dignityofanabbessofaregallyfoundedconvent。
　　Butinspite
　　ofherpretensions，IonlysawinhertherivalofGourdanand
　　Paris，andtreatedherassuch；thatis，withsomecontempt，for
　　withthatfeelingherofficeinspiredme。
　　ShetoldmeallIhave
　　describedtoyou，andmanyotherthingswhichhavesinceescaped
　　me。
　　Atthattimetherewereonlyfourinthehouse。
　　WhenshehadgivenmeallthedetailsIwished，Isentheraway，
　　desiringtobeinformedofallthatpassedinherestablishment。
　　FêtegivenbythecomtessedeValentinois——ThecomtesseduBarry
　　feignsanindisposition——Herdress——TheducdeCosse-Thecomte
　　andcomtessedeProvence——Dramaticentertainment——Favartand
　　Voisenon——Afewobservations——Apension——ThemarechaledeLuxembourg——
　　AdventureofM。deBombelles——Copyofaletteraddressedtohim——
　　LouisXV——M。deMaupeouandmadameduBarry
　　Mypresentsituationwasnotalittleembarrassing；knownand
　　recognisedasthemistressoftheking，itbutillaccordedwith
　　myfeelingstobecompelledtoaddtothattitlethesuperintendent
　　ofhispleasures；andIhadnotyetbeensufficientlyinitiated
　　intotheintriguesofacourtlifetoacceptthisstrangecharge
　　withoutmanifestdislikeandhesitation。
　　Nevertheless，whilstso
　　manywerecontendingforthehonourofthatwhichIcondemned，
　　Iwascompelledtostiflemyfeelingsandresignmyselftothe
　　badaswellasthegoodaffordedbymypresentsituation；ata
　　futureperiodIshallhaveoccasionagaintoreverttothe
　　duringtheperiodofmyreign，butforthe
　　presentIwishtochangethesubjectbyrelatingtoyouwhat
　　befellmeatafetegivenmebymadamedeValentinois，whileshe
　　feignedtogiveitinthehonourofmadamedeProvence。
　　ThecomtessedeValentinois，flatteredbythekindnessofthe
　　dauphiness’smannertowardsher，andwishingstillfurtherto
　　insinuateherselfintoherfavour，imaginedsheshouldpromote
　　herobjectbyrequestingthatprincesswoulddoherthehonour
　　topassaneveningatherhouse；herrequestwasgranted，and
　　thattoobeforetheduchessedelaVauguyoncouldinterfereto
　　preventit。
　　Furiousatnothavingbeenapprizedoftheinvitation
　　tilltoolatetocauseitsrejection，shevowedtomakethetriumphant
　　countesspaydearlyforhertriumph；formyownpartItroubled
　　myselfverylittlewiththesuccessofmadamedeValentinois，
　　which，infact，Iperceivedwouldratherassistthaninterfere
　　withmyprojects。
　　HithertoIhadnotmademyappearanceatany
　　ofthehousesofthenobilitywhentheprincesseswereinvited
　　thither；thisclearlyprovedtothepublic，ingeneral，howgreat
　　wastheoppositionIexperiencedfromthecourtparty。
　　Iwas
　　nowdelightedtoprovetotheParisiansthatIwasnotalwaysto
　　leadthelifeofarecluse，butthatIcouldfreelypresentmyself
　　atthosepartiestowhichotherladieswereinvited。
　　However，
　　asmyfriendsapprehendedthatthecomtessedeProvencemight
　　prevailuponherladyofhonournottoinviteme，bytheadvice
　　ofthechancellorandtheministerforforeignaffairs，itwas
　　arrangedthatIshouldforaweekprevioustothefetefeigna
　　severeindisposition。
　　Itwouldbeimpossibletodescribethejoy
　　withwhichthesefalsetidingswerereceivedbymyenemies。
　　We
　　areallapttopicturethingsaswewouldhavethem，andalready
　　theeagerimaginationsoftheopposingpartyhadconvertedthe
