youngprincefrommorningtillnight，and。
　　frommorningtill
　　nighthewasincessantlyrepeatinginhisearsthathisfuture
　　subjectswerebornforhim，andthattheywerealldependenton
　　hisgoodandgraciouspleasure。
　　Suchlessonsdailyrepeated，
　　necessarilydestroyedthewiseinstructionsofMassillon。
　　When
　　grownup，LouisXVsawthelibertinismofcardinalDuboisand
　　theorgiesoftheregency:madamedeMaillis’shamelessconduct
　　wasbeforehiseyesandRichelieu’salso。
　　LouisXVcouldnot
　　conducthimselfdifferentlyfromhisministersandhisfamily。
　　His
　　timidcharacterwasformedupontheexampleofothers。
　　Atfirst
　　heselectedhisownmistresses，butafterwardshechosesomeone
　　whotookthattroubleoffhishands。
　　Lebelbecamepurveyorin
　　chieftohispleasures；andcontrolledinVersaillesthehouse
　　knownasthe。
　　Assoonasthecourtiersknewoftheexistenceandpurposesof
　　thishouse，theyintriguedforthecontrolofit。
　　Thekinglaughed
　　atalltheirefforts，andleftthewholemanagementtoLebel，under
　　thesuperintendenceofthecomtedeSaint-Florentin，ministerof
　　theroyalhousehold。
　　Theyinstalledthere，however，asortof
　　militarychief，formerlyamajorofinfantry，whowascalled，
　　jestingly，M。deCervieres；hisfunctionsconsistedinanactive
　　surveillance，andinpreventingyoungmenfrompenetratingthe
　　seraglio。
　　Thesoldiersattheneareststationhadordersto
　　obeyhisfirstsummons。
　　Hispaywastwelvethousandlivresayear。
　　Afemalestyledthehadthemanagementofthe
　　domesticaffairs；sheruledwithdespoticsway；controlledthe
　　expenses；preservedgoodorder；andregulatedtheamusementof
　　hercharges，takingcarethattheydidnotmixonewiththeother。
　　Shewasanelderlycanonessofanobleorder，belongingtooneof
　　thebestfamiliesinBurgundy。
　　Shewasonlyknownattheas
　　，andnooneventuredtogiveheranyothertitle。
　　Shortly
　　afterthedeceaseofMme。
　　DePompadour，shehadsucceededin
　　thisemployawomanoflowrank，whohadamostastonishingmind。
　　LouisXVthoughtveryhighlyofher，andsaidthatifshewerea
　　manhewouldhavemadeherhisminister。
　　Sheputtheharemon
　　anadmirablesystem，andinstructedthein
　　allthe
　　necessaryetiquette。
　　TheMadameofmytimewasawomanofnobleappearance，tall，
　　ascetic，withakeeneyeandimperiousmanner。
　　Sheexpresseda
　　sovereigncontempt
　　forallthelow-bornbeautiesconfidedtoher
　　trust。
　　However，shedidnottreatherwardsill，forsomeoneof
　　themmightproduceapassionintheheartoftheking，andshe
　　wasdeterminedtobepreparedforwhatevermightfallout。
　　Asto
　　thenobleladies，theywereherfavourites。
　　Madamedidnotdivide
　　herflockintofairanddark，whichwouldhavebeennatural，but
　　intonobleandignoble。
　　BesidesMadame，thereweretwo
　　under-mistresses，whosedutiesconsistedinkeepingcompanywith
　　theyoungladieswhowereplacedthere。
　　Theysometimesdined
　　withnewcomers，instructedtheminpolitebehaviour，andaided
　　themintheirmusicallessonsorindancing，history，andliterature
　　inwhichthesewereinstructed。
　　Thenfollowedadozen
　　womenoflowerstation，creaturesforanyservice，halfwaiting
　　women，halfcompanions，whokeptwatchovertheyoungladies，
　　andneglectednothingthatcouldinjureeachotheratevery
　　opportunity。
　　Theworkofthehousewasperformedbyproper
　　servantsandmaledomestics，chosenexpresslyfortheirageand
　　ugliness。
　　Theywerepaidhigh，butinreturnfortheleast
　　indiscretionontheirpart，theyweresenttolingerouttheir
　　existenceinastateprison。
　　Aseverewatchwas
　　keptoverevery
　　personofeithersexinthismysteriousestablishment。
　　Itwas
　　requisite，infact，thatanimpenetrableveilshouldbecastover
　　thefrailtiesoftheking；andthatthepublicshouldknownothing
　　ofwhatoccurredatthe。
　　Thegeneraltermwasappliedtotheyoungpersonswho
　　werekeptthere。
　　Theywereofallagesfromninetoeighteen
　　years。
