“from。
　　presumingtocastmyeyesoverwhatismeantonlyforhis
　　majesty’sgraciousperusal；itwouldbeanactoftreasonIamnot
　　capableofcommitting。“
　　“Then，sir，“returnedI，“Imayreasonablyconcludethatitiswith
　　yoursanctionandconcurrenceyourwifeintrigueswiththeking？“
　　“Ah，madam，“answeredthewilydeRumas，inasoftandexpostulating
　　tone，“troublenot，Iprayyou，thereposeofmyfamily。
　　Iknow
　　toowellthevirtueofmadamedeRumas，herdelicacy，andthe
　　severityofherprinciples；Iknowtoowelllikewisethesentiments
　　inwhichherexcellentparentseducatedher，andIdefytheblackest
　　malicetoinjureherinmyestimation。“
　　“Wonderfully，sir！“
　　criedI；“soyoudeterminetobelieveyour
　　wife’svirtueincorruptible，allthewhileyouareprofitingby
　　herintrigues。
　　However，IamtoocertainofwhatIassertto
　　lookonwiththeculpableindifferenceyouarepleasedtoassume，
　　whilstyourwifeisseekingtosupplantmeatthe
　　chateau；youshallhearofmebeforelong。
　　Adieu，sir。“
　　Sosaying，Iquittedtheroominsearchofthemarechale，to
　　whomIrelatedwhathadpassed。
　　“Andnow，whatthinkyouofsobaseahypocrite？“
　　askedI，when
　　Ihadfinishedmyaccount。
　　“Hewelldeserveshavingthemasktornfromhisface，“replied
　　she；“butgiveyourselfnofurtherconcern；returnhome，and
　　dependuponit，that，onewayorother，Iwillforcehiminto
　　thepathofhonor。“
　　IaccordinglyorderedmycarriageandreturnedtoVersailles，
　　where，onthesameevening，Ireceivedthefollowingletter
　　fromthemarechale:——
　　“MYDEARCOUNTESS，——Myeffortshavebeen
　　attendedwithnobettersuccessthanyours。
　　Well
　　maytheproverbsay，’Thereisnonesodeafashe
　　whowillnothear，’andM。deRumasperseveresin
　　treatingallIadvancedrespectinghiswifeas
　　calumniousfalsehoods。
　　Accordingtohisversion
　　ofthetale，madamedeRumashasnoother
　　motiveinseeingLouisXVsofrequently，butto
　　implorehisaidinfavorofthepoorinher
　　neighborhood。
　　Ireallylostallpatiencewhen
　　Iheardhimattemptingtoveilhisinfamousconduct
　　underthemaskofcharity；Ithereforeproceededat
　　oncetomenaces，tellinghimthatyoubadsomany
　　advantagesoverhiswife，thatyouscornedto
　　considerheryourrival:butthat，nevertheless，
　　youdidnotchoosethatanyupstartpretender
　　shoulddareasktosharehismajesty’sheart。
　　Toallthishemadenoreply；andasthesightof
　　himonlyincreasedmyindignation，Iatlength
　　desiredhimtoquitme。
　　Itrustyouwillpardon
　　meforhavingspokeninasqueenlikeamanner
　　asyoucouldhavedoneyourself。
　　“Adieu，mysweetfriend。“
　　Thisletterwasfarfromsatisfyingme，andIdeterminedupon
　　strikingadecisiveblow。
　　IsentforChamilly，andtreatinghim
　　withallthecontempthedeserved，Itoldhim，thatiftheking
　　didnotimmediatelygiveupthiswomanhemightprepareforhis
　　ownimmediatedismissal。
　　AtfirstChamillysoughttoappeasemy
　　angerbyeagerprotestationsofinnocence，butwhenhefoundI
　　alreadyknewthewholeaffair，andwasfirmlyfixedinmy
　　determination，hebecamealarmed，threwhimselfatmyknees，and
　　promisedtodoallIwouldhavehim。
　　Wethenagreedtotell
　　LouisXVsometaleofmadamedeRumasthatshouldeffectually
　　deterhimfromthinkingfurtherofher。
　　Inpursuancewiththisresolution，Chamillyinformedtheking，
　　thathehadjustbeeninformedthatmadamedeRumashadalover，
　　whoboastedofbeingabletoturnhismajestywhichwayhepleased，
　　throughtheinterventionofhismistress。
　　LouisXVwroteoff
　　instantlytoM。deSartines，tohaveawatchfuleyeoverthe
　　proceedingsoftheRumasfamily。
　　Thelieutenantofpolice，who
　　hadsomeregardforme，andastillgreaterportionoffear，was
　　faithfultomyinterests，andrenderedtoLouisXVthemost
　　horribleparticularsoftheprofligatemodeoflifepursuedby
　　madamedeRumas；assuringhim，thatfromeveryconsiderationof
