Ipleadguilty，andwillnolongerdelaythepainful
　　confessionIhavetomake。
　　Doyourememberasingularlyhandsomeyoungman，who，duringmy
　　abodewithmadameLagarde，fascinatedmetillmyverysensesseemed
　　bewilderedbymypassion。
　　Youknowhowhebetrayedme，andhow，
　　throughhim，Iwasexpelledthehouse，aswellasthetermination
　　ofthisfoolishadventure。
　　Youarenowtopassoversevenor
　　eightyears，andtakeyourplacewithmeinthedrawing-room，in
　　whichIstoodwhenIrangtosummonaservanttoconveyaletter
　　totheducdeVilleroi。
　　YoumayrememberwhatItoldyouinthe
　　lastchapterofthepersonwhoentered，ofhisagitationandhis
　　blushes，andofhisfixinghiseyeswithdeepmeaninguponmetill
　　hequittedtheroom-thisservantwasNoel！
　　HadIlistenedtothedictatesofprudence，Ishould，without
　　lossoftime，haveobtainedagainsthima，
　　whichwouldhavefreedmefromallchanceofdiscoverythrough
　　hismeans；butIcouldnotlistentosuchcool-blooded，though
　　cautious，suggestions。
　　Oneideaonlytookpossessionofmy
　　mind——theabsurddesiretoknowwhathadbecomeofNoelsincewe
　　separated，andbywhataccidentInowfoundhimwearingmylivery
　　inthecastle。
　　WiththisintentIavailedmyselfofthefirst
　　momentIwassecurefrominterruption，tosummonhimtomypresence。
　　Hethrewhimselfatmyfeet，imploringofmetopardonhisaudacity。
　　“Alas，madam！“
　　saidhe，“Iammoreunfortunatethanguilty。
　　Isaw
　　youwalkingsometimesince，andIcouldobtainnorestorpeace
　　tillIwasfortunateenoughtoobtainadmissiontoyourestablishment。
　　Punishmeformytemerityifyouwill；expelmefromthecastle，
　　havemeconfinedinaprison，Ideserveitall；but，voluntarily，
　　Icannotleavethishouse；andifyouwillonlypermitmystay，I
　　solemnlyvowyoushallseenothinginmyconductbutthezeal
　　ofanattachedandrespectfulservant。“
　　IwasweakenoughtopardonNoelandshortlyaftertoraisehim
　　totherankof，whichbroughthiminfinitely
　　toomuchaboutme。
　　Yes，myfriend，thewomanis，afterallattemptstoexcuseit，
　　blamableforbestowingheraffectionononebelowherselfinthe
　　scaleofsociety。
　　Natureherselfappearstohaveplantedinour
　　bosomsakindofinstinct，whichwarnsusfromit，andaprejudice
　　againstallthosewhosodegradethemselves。
　　Itisdifferent
　　withmen；theycanconferrankandelevationonthebelovedobject。
　　Awomanshouldalwayshavereasontolookuptoandfeelproud
　　ofthemantowhomsheconsignsherheart；thisspeciesofvanity
　　ismixedwiththenoblestlove，andthewomanwhocanoverlook
　　it，actsfrompassionofthelowest，basestkind。
　　Howeasyisit
　　toreason！
　　Alas！
　　WhyhaveInotalwaysactedaswellasIspeak。
　　IwasthusagainasecondtimeenthralledbyNoel，andmuchmore
　　so，too，thanIwillnowtellyou。
　　MyfaithfulHenriette，whose
　　devotedattachmentformekepthereverwatchfulofmysafetyand
　　reputation，wasthunderstruckatperceivingwhatIvainlystrove
　　toconcealfromher；and，asshehassincetoldme，waslongin
　　decidingwhethertospeaktomeoftheaffair，whenanunexpected
　　incidentarose，whichdeterminedher，ateveryriskofmy
　　displeasure，touseherendeavorstoputanendtosodisgraceful
　　aconnexion，whichmustinfalliblyhaveendedinmydisgrace。
　　Onenight，orrathermidnight，allwasatrestinthecastle，and
　　IwassleepingpeacefullyinthearmsofNoel，whenallatonce
　　Iwasawakenedbythesuddenopeningofanouterdoor，which
　　announcedtometheapproachoftheking，whohadmerelyone
　　moredoortoopenerehewouldbeinmyapartment。
　　Noel，terrified，
　　leapedquicklyoutofbed，andrantoseekrefugeinasmall
　　chamberadjoiningwhereHenrietteslept。
　　Happilyshewasyet
　　awake；and，bythelightofanight-lamporrecognized
　　Noel，who，withclaspedhands，conjuredhertotakepityuponhim。
　　Henriettesawthedanger，andputtingoutherhand，seizedhim，
　　anddrawinghimrapidlytowardsher，madehimliedownbeside
　　her。
　　Noel，struckwithhergoodness，waspreparingtoofferher
　　thesamemarksofhisgratitudehehadshownmeofhisrespect；
　　butrepulsinghim，shesaidinalowvoice，“Wretch，thinknotit
　　isonyouraccountIthusexposemyreputation；’tistosavethat
　　ofmybelovedmistress；eitherconductyourselfwithsilentrespect
　　oryouarelost。“
　　AtthisthreatNoel’scouragemeltedaway
　　andhelaystillasafrightenedchild。
　　“Listen，“saidHenriette，
　　“ifyoudonotquitthisplaceto-morrowatbreakofday，without
　　seekingtoseemadameagain，Iwilldenounceyoutotheking，
