havejustgiventhemtheliedirect，byperformingmyEaster
　　devotionspublicly；thusprovingtoallmylively
　　desiretoterminatemylongcareerinthereligioninwhichIwas
　　born；andIhavefulfilledthisimportantactafteradozen
　　consecutiveattacksoffever，whichmademefearIshoulddie
　　beforeIcouldassureyouofmyrespectandmydevotion。“
　　Thisapologygavemerealpleasure。
　　Ipretendedtobelievethe
　　sincerityofhimwhoaddressedme，altho’hehadnotconvinced
　　meofhisinnocence；andIwrotethefollowingreplytoM。de
　　Voltaire，whichasillypridedictatestometocommunicateto
　　you，inconjunctionwiththeletterofthephilosopher:
　　“MONSIEUR:——Evenwereyouculpablefromtoomuchfriendship
　　towardsthoseyoucherish，Iwouldpardonyouasarecompensefor
　　theletteryouaddresstome。
　　Thisoughtthemoretocharmme，as
　　itgivesmethecertaintythatyouhadbeenunworthilycalumniated。
　　Couldyouhavesaid，undertheveilofsecrecy，thingsdisagreeable
　　toagreatking，forwhom，incommonwithallFrance，youprofess
　　sincerelove？
　　Itisimpossible。
　　Couldyou，withgaietyofheart，
　　woundafemalewhoneverdidyouharm，andwhoadmiresyour
　　splendidgenius？
　　Infact，couldthoseyoucallyourfriendshave
　　stoopedsolowasnottohavefearedtocompromiseyou，bymaking
　　youplayapartunworthyofyourelevatedreputation？
　　Allthese
　　suppositionswereunreasonable:Icouldnotforamomentadmitthem，
　　andyourtwolettershaveentirelyjustifiedyou。
　　Icannowgive
　　myselfupwithoutregrettomyenthusiasmforyouandyourworks。
　　Itwouldhavebeentoocruelformetohavelearntwithcertainty
　　thathewhomIregardedasthefirstwriteroftheagehadbecome
　　mydetractorwithoutmotive，withoutprovocation。
　　Thatitisnotso
　　IgivethankstoProvidence。
　　“M。theducd’Aiguillondidnotdeceiveyouwhenhetoldyou
　　thatIfedonyoursublimepoetry。
　　Iaminliteratureaperfect
　　novice，andyetamsensibleofthetruebeautieswhichabound
　　inyourworks。
　　Iamtobeincludedamongstthestoneswhich
　　wereanimatedbyAmphion:thisisoneofyourtriumphs；butto
　　thisyoumustbeaccustomed。
　　“Believealsothatallyourfriendsarenotintheenemy’scamp。
　　Therearethoseaboutmewholoveyousincerely，M。deChauvelin，
　　forinstance，MM。deRichelieuandd’Aiguillon:thislattereulogizes
　　youincessantly；andifalltheworldthoughtashedoes，youwould
　　behereinyourplace。
　　Butthereareterribleprejudiceswhichmy
　　candorwillnotallowmetodissemble，whichyouhavetoovercome。
　　Thereiswhocomplainsofyou，andthisonemustbewonover
　　toyourinterests。
　　Hewishesyoutotestifymorevenerationfor
　　whathevenerateshimself；thatyourattacksshouldnotbeso
　　vehementnorsoconstant。
　　Isitthenimpossibleforyoutocomply
　　hiswishesinthisparticular？
　　Besurethatyouonly，insettingno
　　boundsinyourattacksonreligion，doyourselfavastmischiefwith
　　thepersoninquestion。
　　“ItwillappearstrangethatIshouldholdsuchlanguagetoyou:
　　Ionlydoittoserveyou:donottakemystatementsunkindly。
　　havenowafavortoaskofyou；whichis，toincludemeinthelist
　　ofthosetowhomyousendthefirstfruitsofthebrilliant
　　productionsofyourpen。
　　Thereisnonewhoismoredevotedto
　　you，andwhohasamoreardentdesiretoconvinceyouofthis。
　　“Iam，，withreal
　　attachment，etc。“
　　IshowedthislettertoM。deRichelieu。
　　“Why，“heinquired，’haveyounotassuredhimastoyourindiscretion，
　　whichhefears？“
　　“Becausehisfearseemedtomeunjust，andIleaveyoutorepresent
　　metohimasIam；andnow，“Iadded，“itdoesnotappeartome
　　necessaryforthekingtoknowanythingofthis。“
　　“Youthinkwisely，madame；whatmostdispleasedhimwastosee
　　madamedePompadourinregularcorrespondencewithM。deVoltaire。“
　　Ihaverelatedtoyouthisepisodeofmyhistory，thatitmay
　　recompenseyouforthetiresomedetailsofmypresentation。
　　resumemyrecital。
　　ItoldyouthatM。deMaupeouhadtoldme
　　thathewouldendeavortobringmadamelamarechaledeMirepoix，
　　andintroducehertome，trustingtothefriendshipshehadevinced
　　formadamedePompadourduring，thewholetimeofthefavorand
　　lifeofherwhoprecededmeintheaffectionsofLouisXV。
　　I
　　found，tomysurprise，thathesaidnothingtomeconcerningit
　　forseveraldays，whensuddenlymadamelamarechaledeMirepoix
　　wasannounced。
