Hehadinsomedegreecompromisedpopularity
　　byattachinghimselftomefromthecommencementofmycourt
　　favour，andthereceptionhebestowedonmeatChantillyhad
　　completedhisdisgraceintheeyesofnobility。
　　Hevisitedatmy
　　houseuponthemostfriendlyfooting；andwheneverhefoundme，
　　hewouldturntheconversationuponpolitics，thestateofaffairs，
　　andthegreatdesirehefelttoundertakethedirectionofthem
　　inconcertwithme；hewouldadd，“Youmightplaythepartof
　　madamedePompadour，andyetyoucontentyourselfwithmerely
　　attemptingtodoso；youaresatisfiedwithpossessinginfluence
　　whenyoumightexercisepowerandcommand。
　　Youralliancewitha
　　princeofthebloodwouldrenderyousolemistressinthiskingdom；
　　andshouldIeverarrive，throughyourmeans，totherankof
　　primeminister，itwouldbemypleasureandpridetosubmitall
　　thingstoyou，andfromthisaccordwouldspringanauthority
　　whichnothingcouldweaken。“
　　Ilistenedinsilence，and，foronce，mynaturalfranknessreceived
　　acheck；forIdurstnottellhimallIknewoftheking’ssentiments
　　towardshim。
　　Thefactwas，LouisXVwasfarfromfeelingany
　　regardfortheprincedeConde；and，nottomincethematter，had
　　unequivocallyexpressedhiscontemptforhim。
　　Heoftensaidto
　　me，whenspeakingofhim，“Heisaconceitedfellow，whowould
　　faininducepersonstobelievehimsomebodyofvastimportance。“
　　LouisXVhadprejudices，fromwhichnopoweronearthcouldhave
　　weanedhim；andtheprincesofthehouseofCondewereamongst
　　hisstrongestantipathies:heknewascoreofscandalousanecdotes
　　relatingtothem，whichhetooknosmallpleasureinrepeating。
　　However，alltheargumentsoftheprincedeCondewereuseless，
　　andproducedhimnothing，or，atleast，nothingforhimself，
　　althoughheprocuredthenominationofanothertotheministry，
　　asyouwillhearinitsproperplace；butthiswasnotsufficient
　　toallaythecravingsofhisambition；and，inhisrageand
　　disappointment，whenopenwarwasproclaimedbetweentheking
　　andhisparliament，herangedhimselfonthesideofthelatter。
　　Hesoon，however，becamewearyofhisnewallies；and，oncemore
　　abandoninghimselftotheguidanceofinterest，herejoinedour
　　party。
　　WelldidM。deMaupeouknowmen，whenhesaidtheyall
　　hadtheirprice；andgreatasmaybetherankandtitleofprinces，
　　withplentyofmoney，theytoomaybehad。
　　Butamongstallthecandidatesfortheministry，theonewho
　　occasionedmethegreatesttroublewastheducdelaVauguyon，
　　whoinsisteduponitthathehaddonemuchforme，andcomplained
　　bitterlyofhisunrequitedservices，andofmyhavingbestowed
　　myconfidenceonothers。
　　Uptothemomentofthedisgraceofthe
　　desChoiseuls，hehadbeenamongstthemostbitterofthe
　　malcontents；butnosoonerweretheybanishedfromcourtthan
　　M。delaVauguyonforgoteverything，andhastenedtomewith
　　everymarkofthewarmestfriendship。
　　“Ah！“
　　exclaimedhe，“Ihavemuchtoscoldyoufor，butIwill
　　forgiveyouallyourpastmisdeeds，ifyouwillperformyour
　　promisetome。“
　　“Mydearfather，“criedIforIusedjestinglytostylehimso，
　　inthesamemannerasIdesignatedthebishopofOrleans
　　，“areyou，indeeddispleasedwithme？
　　Thatisvery
　　naughty:foryouknowIloveyouwithallmyheart。“
　　“Ifitbetruethatyouentertainanyregardforme，whyhave
　　youevincedsolittletowardsme？
　　AmInotoftherightmaterials
　　formakingministers？
　　Why，then，haveyouneverprocuredmy
　　appointmenttoanyofthevacantsituations？“
　　“Stay，stay，mydearfather，“criedI，“howyourunon！
　　Tohear
　　youtalk，anypersonwouldsupposethatplacesandappointments
　　raineddownuponme，andthatIhadonlytosaytoyou，mydear
　　duke，choosewhichyouplease；then，indeed，youmightcomplain
　　withjustice；butyouknowverywell，thatallthesedelightful
　　thingsareinthehandsoftheking，whoalonehasarightto
　　bestowthemashejudgesbest，whilstIamwhollypowerlessin
　　thebusiness。“
　　“Say，rather，“repliedtheduke，quickly，“thatyoufinditsuits
　　yourpresentpurposetoputonthiswantofpower。
　　Weallknow，
　　thatyourvetoisabsolutewithhismajesty，anditrequires
　　nothingmoretoobtainwhatsoeveryoudesire。“
　　TheducdelaVauguyonwaspowerful，andrepresentedthewhole
　　ofaparty——thatofthereligionists，whichwasstillfurther
　　supportedbythe；butforthisveryreasonthe