　　whowillinflictuponyouthemostdreadfulpunishment。“
　　WhilstthesethingswerepassinginthechamberofHenriette，I
　　didnotfeelperfectlyateaseonmyside，andmanywerethewise
　　reflectionsImadeuponmyfolly，aswellasthepromisesIgave
　　neveragaintoexposemyselftosuchimminentdanger。
　　Nordidmy
　　terrorsabatetillafterthekinghadquittedme。
　　Atthesoundof
　　mybellHenriettehastenedtomybed-side。
　　“MygoodHenriette，“saidItoher，tremblingfromheadtofoot，
　　“whatanightofanxietyhaveIpassed，Imustindeedconfess——“
　　“Fearnot，mybelovedmistress，“repliedshe；“Iwillwatchover
　　yoursafety，andtrusttobeenabledfullytoprovideforit。“
　　Idurstnotthenaskforanyfurtherexplanationofherwords，for
　　suchwastheascendancyhergoodandsteadyconducthadgivenher
　　overme，thatshewouldcertainlyhaveblamedmeformyglaring
　　imprudence。
　　Ipressedherhandinmutethankfulness；she
　　comprehendedmysilenceandleftmetomyself。
　　Attheendofsomedays，seeingnothingofNoel，Iventuredto
　　questionherastohisfate:shethenrelatedtomeallyouhave
　　beentold，andadded，thatthedayfollowingthisshamefuland
　　unfortunatenightshehadlostnotimeinapprizingthecomte
　　Jeanofallthathadoccurred，whohadquicklydespatchedNoel
　　outofthekingdom，furnishinghimwithapurseoftenthousand
　　livrestodefrayhistravellingexpenses。
　　Suchwasthefortunate
　　terminationofthisdisgracefulaffair；andnow，havingcompleted
　　mypainfulconfession，Iwillchangethesubjecttoothersdoubtless
　　morecalculatedtointerestyouthantherecitalofsuchlapses。
　　MadameduBarrysucceedsinalienatingLouisXVfromtheduede
　　Choiseul——LetterfrommadamedeGrammont——LouisXV——Thechancellor
　　andthecountess——LouisXVandtheabbedelaVille——Themarechale
　　deMirepoixandmadameduBarry
　　Mattersnowassumedanairofimportance。
　　Mystrugglewiththe
　　desChoiseulshadbecomeadeadlywar，whichcouldonlybe
　　terminatedeitherbyhisdownfallormydismissalfromcourt；
　　thislattermeasurewasnotveryprobable；anoldmanisnot
　　easilydetachedfromawomanwhomheloves，andeachdayonly
　　addedtomyascendancyoverthemindoftheking。
　　Itistrue，
　　thatthesameforceofhabitwhichenchainedLouisXVtome
　　boundhimlikewisetoM。deChoiseul。
　　Theideaofchangeterrifiedhim；
　　andsogreatwashisdreadoffreshfaces，thathewouldhave
　　preferreddyingwithhisoldminister，tocreatingayoungerone
　　whomightwitnesshisend。
　　Happilythedukehimselfbroughton
　　thecrisisofhisfate；hispowerwascrampedonallsides，yet，
　　resolvednottolayitdowntillthelastextremity，hesought
　　tostayhisfailingcreditwiththerisinginfluenceofthedauphiness。
　　Hisenemieswerenotslowinpointingouttothekinghisminister’s
　　frequentvisitsandgreatassiduitiestoaforeignprincess，and
　　enlargeduponthefataleffectsthisnewalliancemightproduce
　　tothemonarchy。
　　Meanwhilethechancellor，threatenedbytheparliaments，saw
　　onlyonewayofavertingthestormwhichwasabouttoburston
　　hishead。
　　Thiswastointroduceintothecabinetpersonsentirely
　　devotedtohimself；buttoaccomplishhispurpose，itwasnecessary
　　toexcludetheducdeChoiseulandhisparty。
　　M。deMaupeoucame
　　tomeinDecember，andafterhavinggentlyscoldedmeforwhat
　　hetermedmycarelessness，heshowedmealetterfromtheduchesse
　　deGrammont，which，hesaid，wouldwonderfullyaidourplans。
　　Thisletterwaswrittentooneofthepresidentsoftheparliament
　　ofToulous，M。de。
　　Icannotgiveyouhisname；for，although
　　Ihavepreservedtheoriginaloftheletter，Ihavemislaidthe
　　envelopeonwhichtheaddresswaswritten。
　　Iheregiveyoua
　　copyofthiscuriousandimportantproduction:——
　　“MONSIEURLEPRESIDENT，——Ipromisedtogive
　　youtheexactdetailsofallthatpassedinthisgay
　　metropolis，and’tiswithmuchpleasureIsitdown
　　tofulfillmyengagement。
　　Thingsgoonmuch
　　asusual，or，perhaps，Ishouldbespeakingmore
　　correctly，wereItosaytheyarerapidly
　　progressingfrombadtoworse。
　　Wehave
　　nolongerakinginFrance；allpowerislodged
　　inthehandsofonesprungfromthemostinfamous
　　origin；who，inconjunctionwithothersas
　　intriguingasherself，seeksonlytoruinthe
　　kingdom，andtodegradeitintheeyesof
　　othernations。
　　“Thenoblefirmnessofsovereigncourtsis
　　odioustopeopleofthisclass；thusyoumay
　　imaginethedetestationinwhichtheyregard
　　thecandidandloyalconductoftheduke。