“Ah，sir，“saidItohim，“Ihavehadtimetolearnit
　　fromPharamondtothereigningking。“
　　Thisallusionwasbitter，anddidnotescapetheduke，whoturned
　　paleinspiteofhispresenceofmind，onfindingthatIwasaware
　　ofthemaliciousreparteewhichhehadmadetothekingwhen
　　talkingofme，andwhichIhavealreadymentionedtoyou。
　　The
　　chancellorsaidtome，
　　“Youhaveproducedagreateffect，butespeciallyhaveyou
　　triumphedoverthecabalbythenobilityofyourmannersandthe
　　dignityofyourmien；andthusyouhavedepriveditofoneofits
　　greatestenginesofmischief，thatofcalumniatingyourperson。“
　　“Theyimaginedthen，“saidItohim，“thatIcouldneitherspeak
　　norbesilent，neitherwalknorsitstill。“
　　“Astheywishedtofindyouignorantandawkwardtheyhaveset
　　youdownassuch。
　　Thisishumannature:whenwehateanyone，we
　　saytheyarecapableofanything；then，thattheyhavebecome
　　guiltyofeverything；and，towindupall，theyadoptfortruth
　　to-daywhattheyinventedlastnight。“
　　“Wereyounotfearful？“
　　inquiredtheking。
　　“Forgiveme，sire，“Ianswered，“whenIsaythatIfearedlestI
　　shouldnotpleaseyourmajesty；andIwasexcessivelydesirousof
　　convincingmesdamesofmyrespectfulattachment。“
　　Thisreplywaspronouncedtobefittingandelegant，altho’Ihad
　　notinanywaypreparedit。
　　Thefactis，thatIwasingreat
　　apprehensionlestIshoulddispleasetheking’sdaughters；andI
　　dreadedlesttheyshouldmanifesttooopenlythelittlefriendship
　　whichtheyhadtowardsme。
　　Fortunatelyallpassedofftoamiracle，
　　andmygoodstardidnotburndimlyinthisdecisivecircumstance。
　　AmongstthosewhorejoicedatmytriumphIcannotforgettheduc
　　d’Aiguillon。
　　Duringthewholeofthedayhewasinthegreatest
　　agitation。
　　Hisfuturedestinywas，inameasure，attachedtomy
　　fortune；heknewthathiswholeexistencedependedonmine；and
　　heexpectedfrommepowerfulsupporttodefendhimagainstthe
　　packofhisenemies，whowereyelpingopen-mouthedagainsthim。
　　Hestoodinneedofallhisstrengthofmindandequanimityto
　　concealthedisquietudeandperplexitybywhichhewasinternallyagitated。
　　ThecomteJeanalsoparticipatedinthisgreatjoy。
　　Hissituation
　　atcourtwasnotlessdoubtful；hehadnolongerreasontoblush
　　forhisalliancewithme，andcouldnowform，withoutexcessof
　　presumption，themostbrillianthopesofthesplendorofhis
　　house。
　　Hisson，thevicomteAdolphe，wasdestinedtohighfortune；
　　andIassureyouthatIdeeplyregrettedwhenaviolentand
　　prematuredeathtookhimawayfromhisfamily。
　　Mypresentation
　　permittedhisfathertorealizethechimerawhichhehadpursued
　　withsomuchperseverance。
　　Heflatteredhimselfintakingpart
　　withme。
　　Ididnotforgethiminthedistributionofmyrewards；
　　andtheking’spursewastohimasourceintowhichhefrequently
　　dippedwithbothhands。
　　ThenextdayIhadavisitfromthechancellor。
　　“Now，“saidhe，“youareattheheightofyourwishes，andwe
　　mustarrangematters，thatthekingshallfindperpetualandvaried
　　amusements，withyou。
　　Hedoesnotlikelargeparties；asmall
　　circleisenoughforhim；thenheisathisease，andlikestosee
　　thesamefacesabouthim。
　　Ifyoufollowmyadviceyouwillhave
　　butfewfemalesaboutyou，andselectthatfewwithdiscernment。“
　　“HowcanIchoosethematallwhenIseesoveryfew？“
　　wasmy
　　reply。
　　“Ihavenopositiveintimacywithanycourtlady；and
　　amongstthenumberIshouldbeatalosstoselectanyonewhom
　　Iwouldwishtoassociatewithinpreferencetoanother。“
　　“Oh，donotletthatdisturbyou，“hereplied:“theyleaveyou
　　alonenow，becauseeachisintentonobservingwhatothersmay
　　do；butassoonasanyoneshallpayyouavisit，theotherswill
　　runasfastafteryouasdidthesheepofPanurge。
　　Iamgreatly
　　deceivediftheyarenotverydesirousthatoneofthemshall
　　devoteherself，andmakethefirstdash，thattheymayprofit
　　byherpretendedfault。
　　Iknowwhowillnotbethelasttocome
　　andstationherselfamongstthefurnitureofyourapartment。
　　The
　　marechaledeMirepoixwastoolongthecomplaisantfriendof
　　madamedePompadournottobecome，andthatverysoon，thefriend
　　ofthecomtesseduBarry。“
　　“Goodheaven，“Iexclaimed，“howdelightedIshouldbetohave
　　thefriendshipofthislady，whosewitandamiablemannersareso
　　greatlytalkedof。“
　　“Yes，“saiddeMaupeou，laughing，“sheisatypeofcourtladies，
　　amixtureofdignityandsuppleness，majestyandcondescension，
