desiredmenottoshowVoltaire’slettertothekinguntilIhad
　　readitpreviouslytomyself。
　　“Hedoesnotlikethisextraordinary
　　man，“headded，“andaccuseshimofhavingfailedinrespect，
　　andperhapsyouwillfindinthispapersomeexpressionwhich
　　maydispleasehim。“
　　ScarcelyhadIputtheepistleinmypocket，whenthekingentered。
　　“Whatareyoutalkingabout，“saidhe，“youseemagitated？“
　　“OfM。deVoltaire，sire，“Ireplied，withsomuchpresenceof
　　mindastopleasetheducdeRichelieu。
　　“What，isheathistricksagain？
　　Haveyouanycauseofcomplaint
　　againsthim？“
　　“Quitethereverse；hehaschargedM。d’ArgentaltosaytoM。de
　　Richelieu，thathewassorrythathecouldnotcomeandprostrate
　　himselfatmyfeet。“
　　“Ah，“saidtheking，rememberingthelettertotheducd’Aiguillon，
　　“hepersistsinhiscoquetriestowardsyou:thatisbetterthan
　　beinglampoonedbyhim。
　　Butdonotplacetoomuchconfidencein
　　thisgentlemanofthechamber:heweighseverythingintwoscales；
　　andIdoubtmuchwhetherhewillspareyouwhenheevincesbut
　　littleconsiderationforme。“
　　CertainlyRichelieuhadagoodopportunityofundertakingthe
　　defenceofhisillustriousfriend。
　　Hedidnosuchthing；andI
　　havealwaysthoughtthatVoltairewasthepersonwhomtheduke
　　detestedmoreheartilythananyotherpersonintheworld。
　　Hedid，
　　infact，dreadhimtoomuchtoesteemhimasarealfriend。
　　“M。d’Argental，“saidtheking，“unitesthenatmycourtthedouble
　　functionofministerofParmaandstewardofFerney。*Arethese
　　twoofficescompatible？“
　　*ThenameofVoltaire’sresidence-TRANS
　　“Yes，sire，“repliedtheduke，laughing，“sincehehasnot
　　presentedofficiallytoyourmajestythelettersofhiscreationas
　　comtedeTournay。“
　　Thekingbegantolaugh。
　　Thiswasthenameofanestatewhich
　　Voltairehad，andwhichhesometimesassumed。
　　UnpublishedletterofVoltairetomadameduBarry——Replyofthe
　　countess——ThemarechaledeMirepoix——Herfirstinterviewwith
　　madameduBarry——AnecdoteofthediamondsofmadamedeMirepoix——
　　Thekingpaysforthem——Singulargratitudeofthemarechale——The
　　portfolio，andanunpublishedletterofthemarquisedePompadour
　　BythewayinwhichthekingcontinuedtospeaktomeofM。de
　　Voltaire，Iclearlysawhowrightthedukewasinadvisingmeto
　　readthelettermyselfbeforeIshowedittomyaugustprotector。
　　I
　　couldnotreadituntilthenextday，andfounditconceivedinthe
　　followingterms:——
　　“MADAMELACOMTESSE:——Ifeelmyselfurgedbyanextremedesire
　　tohaveanexplanationwithyou，afterthereceiptofaletter
　　whichM。theducd’Aiguillonwrotetomelastyear。
　　Thisnobleman，
　　nephewofagentleman，ascelebratedforthenamehebearsasby
　　hisownreputation，andwhohasbeenmyfriendformorethan
　　sixtyyears，hascommunicatedtomethepainwhichhadbeencaused
　　youbyacertainpieceofpoetry，ofmywritingaswasstated，
　　andinwhichmystylewasrecognised。
　　Alas！
　　madame，eversince
　　themostfoolishdesireintheworldhasexcitedmetocommita
　　greatdealofidletrashtopaper，notamonth，aweek，nay，evena
　　daypassesinwhichIamnotaccusedandconvictedofsomegreat
　　enormity；thatistosay，themaliciousauthorofallsortsof
　　turpitudesandextravagancies。
　　Eh！
　　，theentire
　　life-timeoftenmenwouldnotbesufficienttowriteallwith
　　whichIamcharged，tomyunutterabledespairinthisworld，and
　　tomyeternaldamnationinthatwhichistocome。
　　“Itisnodoubt，muchtodieinfinalimpenitence；altho’hellmay
　　containallthehonestmenofantiquityandagreatportionofthose
　　ofourtimes；andparadisewouldnotbemuchtohopeforifwe
　　mustfindourselvesfacetofacewithmessieursFreron，Nonatte，
　　Patouillet，AbrahamChauneix，andothersaintscutoutofthesame
　　cloth。
　　Buthowmuchmoreseverewoulditbetosustainyour
