bybestowinganimaginarykissonthatlovelyface，
　　whichmustsatisfymetillIhavethefelicityof
　　seeingyouagain。
　　“Andnow，mydearfriendandfairestcountess，Iwill
　　endmylengthenedepistlebyprayingGodtohaveyou
　　everinHisholycareandkeeping。“
　　Thereceiptofthisletteraffordedmetheliveliestpleasure，and
　　Iwrotetothekingregularlyeverynightandmorning。
　　Imight
　　hereintroduceaspecimenofmyownepistolarystyle，butIwill
　　not；foraltho’thewhimsicalandextravagantthingsmypengave
　　utterancetowereexactlytotheking’staste，theymightsurprise
　　you；butmyroyalcorrespondentlovedthewildandbizarreturn
　　ofmyexpressions，andIfulfilledhiswishes；perhapsitwasnot
　　theonlyinstanceinwhichIgratifiedhisinclination。
　　My，thechancellorofFrance，hadremainedtokeepme
　　companyinsteadofjoiningthepartyatChantilly。
　　，
　　sayyou，andbywhatrightortitlecouldM。deMaupeoubecome
　　such？
　　Iwilltellyou。
　　Firstofallheonlyaspiredtothehonor
　　ofrelationship，butafterwards，turningoverthearchivesofhis
　　family，hefoundthemostincontestableproofsofhisbelonging
　　totheancientfamiliesoftheduBarry；andfullofjoy，he
　　hurriedtome，unrollingatmyfeethisgenealogicaltree，tothe
　　greatamusementofcomteJeanandmysisters-in-law，who，after
　　alongexamination，declaredthathewasjustlyentitledtothe
　　appellationoffirstcousin；fromthatperiodhealwaysaddressed
　　me，whichIflatteredhimbyreturningwheneverIwas
　　inthehumor。
　　AboutthisperiodIwasthehappyinstrumentinsavingfromdeath
　　ayounggirlwhosejudgesaswillbeseenwereabouttosentence
　　hertobehangedwithoutfullyunderstandingwhethershewere
　　innocentorguilty。
　　Thisunfortunatecreaturewasayoungand
　　prettycountrygirl，whoseworthypastor，thecuredeLiancourt，
　　hadavailedhimselfoftheinfluencehepossessed，andofthe
　　advantagesofhisauthorityoverthepoorcreature’smind，to
　　seduceherfromthepathsofvirtue。
　　Unfortunately，justatthe
　　timewhensheexpectedtoproducealivingwitnessoftheiramour，
　　andwhenshetrustedtothecaresofthecuretoprocureforher
　　thosecomfortsherunfortunatesituationrequired，theauthorof
　　hershamewassuddenlycarriedoffbyaviolentdeath，andthe
　　wretchedgirl，eitherthro’ignoranceortheshameofhaving
　　listenedtotheillicitpassionofapriest，neglectedtomakeany
　　ofthoseformaldeclarationsrequiredbythelaw，andgavebirth
　　toadeadinfant。
　　Thejusticeofthevillage，informedofher
　　fault，causedhertobearrested，andrecordedagainsthersentence
　　ofdeath，adecisionwhichwasafterwardsapprovedbyparliament。
　　Thepoorgirlwasinthisextremitywhen，happilyforher，M。de
　　Mandeville，aworthymanfromeitherNormandyorPicardy，who
　　hadservedintheblackmusketeers，resolveduponattempting
　　therevocationoftheseveresentencewhichhadbeenpassedupon
　　her，byaddressingthekingthro’mymediation；heaccordingly
　　followedmetoMarly，whereIthenwas，andlostnotimein
　　forwardingtomethefollowingbillet:——
　　“MADAME，——Beautyhaseverbeenfoundthe
　　inseparablecompanionofgoodness；toyoursI
　　wouldappealtoobtainthefavorofanimmediate
　　audience。
　　Myreasonsforrequestingitarenot