　　whichisworthitsweightingold。
　　Shewasdestinedfromall
　　eternitytobethecompanionoftheking’sfemalefriends。“
　　Webothlaughed；andthechancellorwentontosay:“Thereare
　　otherswhomIwillpointouttoyoubyandby；asforthisone，I
　　undertaketofindoutwhethershewillcomefirstoftheparty。
　　Shehassenttoaskanaudienceofmeconcerningasuitshehas
　　inhand。
　　Iwillprofitbythecircumstancestocometoanexplanation
　　withher，aboutyou。
　　SheisnotoverfondoftheChoiseulparty；
　　andIaugurthis，becauseIseethatsheputsonamoreagreeable
　　airtowardsthem。“
　　TheComtedelaMarche，aprinceoftheblood——MadamedeBeauvoir，
　　hismistress——MadameduBarrycomplainstotheprincedeSoubise
　　oftheprincessdeGuemenee——Thekingconsolesthecountessfor
　　this——TheducdeChoiseul——Thekingspeakstohimofmadamedu
　　Barry——Voltairewritestoher——TheopinionsofRichelieuandthe
　　kingconcerningVoltaire
　　Amongstthosepersonageswhocametocomplimentmeontheevening
　　ofmypresentationwasM。thecomtedelaMarche，sonoftheprince
　　duConti，andconsequentlyprinceoftheblood。
　　Hehadlongbeen
　　devotedtothewillofLouisXV。
　　Assoonashismostserene
　　highnesshadwindofmyfavorhehastenedtoaddtothenumberof
　　mycourt；andIleaveyoutoimaginehowgreatlyIwasflattered
　　atseeingitaugmentedbysoaugustapersonage。
　　Thisconquestwasmostvaluableinmyeyes，forIthusprovedto
　　theworld，thatbyattractingthekingtomeIdidnotisolatehim
　　fromthewholeofhisfamily。
　　Itisverytruethatforsometime
　　thecomtedelaMarchehadbeenoutoffavorwiththepublic，by
　　reasonofhisovercomplaisancetowardstheministersoftheking’s
　　pleasure；buthewasnotthelessaprinceoftheblood，andat
　　Versaillesthisrankcompensatedforalmosteveryfault。
　　Hewas
　　alivelyman，moreover，hissocietywasagreeable，andthetitle
　　heborereflectedhisdistinctionamongstacrowdofcourtiers。
　　Ifelt，therefore，thatIoughttoconsidermyselfasveryfortunate
　　thathedeignedtovisitme，andaccordinglyreceivedhimwith
　　allthecivilityIcoulddisplay；andthewelcomereceptionwhich
　　healwaysexperienceddrewhimfrequentlytomyabode。
　　Thefriendshipwithwhichhehonoredmewasnotagreeabletomy
　　enemies；andtheytriedbyeverypossiblemeanstoseducehim
　　fromme。
　　Theygothisnearrelationstotalktohimaboutit；his
　　intimatefriendstoreasonwithhim；thefemaleswhomhemost
　　admiredtodissuadehimfromit。
　　Therewasnotoneofthese
　　latterwhodidnotessaytoinjuremeinhisestimation，bysaying
　　thathedishonoredhimselfbyanacquaintancewithme。
　　Therewas
　　amongstothersamarquisedeBeauvoir，theissueofapetty
　　nobility，whomhepaidwithsumsofgold，altho’shewasnothis
　　mistressbytitle。
　　GainedoverbytheChoiseuls，shemadeproposals
　　concerningmetotheprinceofsoridiculousanature，thathesaid
　　toherimpatiently:“I’faith，mydear，asintheeyesoftheworld
　　everywomanwholiveswithamanwhoisnotherhusbandisa——，
　　soIthinkamaniswisetochoosetheloveliesthecanfind；and
　　inthiswaythekingisatthismomentmuchbetteroffthanany
　　ofhissubjects。“
　　OnlyimaginewhataragethisputthemarquisedeBeauvoirin:she
　　stormed，wept，hadanervousattack。
　　ThecomtedelaMarche
　　contemplatedherwithadesperatetranquillity；butthisscene
　　continuingbeyondthelimitsoftolerablepatience，hewassotired
　　ofitthathelefther。
　　Thiswasnotwhatthemarquisewished；and
　　shehastenedtowriteasubmissivelettertohim，inwhich，tojustify
　　herself，sheconfessedtotheprince，thatinactingagainstmeshe
　　hadonlyyieldedtotheinstigationsofthecabal，andparticularly
　　alludedtomesdamesdeGrammontanddeGuemenee。
　　ThecomtedelaMarcheshowedmethisletter，whichIretained
　　inspiteofhisresistanceandalltheeffortshemadetoobtain
　　possessionofitagain。
　　Myintentionwastoshowittotheking；
　　andIdidnotfailtogiveittohimatthenextvisithepaidme:
　　hereadit，andshrugginguphisshoulders，aswashisusualcustom，
　　hesaidtome，
　　“Theyaredevilsincarnate，andtheworstofthekind。
　　Theytry
　　toinjureyouineveryway，buttheyshallnotsucceed。
　　Ireceive
　　alsoanonymouslettersagainstyou，theyaretossedintothe
　　post-boxinlargepacketswithfeignednames，inthehopethat
　　theywillreachme。
　　Suchslandersoughtnottoannoyyou:inthe
　　daysofmadamedePompadour，thesamethingwasdone。
　　Thesame
　　schemesweretriedtoruinmadamedeChateauroux。
　　WheneverI