　　accountofmyillnessintoanincurableandmortaldisease。
　　Everyhourmyfriendsbroughtmeinfreshanecdotesoftheavidity
　　withwhichtherumourofmydangerousstatehadbeenreceived，
　　whilstIlayuponwhatthecreduloushopesofmyenemieshad
　　determinedtobemydeath-bed，laughingheartilyattheirfolly，
　　andpreparingfreshschemestoconfoundanddisappointtheir
　　anticipatedtriumph。
　　Oneveryimportantobjectofconsiderationwasmydressforthe
　　comingoccasion。
　　Thekingpresentedmewithanewsetofjewels，
　　andhimselfselectedthematerialsformyrobeandtrain，which
　　weretobecomposedofarichgreensatinembroideredwithgold，
　　trimmedwithwreathsofroses，andloopedupwithpearls；thelower
　　partofthismagnificentdresswastrimmedwithaprofusionof
　　thefinestFlemishlace。
　　Iworeonmyheadagarlandoffullblown
　　roses，composedofthefinestgreenandgoldwork；roundmy
　　foreheadwasastringofbeautifulpearls，fromthecentreof
　　whichdependedadiamondstar；addtothisapairofsplendidear-rings，
　　valuedat100，000crowns，withavarietyofjewelsequallycostly，
　　andyoumayformsomeideaofmyappearanceonthateventful
　　evening。
　　The，king，whopresidedatmytoilette，couldnot
　　represshisadmiration；heeveninsisteduponclaspingmynecklace，
　　inorderthathemight，ashesaid，flatterhimselfwithhaving
　　completedsuchatriumphofnatureandart。
　　AtthehourfixeduponIsetout，conductedbytheducsd’Aiguillon
　　anddeCosseandnowIrememberIhaveintroducedthislatterto
　　youforthefirsttime，howeverIwillpromisethatitwillnot
　　beforthelast；hepossessed，andstillpossessesallthevirtues
　　ofhisnoblehouse，hewasimpetuousfromadeeplyfeelingheart，
　　andproudfromaconsciousnessofbeingproperlyappreciated。
　　Young，handsome，anddaring，hewaspre-eminentlycalculatedboth
　　toinspirelove，andtofeelit；itwasquiteimpossibleforhim
　　tofailinwinningtheaffectionsofanyfemaleheexertedhimself
　　toplease，andevenatthepresenttimethathehaslostsomeof
　　hisearliergraces，heisstillirresistibleasever；hisnaturally
　　gaydispositionwasbutillsuitedtonourishinggraveorphilosophic
　　reasoning，butthenhewasthesoulofcompany，andpossesseda
　　fineanddelicatewitwhicheverventeditselfinthemostbrilliant
　　sallies。
　　M。deCosseliketheknightsofold，waswhollydevoted
　　tohiskingandhismistress，andwould，Iamsure，hadthe
　　occasionrequiredit，havenoblydiedindefenceofeither；Ionly
　　prayhemayneverbeputtotheproof。
　　Isawmuchofhimatthe
　　beginningofouracquaintance，butashismanyamiablequalities
　　becamebetterknown，Ifoundmyselfalmostcontinuallyinhis
　　society，indeedasIhavesomethingtoconfessinthebusiness，I
　　couldhardlychooseabetteropportunitythanthepresent，didI
　　notrecollectthatthegoodducd’Aiguilloniswaitingallthis
　　whileformetoannouncetheofourpartyintothe
　　ante-roomofMadamedeValentinois。
　　Myentrancewasacomplete。
　　Ihadbeen
　　imaginedlanguishingonthebedofsickness，yetthereIstood
　　inallthefulnessofhealthandfreshnessofbeauty。
　　Icould
　　veryeasilyreaduponeachcountenancethevexationandragemy
　　appearanceofentirefreedomfromallailmentexcited；however，
　　Iproceededwithoutanydelaytothemistressofthehouse，whom