　　tosoliciteitherplaceorpension，buttosavethe
　　lifeofanerringcreaturewhosecrimehasbeen
　　thatofignorance。
　　Iawaityourreplywiththe
　　mostlivelyimpatience，andhavethehonorto
　　remain，etc。，etc。“
　　Thisnotepuzzledmeexcessively，howeverIgaveordersforthe
　　immediateintroductionofM。deMandeville，whoseappearance
　　wasevenmoreprepossessingthanhisnote；helookedandspoke
　　likeanhonorablemanendowedwiththatsensibilitysoprecious
　　andsorare；heputintomyhandsthepetition，whilstheexplained
　　tometheparticularsrelativetoit，andIinstantlywrotetothe
　　chancellorthefollowingnote，ofwhichathousandcopieswere
　　takeninthecourseoftheday。
　　Altho’ithasbeenmanytimesin
　　print，Ishalloffernoapologiesforagainsubmittingitto
　　yourperusal。
　　“MONSIEURLECHANCELLOR，——Idonotprofess
　　tounderstandyourlaws，buttheyseemtomeas
　　unjustasbarbarous。
　　Theyarecontrarytoboth
　　reasonandhumanity，iftheyputtodeathan
　　unfortunatefemaleforgivingbirthtoa
　　still-bornchildwithouthavingpreviouslydisclosed
　　hersituationtoanyone；andyet，accordingto
　　thememorialannexedtothis，thepetitioneris
　　socircumstanced。
　　Hereisanunhappygirl
　　abouttopaywiththeforfeitofherlifefor
　　herignoranceofsuchalaw，orbecausethe
　　modestyandevenshameattendantuponher
　　disgracedconditionpreventedherconforming
　　toit。
　　Iappealtoyoursenseofjustice；the
　　wretchedgirl，concerningwhomIwrite，isa
　　fitobjectfortheexerciseofyourlenity，andI
　　venturetoassuremyselfthatyouwillatleast
　　effectthecommutationofherpunishment。
　　YourownkindfeelingswilldictateallIwould
　　askfurtherforher。
　　“Iam，etc。，etc。“
　　Ifeltverycertainthat，fromthemannerinwhichIhadexpressed
　　myself，theconsentofM。deMaupeouwasquitecertain；Itherefore
　　saidtomyvisitor，thehandsomemusketeer，
　　“Andnow，sir，thenobleworkofcharity，inwhichyouhave
　　associatedmemustbecompleted:goyourselfandseethechancellor，
　　tellhimyoucomefromme，anddonotquithimtillyouobtain
　　thereplyIhavesolicited。“
　　M。
　　deMandevilleloadedmewiththanksandpraiseswhichIdid
　　notreallymerit，becauseinthepresentinstanceIactedasmuch
　　fromthewishtogratifymyownfeelingsashis。
　　Mynameandmy
　　letterweretalismansbeforewhichalldoorsflewopen，andhe
　　reached，withoutdifficulty，thepresenceofthechiefadministrator
　　ofjustice，who，havingreadthememorialandthenoteIhad
　　affixedtoit，said，“Thatissufficient，sir；havethegoodnessto
　　assuremadamelacomtesseduBarry，mycousin，thatthereprieve
　　shedesiresisalreadygranted；andasmyfairrelationappearsto
　　feartrustingimplicitlytomypersonalfriendshipandhumanity，
　　Iwillsethermindatrestbyputtingyouinpossessionofthe
　　legalformsrequisitefortheprisoner。“
　　Heimmediatelyissuedthenecessaryordersforsuspendingthe
　　executionofthesentence，whichM。deMandevillelostnotime
　　incommunicatingtothepoorgirl，who，averyfewdaysafterwards，
　　receivedafullpardon，andwasthus，inamanner，snatchedfrom
　　anunmeritedandignominiousdeath。
　　Themusketeerrequested
　　permissiontopresentmytomynotice。
　　Shereally