　　triumvirate，consistingofmessieursd’Aiguillon，deMaupeou，
　　andtheabbeTerre，wouldnothaveacceptedhisservicesat
　　anyprice。
　　Thegooddukereturnedseveraltimestothecharge；sometimes
　　endeavouringtomovemebygentleintreatiesand，atothers，
　　holdingoutthreatsandmenaces；goodandbadwordsflowedfrom
　　hislipslikeamixtureofhoneyandgall，butwhenhefoundthat
　　bothwereequallythrownawayuponme，heretiredoffended；and
　　bytheexpressionofhisrageanddisappointment，succeededin
　　incensingboththedauphinanddauphinessagainstme。
　　May
　　heavenpreserveyou，myfriend，fromtheangerofabigot！
　　IthinkIhavedetainedyoulongenoughwiththerelationofthe
　　intriguesbywhichIwassurroundeduponthedismissalofthe
　　desChoiseuls，andIwillnowreturntothemorningofthe24th
　　ofDecember。
　　WhentheexileswerefairlyoutofParis，theking
　　foundhimselfnotalittleembarrassedinthechoiceofaprime
　　minister。
　　Thosewhowouldhavesuitedourpurposesdidnotmeet
　　withtheking’sapprobation，andhehadnotyetsufficientcourage
　　toventureuponelectingonewhoshouldbedisagreeabletous；he
　　thereforehituponacuriousprovisionalelection；theabbeTerray，
　　forinstance，wasplacedattheheadofthewardepartment。
　　This
　　measurewasexcusedbytheassertion，thatitwouldrequirethe
　　headofafinanciertolookintoandsettletheaccounts，which
　　thelateministerhad，nodoubt，leftinaveryconfusedstate。
　　Uponthesameprinciple，M。Bertinwasappointedtothedirection
　　offoreignaffairs，andM。deBoyneswasinvestedsolelywiththe
　　managementofnavalaffairs。
　　Thisman，whowascounsellorof
　　state，andfirstpresidentoftheparliamentofBesancon，knew
　　notaletteroftheofficethusbestoweduponhim，butthenhe
　　wasboundbodyandsoultothechancellor；anditwasworth
　　somethingtohaveapersonwho，itmightbereliedon，would
　　offernooppositiontotheimportantreformswhichweretobeset
　　onfootimmediately。
　　Werequiredmerelyautomata，andM。deBoynes
　　answeredourpurposeperfectlywell；foraprovisionalminister
　　nothingcouldhavebeenbetter。
　　Thekinghadatlengthinhisownopinion，hituponavery
　　excellentministerofwar；andthepersonselectedwasthe
　　chevalier，afterwardscomtedeMuy，formerlyushertothelate
　　dauphin:hewasamanoftheoldschool，possessingmanysterling
　　virtuesandqualities。
　　Wewereintheutmostterrorwhenhis
　　majestycommunicatedtoushiselectionofaministerofwar，
　　anddeclaredhisintentionofimmediatelysignifyinghispleasure
　　toM。deMuy。
　　Suchablowwouldhaveoverthrownallourprojects。
　　Happilychancebefriendedus；themodernCatodeclaredthathe
　　shouldesteemhimselfmosthonoredtoservehissovereignbyevery
　　possibleendeavour，butthathecouldneverbeinducedtoenter
　　myserviceuponanypretextwhatever。
　　Thestrangenessofthis
　　refusalpuzzledLouisXVnotalittle。
　　Hesaidtome。
　　“Canyou
　　makeouttherealmotiveofthissillyconduct？
　　Ihadabetter
　　opinionoftheman；Ithoughthimpossessedofsense，butIsee
　　nowthatheisonlyfitforthecowlofamonk；hewillneverbe
　　aminister。“
　　Thekingwasmistaken；M。deMuybecameoneunder
　　theauspicesofhissuccessor。
　　ImmediatelythattheprincedeCondewasinformedofwhathad
　　passed，herecommencedhisattack；andfindinghecouldnotbe
　　ministerhimself，hedetermined，atleast，tobeprincipally
　　concernedintheappointmentofone；hethereforeproposedthe
　　marquisdeMonteynard，amanofsuchnegativequalities，thatthe
　　bestthatcouldbesaidofhimwas，thathewasasincapableofa
　　badasofagoodaction；and，forwantofabetter，hewaselected。
　　SuchwerethecolleaguesgiventoM。deMaupeoutoconductthe
　　warwhichwasabouttobedeclaredagainsttheparliaments。
　　I
　　shouldtellyou，，thatthediscontentofthemagistracy
　　hadonlyincreased，andthattheparliamentofParishadeven
　　finishedbyrefusingtodecidethesuitswhichwerereferredto
　　them；thuspunishingthepoorlitigantsfortheirquarrelwith
　　theminister。
　　Meanwhile，thegeneralinterestexpressedfortheduc
　　deChoiseul
　　greatlyirritatedtheking。
　　“Whowouldhavethought，“saidhetome，“thatadisgracedminister
　　couldhavebeensoidolizedbyawholecourt？
　　Wouldyoubelieve
　　thatIreceiveahundredpetitionsadayforleavetovisitat
　　Chanteloup？
　　Thisissomethingnewindeed！
　　Icannotunderstandit。“