　　Ifoundbusilyengagedinseatinghervisitors，andplayingthe
　　amiabletothedauphiness。
　　Thisprincessseemedequallyastonished
　　atmyunexpectedapparition；nevertheless，takenoffherguard，
　　shecouldnotpreventherselffromcourteouslyreturningthe
　　profoundsalutationImadeher。
　　Asfortheduchessedela
　　Vauguyon，whenshesawme，sheturnedalternatelyfromredto
　　white，andwasevenweakenoughtogivepublicventtoherfury。
　　ThecomtedeProvence，whohadbeentoldthatIwasnotexpected，
　　begantolaughwhenheperceivedme，andtakingthefirst
　　opportunityofapproachingme，hesaid，“Ah，madame！
　　soyoutoo
　　canmystifyyourfriends，Isee！
　　Haveacare；thesightofcharms
　　likeyoursissufficienttostriketerrorintoanyadversaries，
　　withouthavingrecoursetoanyexpedienttoheightentheireffect。“
　　Sayingthishepassedonwithoutgivingmetheopportunityof
　　replying，asIcouldhavewishedtohavedone。
　　ThemarechaledeMirepoix，towhomIhadconfidedmysecret，and
　　ofwhosefidelityIwasassured，waspresentatthefete。
　　Iavailed
　　myselfoftheofferofaseatnearheranddirectlywewereseated，
　　“Youareaclevercreature，“saidshe，“foryouhavecompletely
　　bewilderedallthefemalepartofthisevening’ssociety，andby
　　wayofafinishingstrokewillrunawaywiththeheartsofallthe
　　flutterershere，beforethefairladiestheywerepreviously
　　hoveringaround，haverecoveredtheirfirstastonishment。“
　　“Uponmyword，“saidI，smiling，“Idonotwonderatthekind
　　lookswithwhichtheladiesfavourme，ifmypresenceiscapable
　　ofproducingsomuchmischief。“
　　“Pray，mydear，“answeredthemarechale，“beundernomistake:
　　youmightbeasmuchbelovedasothersare，ifyoudidnot
　　monopolizetheking’saffections；theconsequenceis，thatevery
　　womanwithevenapassablefacelooksuponyouastheusurperof
　　herright，andastheficklegentlemenwhowoothesegentleladies
　　areallreadytotransfertheirhomagetoyoudirectlyyouappear，
　　youmustadmitthatyourpresenceiscalculatedtoproduceno
　　inconsiderabledegreeofconfusion。“
　　Thecommencementofaplaywhichformedpartoftheevening’s
　　entertainmentobligedustoceasefurtherconversation。
　　Thefirst
　　piecerepresentedwas“，“acharmingpastoral，to
　　whichthemusicofMonsignygaveafreshcharm；theactorswere
　　selectedfromamongthebestoftheComedieItalienne——thedivine
　　Clairval，andthefascinatingmademoiselleCaroline。
　　Iwas
　　completelyenchantedwhilsttheplaylasted；Iforgotbothmy
　　cabalsandrecenttriumph，andforawhilebelievedmyself
　　actuallytransportedtotheruralscenesitrepresented，surrounded
　　bythehonestvillagerssowelldepicted；butthisdelightful
　　visionsoonpassedaway，andsoon，toosoonIawokefromitto
　　findmyselfsurroundedbymyfriendsatcourt。
　　““wasfollowedbyaspeciesofcomedymixedwith
　　songs。
　　Thispiecewaswhollyinhonourofthedauphiness，with
　　theexceptionofsomeflatteringandgallantallusionstomyself
　　andsomegrosscomplimentstomycousinthechancellor，who，in
　　newsilkrobeandafinepowdered
　　wig，wasalsopresentatthisfete。
　　Theperformersinthislittlepiece，whowereFavart，theactor，
　　andVoisenon，thepriest，musthavebeenfullysatisfiedwiththe
　　receptiontheyobtained，forthecomedywasapplaudedasthough
　　ithadbeenoneoftheofVoltaire。
　　Ingeneral