinsomuch
　　covetedbytheduke，andcausedittobeconveyedtohimwiththe
　　followingwords:——
　　“MYDEARGOVERNOR——Youareakind-heartedcreature
　　Iknow，andagreatpromoterofdomesticharmony；to
　　fainunitethewifewiththehusband。
　　Heavengrant
　　thatsuchameasuremayindeedbringaboutyour
　　proposedfelicity！
　　However，bywayoffurtheringyour
　　schemes，IsendtheChineselady，whosebeautyItrust
　　willnotdisturbyourrepose，forinspiteofyour
　　sanctity，Iknowyoucanbeasgallantastherestof
　　us，andpossiblythisbeautifulmandarinmayproveto
　　bemorelovelyinyoureyes，thaninthoseofthe
　　husbandforwhomsheisdestined；but，insober
　　earnestness，Iwouldwishyoutobeconvincedthat
　　myintentionisnottoattemptpaymentforthe
　　servicesrenderedme，butsimplytoevincemysenseof
　　theirvalue。
　　Thereisonebesidemeatthismoment
　　whohasgivenmeakisstotransmittoyou——Youwill
　　easilyguesswhohashadtheaudacitytoenlistme
　　intoherserviceuponsuchanoccasion。“
　　ThiswasoneoftherecompensesofferedtotheducdelaVauguyon，
　　asacompensationforthepublicclamoranddislikewhichsprung
　　upagainsthiminconsequenceofhiszealformyservice。
　　At
　　Versailles，thegeneralfermentwasatitsheight，whenitbecame
　　generallyknownthatIhadtriumphedoverallobstacles，andthat
　　mypresentationwascertainlytotakeplace。
　　Inthemidstofall
　　thisthedesperateodiumfellupontheducdelaVauguyon，and
　　ageneralattackwasmadeuponhim:hisvirtues，reputation，
　　talents，qualities，weremadethesubjectofblameandscandal——
　　inaword，hewasrundownbypublicopinion。
　　Buttheleaders
　　ofthecabalwerenotthelessstruckbythenewsofmysuccess，
　　whichsoundedintheirearslikethefallingofathunder-bolt。
　　ThesillyprincessdeGuemenee，who，withherhusband，hassince
　　becomeabankrupttosoenormousandscandalousanamount，flew
　　withoutdelaytoconveythetidingsofmyvictorytotheduchesse
　　deGrammont，towhomitwasadeath-blow。
　　Allhercourageforsook
　　her；sheshedbittertears，anddisplayedaweaknesssomuchthe
　　moreridiculous，asitseemedtoarisefromtheutmostdespair。
　　SherepairedtomadameAdelaide，beforewhomsheconductedherself
　　inthemostabsurdandextravagantmanner。
　　Thepoorprincess，
　　intimidatedbytheweaknesssheherselfevinced，indrawingback
　　aftershehadinamannerespousedtheoppositeparty，durstnot
　　irritateher，but，onthecontrary，strovetojustifyherown
　　changeofconducttowardsme，byurgingtheimpossibilityof
　　refusingobediencetotheexpresscommandoftheking。
　　Theotherprincessesdidnotevincegreaterfirmnesswhenoverwhelmed
　　bythecomplaintsofthecabal，andinamannerbenttheirknee
　　beforethewivesoftheFrenchnobility，askingtheirpardonfor
　　theirfather’serrorinselectingamistressfromanyrankbut
　　theirs。
　　Aboutthisperiodasong，whichIadmiredgreatly，was
　　circulatedabroad。
　　Myenemiesinterpretedittomydisadvantage，
　　butIwasfarfrombeingofthesameopinion。
　　Itwassuccessively
　　attributedtothemostclevermeninParis，andIhavemyselfmet
　　withfourwhoeachassertedhimselftobetheauthor；injustice
　　itshouldbeascribedtohimwhoappearedthemostcalculated
　　tohavewrittenit，andwhoindeedclaimeditforhisown——the
　　chevalierdeBoufflers。
　　Idonotknowwhetheryourecollectthe
　　linesinquestion。
　　Iwilltranscribethemfrommemory，adding
　　anothercouplet，whichwasonlyknownamongstourownparticular
　　circle，butwhichprovesmostincontestablythespiritofkindness
　　withwhichthestanzaswerecomposed。
　　Lise，tabeauteseduit，
　　Etcharmetoutlemonde。
　　Envainladuchesseenrougit，
　　Etlaprincesseengronde，
　　ChacunsaitqueVenusnaquit
　　Del’ecumedel’onde。
　　Enrit-ellemoinstouslesdieux。
　　Luirendreunjustehommage！
　　EtParis，lebergerfameux，
　　Luidonnerl’avantage
　　Memesurlareinedescieux
　　EtMinervelasage？
　　Dansleseraildugrandseigneur。
　　Quelleestlafavorite？
　　C’estlaplusbelleaugredecoeur
　　Dumaitrequil’habite。
　　C’estleseultitreensafaveur
　　Etc’estlevraimerite。
　　QueGrammonttonnecontretoi，
　　Lachoseestnaturelle。
　　Ellevoudraitdonnerlaloi
　　Etn’estqu’unemortelle；
　　Ilfaut，pourplaireauplusgrandroi，
　　Sansorgueiletrebelle。*
　　*Fromthosereaderswhomayunderstandthischanson
　　intheoriginal，andlooksomewhatcontemptuouslyon
　　thefollowingversion，thetranslatorbegstoshelter
　　himselfunderthewell-knownobservationofLord
　　Chesterfield，“thateverythingsuffersbytranslation，
　　butabishop！“
　　Thosetowhomsuchadilutionis
　　necessarywillperhapsbecontentedwiththe
　　skim-milkastheycannotgetthecream-TRANS。
　　Thybeauty，seductress，leadsmortalsastray，
　　Overhearts，Lise，howvastandresistlessthysway。
　　Cease，duchess，toblush！
　　cease，princess，torave