sentimentsonthesubject，andyet，trustingtomygreatinfluence
　　overhismind，Ididnotdespairofsuccess；besidesChon，my
　　sister-in-law，wasconstantlyremindingmethatpeopleofa
　　certainrankshouldsupportoneanother，andthatnowwasthe
　　timeornever。
　　Ithereforeresolveduponbefriendingthedaughters
　　ofcomtedeLouernetotheutmostofmypower，andforthat
　　purposeIplacedthembothinacornerofthedrawing-roomsoas
　　tocatchtheking’seyeasheentered；heobservedthem，and
　　inquiredwhothosetwoladieswere。
　　“Sire，“repliedI，“they
　　aretheheart-brokendaughtersofthecomteandcomtessede
　　Louerne，whoimploreclemencyofyourmajestytosavethelives
　　oftheauthorsoftheirbeing。“
　　“Ah！“
　　returnedhe，“madame，youknowIcandonothingagainst
　　thelawwhichtheyhaveoffended。“
　　Atthesecruelwordsthetwoyoungladiesthrewthemselvesathis
　　feet，exclaiming，“Pardon，pardon，sire；inthenameofheavenand
　　yourillustriousancestors。“
　　“Rise，ladies，“saidtheking；“Iwouldwillinglyserveyou，
　　butIhavenotthepower。“
　　“No，sire，“criedI，“youmustnot，youcannotrefuseourunited
　　prayers；andIherevowtoremainkneelingatyourfeettillyour
　　lipsshallpronouncethewordwhichshallrestorelifeandhappiness
　　tosomanyafflictedhearts。“
　　“Madame，“saidtheking，altho’inatonelessfirm，“youforce
　　metodowhatmyprinciplescondemn；butsinceitmustbeso，I
　　yield；andonlyrejoicethatthefirstpersonalfavoryourequest
　　ofmeistoperformanactofbeneficence。
　　Ladies，“addedhe，
　　turningtowardsthecomtessedeMoyauandhersister-in-law，
　　“youowethelivesofyourparentstothegenerousmediation
　　ofthecomtesseduBarry。“
　　ThejoyoftheLouerneswasonlyequalledbythebasecalumnyof
　　myenemies，whoaccusedmeofhavingpreparedthisscene，which
　　wasgotupbythekingandmyselftoproduceeffectandexcite
　　popularity。
　　Couldsuchdisgustingfalsehoodshaveenteredthe
　　mindsofanybutthemostdepraved？
　　Yetthosewhocontinually
　　watchedandmisrepresentedmyleastactionappearedanxiousto
　　deprivemeofeventhetastefor，aswellasthepowerof，doing
　　good。
　　ThistookplaceatChoisy，whichweveryshortlyafter
　　quittedforCompiegne，whereIpassedmytimeveryagreeably。
　　ThekingwouldnotsuffereithertheduchessedeGrammontorthe
　　comtessesd’EgmontanddeBriennetoaccompanyusuponthis
　　excursion。
　　Ithaslikewisebeenasserted，thatneithertheduchesse
　　deGrammontnortheprincessedeBeauvauwaspresentduringthe
　　king’sfirstvisittoChantilly:thatisnotcorrect；itwasat
　　thesecondthattheywereforbiddenbyLouistojointheparty。
　　Thosewhofabricatedsuchaccounts，inallprobabilityderived
　　theirinformationfromeitherthestableorthekitchen，which
　　wasalltheyknewofthecourtofLouisXV。
　　DuringmyabodeatCompiegneIdinedseveraltimesatthehouse
　　ofmybrother-in-law，CleonduBarry，thenacaptaininthe
　　regimentdeBeauce，whowas，withadetachment，quarteredin
　　theneighborhoodofthecastle；andhe，withtherestofhisbrother
　　officers，viedinendeavorstopleaseandamuseme。
　　Theygave
　　fetesinmyhonor，wereperpetuallydevisingfreshschemesto
　　rendertheplaceagreeabletome；andinthattheyperfectly
　　succeeded，forIquittedCompiegnewithnootherregretthan
　　thatmystaytherewasatanend。
　　Thekingappearedeachdaymoreandmoresolicitoustorenderme
　　happy，andevenanticipatedanywishesImightform。
　　Amongst
　　othermarksofhisfavor，hebestoweduponmethesplendidpavilion
　　deLucienne，soldbytheducdePenthievreafterthedeathofhis
　　son，theprincedeLamballe。
　　Youknowthischarmingspot，which
　　bothnatureandarthavesoliberallycontributedtoadorn:Ihave
　　converteditintothemostperfectanddelightfulhabitationin
　　whichamortalcoulddesiretoendherdays。
　　Nevertheless，this
　　hopeofpassingmylifetranquillyandhappilywithinitssheltering
　　bosomwillprovebutfallacious，ifImaycreditaprediction
　　whichhasbeenverifiedalreadyinpart。
　　Youdoubtlesslyremember
　　theyoungmanwhosoobstinatelypursuedmetoannouncethehigh
　　destinytowhichIshouldattain，ereIhadforonemoment
　　contemplatedsuchanelevation。
　　Well！
　　Youwillscarcelycredit
　　mewhenIdeclare，thatallrecollectionofhimhadentirely
　　escapedme；but，intruth，theconstantvortexofacourtlife
　　leavesnotimefortherecollectionofthepast，andfillsour
　　mindswithnootherideasbuttoprovideforthepresent，and
　　occasionallytoglanceatthefuture。
　　However，Ithoughtnomoreofmyyoungprophet，whenoneSunday，