　　anger！
　　ThehatredoftheGracesbringsdownmisfortuneonmen
　　ofletters；andwhenheembroilshimselfwithVenusandtheMuses
　　heisalostbeing；as，forinstance，M。Dorat，whoincessantly
　　slandershismistresses，andwritesnothingbutpuerilities。
　　“Ihavebeenverycautious，inmylongcareer，howIcommitted
　　suchafault。
　　IfperchanceIhavelightlyassailedthecommoncry
　　ofscribblersorpendantswhowereworthless，Ihaveneverceased
　　toburnincenseonthealtarsoftheladies；themIhavealwayssung
　　whenI——couldnotdootherwise。
　　Independently，madame，ofthe
　　profoundrespectIbearallyoursexIprofessaparticularregard
　　towardsallthosewhoapproachoursovereign，andwhomhe
　　investswithhisconfidence:inthisIprovemyselfnolessa
　　faithfulsubjectthanagallantFrenchman；andIveneratetheGod
　　IserveinhisconstantfriendshipsasIwoulddoinhiscaprices。
　　ThusIwasfarfromoutragingandinsultingyoustillmore
　　grievouslybycomposingahatefulworkwhichIdetestwithmy
　　wholeheart，andwhichmakesmeshedtearsofbloodwhenIthink
　　thatpeopledidnotblushtoattributeittome。
　　“Believeinmyrespectfulattachment，madame，nolessthanin
　　mycrueldestiny，whichrendersmeodioustothosebywhomI
　　wouldbeloved。
　　Myenemies，aportionofwhomareamongstyours，
　　certainlysucceedeachotherwithfrightfuleagernesstotrymywind。
　　Nowtheyhavejustpublishedundermynamesomeattacksonthe
　　poorpresidentHenault，whomIlovewithsincereaffection。
　　What
　　havetheynotattributedtometoinculpatemewithmyfriends，
　　withmyillustriousprotectors，M。lemarechalducdeRichelieuand
　　theirmajestiesthekingofPrussiaandtheczarinaofRussia！
　　“Icouldexcusethemformakingwaruponstrangersinmyname，
　　altho’thatwouldbeapirate’smethod；buttoattack，undermy
　　banner，mymaster，mysovereignlord，thisIcanneverpardon，and
　　Iwillraiseagainstthemevenadyingvoice；particularlywhenthey
　　strikeyouwiththesameblows；you，wholoveliterature；you，who
　　domethehonortochargeyourmemorywithmyfeebleproductions。
　　ItisaninfamytopretendthatIfireonmyowntroops。
　　“Underanycircumstances，madame，Iambeforeyouinavery
　　delicatesituation。
　　ThereisinVersaillesafamilywhichoverwhelms
　　mewithmarksoftheirfriendship。
　　Mineoughttoappertaintoitto
　　perpetuity；yetIlearnthatitissounfortunateastohaveno
　　conceptionofyourmerit，andthatenvioustalebearersplace
　　themselvesbetweenyouandit。
　　Iamtoldthatthereisakindof
　　declaredwar；itisadded，thatIhavefurnishedsuppliestothis
　　camp，thechiefsofwhichIloveandesteem。
　　Morewise，more
　　submissive，Ikeepmyselfoutofthewayofblows；andmyreverence
　　forthesuprememasterissuch，thatIturnawaymyveryeyesthat
　　theymaynotbespectatorsofthefight。
　　“Donotthen，madame，thinkthatanysentimentofaffectionhas
　　compelled，orcancompelmetotakearmsagainstyou。
　　Iwould
　　refuseanypropositionwhichshouldrankmeashostiletoyou，if
　　thenaturalgenerosityofyourenemiescouldsofarforgetit。
　　In
　　realitytheyareasincapableoforderingabadactionasIamof
　　listeningtothosewhoshouldshowthemselvessodevoidofsense
　　astoproposesuchathingtome。
　　“Iampersuadedthatyouhaveunderstoodme，andIamfully
　　clearedinyoureyes。
　　Itwouldbedelightfultometoascertain
　　thiswithcertainty。
　　IchargeM。lemarechalducdeRichelieu
　　toexplaintoyoumydisquietudeonthishead，andthefavorI
　　seekatyourhands，fromyouwhocommandFrance，whilstI，I
　　oughttodieinpeace，nottodispleaseanyperson，andlive
　　wiselywithall。
　　Iconclude，madamelacomtesse，thislongand
　　stupidepistle，whichis，infact，lessaletterthanarealcase
　　forconsideration，bybeggingyoutobelieveme，etc。，
　　MyenemiessayeverywherethatIamnotaChristian。