　　AtthisnameandthistitleIrosequiteinafluster，without
　　clearlyknowingwhatcouldbetheobjectofthisvisit，forwhich
　　Iwasunprepared。
　　Themarechale，whofollowedcloselyonthe
　　valet’sheels，didnotgivemetimeformuchreflection。
　　Shetook
　　mereally，andIhadnottimetogoandmeether。
　　“Madamelamarechale，“saidI，accostingher，“whatluckychance
　　bringsyoutoaplacewherethedesiretohaveyoursocietyissogreat？“
　　“Itisthefeelingofrealsympathy，“shereplied，withagracious
　　smile；“forIalsohavelongedforaconsiderabletimetovisit
　　you，andhaveyieldedtomywishesassoonasIwascertainthat
　　myadvanceswouldnotberepulsed。“
　　“Ah，madame。，“saidI，“hadyouseriouslyanysuchfear？
　　That
　　tellsmemuchlessofthemistrustyouhadofyourselfthanofthe
　　badopinionyouhadconceivedofme。
　　Thehonorofyourvisits——“
　　“Thehonorofmyvisits！
　　That’sadmirable！
　　Iwishtoobtaina
　　portionofyourfriendship，andtotestifytothekingthatIam
　　sincerelyattachedtohim。“
　　“Youoverwhelmme，madame，“criedI，muchdelighted，“andIbeg
　　youtogivemeyourconfidence。“
　　“Well，now，allisarrangedbetweenus:Isuityouandyouplease
　　me。
　　ItislongsinceIwasdesirousofcomingtoyou，butweare
　　allundertheyokeofthemustabsurdtyranny:soonweshallhave
　　nopermissiontogo，tocome，tospeak，toholdourtongues，without
　　firstobtainingtheconsentofacertainfamily。
　　Thisyokehas
　　weariedme；andonthefirstwordofthechancellorofFranceI
　　hastenedtoyou。“
　　“Ihadbeggedhim，madame，toexpresstoyouhowmuchIshouldbe
　　charmedtohaveyouwhenthekinggracedmewithhispresence。
　　He
　　likesyou，heisaccustomedtothedelightsofyoursociety；andI
　　shouldhavebeendeeplychagrinedhadIcomehereonlytodeprive
　　himofthatpleasure。“
　　“Heisagoodmaster，“saidthemarechale，“heisworthyofall
　　ourlove。
　　Ihavehadopportunitiesofknowinghimthoroughly，
　　forIwasmostintimatewithmadamedePompadour；andIbelieve
　　thatmyadvicewillnotbeuselesstoyou。“
　　“Iaskitofyou，madamelamarechale，foritwillbeprecioustome。“
　　“Sincewearefriends，madame，“saidshe，seatingherselfina
　　chair，“donotthinkillofmeifIestablishmyselfatmyease，
　　andtakemystationasinthedaysofyore。
　　Thekinglovesyou:
　　somuchthebetter。
　　Youwillhaveadoubleempireoverhim。
　　He
　　didnotlovethemarquise，andallowedhimselftobegovernedby
　　her；forwithhim——Iaskpardonofyourexcessivebeauty——custom
　　doesall。
　　Itisnecessary，mydearcountess，tousethedoublelever
　　youhave，ofyourowncharmsandhisconstantcustomtodo
　　to-morrowwhathedoesto-daybecausehedidityesterday，and
　　forthisyoulackneithergracenorwit。“
　　IhadheardagreatdealconcerningmadamedeMirepoix；butI
　　owntoyou，thatbeforeIheardherspeakIhadnoideawhatsort
　　ofapersonshewouldprove。
　　Shehadanairofsomuchfrankness
　　andtruth，thatitwasimpossiblenottobecharmedbyit。
　　Thegreater
　　partofthetimeIdidnotknowhowtodefendmyselffromher——at
　　oncesonaturalandsoperfidious；andoccasionallyIallowedmyself
　　toloveherwithallmyheart，somuchdidsheseemtocherishme
　　withallenthusiasm。
　　Shehaddepthofwit，apiquancyofexpression，
　　andknewhowtodisguisethoseinterestedadulationswithturns
　　sonobleandbeautifulthatIhavenevermet，neitherbeforenor
　　since，anywomanworthyofbeingcomparedwithher。
　　Shewas，
　　inhersingleself，awholesociety；andcertainlytherewasno
　　possibilityofbeingweariedwhenshewasthere。
　　Hertemperwas
　　mostequable，aqualificationrarelyobtainedwithoutalossof
　　warmthoffeeling。
　　Shealwayspleasedbecauseherbusinesswas
　　topleaseandnottolove；anditalwayssufficedhertorenderothers
　　enthusiasticandardent。
　　Exceptthistendencytoegotism，shewas
　　thecharmofsociety，thelifeofthepartywhomsheenlivenedby
　　herpresence。
　　Sheknewpreciselywhentomournwiththeafflicted，
　　andjokewiththemerry-hearted。
　　Thekinghadmuchpleasurein
　　hercompany:heknewthatsheonlythoughthowtoamusehim；and，
　　moreover，ashehadseenherfrommorningtilleveningwiththe
　　marquisedePompadour，herabsencefrommypartieswasinsupportable
　　tohim，andalmostcontrarytotherulesofetiquetteatthechateau。
　　Icannottellyouhowgreatwashissatisfaction，when，atthe
　　firstsupperwhichfollowedourintimacy，hesawherenter。