　　aftermyreturntoVersaillesfromCompiegne，Iattendedmassat
　　thecastle；allatonceIcaughtaglimpseofmymysterious
　　acquaintance，leaninghisbackagainstthewallbehindthealtar。
　　Hewasexaminingmycountenancewithadeepandfixedattention。
　　Youmaypicturetoyourselfmyastonishmentandsurpriseat
　　recognisinginthisplacethepersonwhohadsolongagoforetold
　　mybrilliantdestiny。
　　Thecolorrushedtomycheeks，andhecould
　　distinctlyobservehowmuchIwasagitatedbyhispresence，and
　　hisbeautifulcountenancewaslitupwithapleasantsmile；after
　　whichhegracefullywavedhishandroundhisheadastho’he
　　wouldsay，“AreyounotqueenofFrance？“
　　Thisgestureexcited
　　myastonishmentstillfurther；however，Ireturnedhismuteinquiry
　　byaslightinclinationofthehead，intendedtosay，“Youare
　　right。“
　　Inamomentasortofcloudseemedtocovermyeyes。
　　So
　　soonasIcouldrecoverfromthesuddendimnesswhichobscured
　　myvision，Iendeavoredtobendmylooksinanoppositedirection；
　　forsogreatlywasIthepointofgeneralobservation，thatI
　　fearedtoawakensuspicionbyanindiscreetattentiontoone
　　particularpersonorplace:andwhenaftersomelittletimehad
　　elapsed，andIventuredtoturnmyeyesagaintothespotwhere
　　theyoungmanhadbeenstanding，hehaddisappeared。
　　Iwasunabletorecovermyastonishmentatthewholeaffair，and
　　thesuddennessofhisdepartureinspiredmewithalivelydesireto
　　knowmoreofhim，whetherheweremanordemon。
　　Imentionedit
　　toChonthesameday，who，havinglistenedtomewithextreme
　　attention，“Uponmyword，“saidshe，“thisisamostmarvellous
　　eventinyourhistory。
　　WhydoyounotmentionthefacttoM。
　　deSartines？
　　“
　　“Becauseitappearstomefollytodisturborannoyapersonwho
　　hasgivenmenooffence；andwereItoputhimintothehandsof
　　thepolice，Imightpossiblyfindreasontorepenthavingacted
　　so。
　　Ontheotherhand，Iwouldgiveanysumofmoneyforone
　　moreinterviewwiththiswonderfulperson。“
　　Theretheconversationended；butmysister-in-law，byanunpardonable
　　curiositysheoughtnottohaveindulgedin，wrote，unknownto
　　me，tothelieutenantofthepolice，entreatingofhimtousethe
　　mostactivemeasurestotraceouttheobjectofmycuriosity。
　　M。
　　deSartinesdelightedathavinganopportunityofprovingtomeand
　　minehisskillandzeal，turnedallhisbloodhoundslooseuponthe
　　trackofthisunfortunatebeing。
　　DuringtheseproceedingsI
　　receivedaletter，sealedwithfiveblackseals，bearingthe
　　impressofadeath’shead。
　　Ithoughtatfirstthatitwasto
　　notifythedeceaseofsomefriend，andIlookeduponthestyleas
　　gloomyasitwasstrange；but，uponopeningit，Ifounditto
　　containthefollowingwords:——
　　“MADAMELACOMTESSE，——Iamperfectlyaware
　　thatthestrictpursuitmadeaftermeinyourname
　　iswithoutyourknowledgeorsanction:thosesent
　　insearchofmehavesparednopainsnortrouble
　　toascertainmynameandabode。
　　Myabode！
　　Letallastheyvaluethemselvesavoidmeeting
　　methere；for，whentheyenterit，itwillbenever
　　toquititmore。
　　WhoamI？
　　Thatcanonlybeknown
　　whenthislifehasbeenexchangedforanother。
　　I
　　chargeyou，madame，tocommandthelieutenant，
　　M。deSartines。，toceasehisresearchesafterme；
　　theywouldbefruitless，andmightonlycompromise
　　yoursafety。
　　Remember，Ipredictedyourgood
　　fortune；wasInotcorrectinit？
　　Ihavealso
　　foretoldreverses:Iamequallycorrectinthemalso。
　　Youwillseemetwicemore；andshouldI
　　unfortunatelycrossyourpathathirdtime，prepare
　　tobidadieutothelightofheavenandthepleasures
　　ofthisworld。“
　　Itisimpossibletoconveyanideaoftheexcessiveterrorwith
　　whichIwasfilledupontheperusalofthisbillet。
　　Isummoned
　　mysister-in-law，andcomplainedoftheharshnessofconduct
　　thusadoptedagainstmypleasure。
　　Chonwasequallyalarmed，
　　andconfessedtomewhatshehaddoneinaskingtheaidofM。
　　deSartines；atthesametimethatshewasthefirsttodeclarethat
　　itwasrequisitetoputanendtoallfurthersearch，which，in
　　oneshapeorother，mightbringonthemostfatalconsequences。
　　IthereforewrotemyselftoM。deSartines，thankinghimforhis
　　exertions；butsaying，thatmysister-in-lawandmyselfhad
　　learnedfromthelipsofthemysteriousstrangerallwewere
　　desirousofknowing，andthatanyfutureresearchesbeing
　　unpleasanttohimwouldbeequallydisagreeabletome。
　　M。de
　　Sartinesobeyedmyrequest；andfromthatperiodtillthedeath
　　ofthekingIheardnomoreofthissingularpersonage。