　　wasaveryprettygirl，herfeelingsoverpoweredher，andshe
　　faintedinherattempttothrowherselfatmyfeet；Isoonrevived
　　herbytheaidofthoserestorativeswhichmystaringpeople
　　stupidlydidnottrytooffer，andthentosendherawayperfectly
　　happyandcheerful，Islippedintothepocketofheraprona
　　offiftylouiswhichthekinghadgivenmeforheruse。
　　AndhereImustremark，thatthisprince，avariciousashenaturally
　　was，wasyetalwaysreadytoperformagoodaction，and，indeed，
　　inthisrespect，hepossessedmanyexcellentqualitiestowhichno
　　onehaseveryetdonejustice。
　　WhenInextsawthechancellor——“Doyouknow，myfaircousin，“
　　saidhe，“thatifIwishedtosetyouandtheparliamentquarreling
　　togetherIneedonlyjustwhisperinwhatmanneryoutreatourlaws？“
　　“Yourlaws，“exclaimedI，“arebarbarousedicts，maderatherfor
　　tigersthanformen。
　　Yourpunishmentsareatrocious，nordoI
　　seetheirapplicationtocorrectasinglemalefactor；particularly
　　inthecaseofthisyounggirlitisabominable，andiftheking
　　wouldlistentomesuchsavageedictsshouldnotlongremainunrepealed。“
　　“Thatmaydoverywell，“repliedM。deMaupeou，“sometimehence，
　　butnotjustnow；ereourpenalcodecanberevisedwemusthave
　　magistratesmoresupplethanthosewhonowdisputeourslightest
　　innovation；andif，bythegraceofGod，wecanmanagetomakeaclear
　　houseofthem，whywemayconfidentlyanticipatethenoblestresults。“
　　Bytheseandsimilarinsinuationsthechancellorbespokethataid
　　andassistancewhichIafterwardssolargelyrenderedhimwhenhe
　　commencedtheruinofparliaments。
　　Uponanotheroccasionmycreditandinfluencewereemployedwith
　　equalsuccess。
　　Theobjectsofmypresentexertionswerethe
　　comteandcomtessedeLouerne。
　　Bothhusbandandwifeweredeeply
　　loadedwithdebts，athingcommonenoughwiththenobilityofthe
　　time；thesedebtstheyneverpaid，anotherthingbynomeansunusual；
　　theircreditors，whoseflintyheartswerebutlittlemovedbythe
　　considerationsoftheirrankandhighblood，sentofficersto
　　enforcepayment，whentheLouernesopposedthemwithpositive
　　forceandviolence，andthelaws，thusoutraged，condemnedthem
　　tosufferdeath。
　　Invaindidpersonsofthehighestrankinthe
　　kingdomintercedeintheirbehalf，imploringofthechancellorto
　　interposewiththeking；altho’deaftoeveryotherentreatyhe
　　instantlygrantedareprieveatmysolicitation，declaringIwas
　　theonlypersonwhocouldhaveeffectedsomuchinbehalfofthe
　　distressedculprits，aswellasbeingtheonlysourcethro’which
　　theking’smercycouldbeobtained。
　　Immediatelyuponthisnotification，Iwaswaiteduponbythe
　　comtessedeMoyau，theirdaughter，andthebaronned’Heldorf，
　　theirdaughter-in-law；boththeseladiescametomeinthedeepest
　　sorrow，andImingledmysighsandtearswiththosetheyso
　　plentifullyshed；butthiswasrenderingpoorservice，andifI
　　desiredtoaidtheircauseitwasrequisiteIshouldspeaktothe
　　king，whowaslittledisposedtoshowanyindulgenceinsuch
　　cases，andwasneverknowntopassoveranyattemptsonthepart
　　ofthenobilitytoresistthelaws；helookedwithhorroron
　　everyprospectofthereturnofthosetimeswhichhehopedand
　　believedwerepassedandgonenevertoreturn。
　　Iwellknewhis