　　Untilfifteentheywerekeptintotalignoranceofthe
　　citywhichtheyinhabited。
　　Whentheyattainedthatage，nomore
　　mysterywasmadeofit；theyonlyendeavouredtopreventthem
　　frombelievingthattheyweredestinedfortheking’sservice。
　　Sometimestheyweretoldthattheywereimprisonedaswellas
　　theirfamily；sometimes，aloverrichandpowerfulkeptthem
　　concealedtosatisfyhislove。
　　Onethoughtshebelongedtoa
　　Germanprince，anothertoanEnglishlord。
　　Thereweresome，
　　however，who，betterinformed，eitherbytheirpredecessors，or
　　bychance，knewpreciselywhatwasinstoreforthem，andaccordingly
　　builtsomeexceedinglyfinecastlesintheair。
　　Butwhenthey
　　weresuspectedtobesoknowing，theyweresentaway，andeither
　　marriedifpregnant，orcompelledtoenteracloisterorchapter。
　　Thenobledamselswereservedwithpeculiaretiquette，their
　　servantsworeagreenlivery。
　　Thosewhobelongedtotheignobles，
　　hadtheirvaletsclothedonlyingray。
　　Thekinghadarrangedthis，
　　andapplaudeditasoneofthemostadmirabledecisionsofhis
　　life，andcontendedwithmethatthefamilieswhopaidthisimpost
　　forhispleasures，weregreatlyindebtedtohimforit。
　　Iassure
　　you，myfriend，thatthereareoftenverypeculiarideasinthe
　　headofaking。
　　After，the，theyoungladies，camea
　　lady，whohadnotitleinthehouse，becauseshe“carriedonthe
　　war“outofdoors，butstillwasamostusefulpersonage。
　　In
　　verytruthlaMereBompartwasawonderfulanimal。
　　Paintto
　　yourselfawomanrathersmallthanlarge，ratherfatthanlean，
　　ratheroldthanyoung，withagoodfoot，agoodeye，asrobustas
　　atrooper，withadecided“call“forintrigue，drinkingnothing
　　butwine，tellingnothingbutlies，swearingby，ordenyingGod，
　　assuitedherpurpose。
　　Fancysuchanone，andyouwillhavebefore
　　you。
　　Shewasincorrespondencewithallsortsofpersons，withthe
　　mostcelebrated，andofcoursewiththemost
　　notedpimps。
　　ShetreatedLebelasherequal，wentfamiliarlyto
　　M。deSartinesandoccasionallycondescendedtovisitM。de
　　Saint-Florentin。
　　Everybodyatcourtreceivedhergraciously；
　　everybodybutthekingandmyself，whoheldherinequalhorror。
　　Thecostenormoussums。
　　Thelowestexpense
　　wascalculatedat150，000livres，topayonlythefunctionaries
　　andthedomestics，theeducationandtheboardofthe，
　　etc。
　　Thisdoesnotincludethecostofthe，
　　theindemnitiespaidtofamilies，thedowrygivenwiththemin
　　marriage，thepresentsmadetothem，andtheexpensesofthe
　　illegitimatechildren:thiswasenormousincost，atleast2，000，000
　　livresayear，andyetImakethelowestestimation。
　　The
　　waskeptupforthirty-fouryears:itcost
　　annually4or5，000，000livres，andthatwillamountto
　　nearly150，000，000￡6，250，000。
　　IfyouthinkImistake，go
　　throughthecalculation。
　　AshorttimeaftermysojournatVersailles，whenIwasthe
　　acknowledgedmistressoftheking，theducdeRichelieuaskedme
　　ifIhadheardofthe？
　　Iaskedhim，inmyturn，
　　whathemeant，andifIcouldprocureanyaccountoftheplace。
　　HethentoldmeofthecarewhichmadamedePompadourbestowed
　　Ontheplace，theadvantageshedrewfromit，andassuredmeof
　　thenecessityforfollowingherexample。
　　Ispokeofthistocomte
　　Jean，andbeggedhisadvice。
　　Mybrother-in-lawreplied:——
　　“YoumustdoasthemarquisedePompadourdid，andastheducde
　　Richelieuhasadvised。
　　Theyspendavastdealofmoneyinthis
　　house，andIundertaketolookovertheiraccounts。
　　Nominateme
　　yourprimeminister，andIshallbethehappiestofmen。
　　Itis
　　impossiblebuttheremustbesomethingtobegleanedfrom
　　hismajesty。“
　　“Intruth，mydearbrother-in-law，youwouldbeinyourelement；
　　moneytohandleandyounggirlstomanage。
　　Whatmorecouldyou
　　covet？
　　Youwillestablishagamingtableatthe，
　　andneverquititagain。“
　　ComteJeanbegantolaugh，andthenseriouslyadvisedmeto
　　followtheplaincounseloftheducdeRichelieu。
　　Idecidedondoingso。
　　IsentforMadame。
　　Shecamewithallthe