　　personalsafety，hismajestyshouldshuntheacquaintance。
　　The
　　king，incensedatthetrickputuponhimbytheseseemingly
　　virtuouspeople，wasatfirstforconfiningbothhusbandandwife
　　inprison，butthismeasureIopposedwithallmypower；for，
　　satisfiedwiththevictoryIhadgained，Icaredfornofurther
　　hurttomyadversaries。
　　Icontrived，toinsinuatetotheworthy
　　pairtheproprietyoftheiravoidingtheimpendingstormbya
　　timelyretreatintothecountry，ahinttheywerewiseenoughto
　　followup，sothatIwasentirelyfreedfromallfurtherdread
　　oftheirmachinations。
　　AllthosewhohadservedmeinthisaffairIliberallyrewarded；
　　Marinreceivedforhisshare500louis。
　　Itistruehelostthe
　　confidenceofChamilly，buthegainedmineinstead，sothatit
　　willeasilybebelievedhewasnosuffererbytheexchange。
　　I
　　causedthemarechaletoreceivefromthekingasuperbTurkey
　　carpet，towhichIaddedacompleteserviceofSevresporcelain，
　　withabeautifulbreakfastset，onwhichwerelandscapesmost
　　delicatelyandskilfullydrawninblueandgold:Igaveheralso
　　twolargeblueporcelaincots，asfinelyexecutedasthoseyou
　　havesofrequentlyadmiredinmysmallsaloon。
　　Thesetrifles
　　costmenolessasumthan2800livres。
　　Ididnotforgetmy
　　goodfriendM。deSartines，whoreceivedacane，headedwithgold，
　　aroundwhichwasasmallbandofdiamonds。
　　AsforChamilly，I
　　grantedhimhispardon；andIthinkyouwilladmitthatwasbeing
　　sufficientlygenerous。
　　Afterhavingthusrecompensedthezealofmyfriends，Ihad
　　leisuretothinkoftakingvengeanceupontheducdeRichelieu
　　fortheparthehadacted。
　　Hecameofhisownaccordtothrow
　　himselfintotheveryheatofmyanger。
　　Hehadbeencallingon
　　themarechaledeMirepoix，wherehehadseenwithenviouseyes
　　themagnificentcarpetIhadpresentedherwith；thecupidityof
　　thedukeinducedhim，aftercontinuallyrecurringtothesubject，
　　tosay，thatwheremyfriendswereconcerned，noonecouldaccuse
　　meofwantofliberality。
　　“No，sir，“answeredI，“Iconsiderthat
　　nopricecansufficientlyrepaythekindandfaithfulservicesof
　　atruefriend，norcanbasenessandtreacherybetoogenerally
　　exposedandpunished。“
　　FromthetoneinwhichIspoketheold
　　marechaleasilyperceivedtowhatIwasalluding。
　　Hewaswise
　　enoughtobesilent，whilstIfollowedupthisfirstburstofmy
　　indignation，byadding，
　　“Forinstance，monsieurleduc，howcanIsufficientlyrepayyour
　　friendlyzealtosupplythekingwithanewmistress？“
　　“I，madam？“
　　“Yes，sir，you；Iamawareofallyourkindoffices，andonly
　　lamentmyinabilitytorewardtheminasuitablemanner。“
　　“InthatcaseIshallnotattempttodenymyshareinthebusiness。“
　　“Youhavethensufficienthonortoavowyourenmitytowardsme？“
　　“Bynomeansenmity，madam。
　　Imerelyadmitmydesiretocontribute
　　totheamusementoftheking，andsurely，whenIseeallaround
　　anxioustopromotethegratificationoftheirsovereign，Ineed
　　notbewithheldfromfollowingsoloyalanexample。
　　Theducde
　　Duraswaswillingtopresenthisownrelationforhismajesty’s
　　acceptance，theabbeTerrayoffershisowndaughter，ComteJean
　　hissister-in-law，whilstIsimplythrewahumbleandmodest
　　femaleinhismajesty’spath。
　　Icannotseeinwhatmyfault
　　exceedsthatofthegentlemenIhavejustmentioned。“
　　“Youreallyarethemostaudaciousofmen，“repliedI，laughing；
　　“Ishallbeobligedtosolicitatoholdyou
　　aprisonerinGuienne。
　　Uponmyword，yournephewandmyself
　　haveavaluableandtrustworthyfriendinyou。“
　　“Harkye，madam，“rejoinedthemarechal。
　　“Iknownot，inthe
　　firstplace，whetherhismajestywouldveryeasilygrantyou
　　this，whichmostcertainlyIdonotdeserve。
　　Youhaveservedmynephewandneglectedme；Iwishedtotrythe
　　strengthofmypoorwings，andIfind，likemanyothers，thatI
　　mustnothopetosoartoanyheight。“
　　WhilewewerethustalkingthemarechaledeMirepoixwasannounced。
　　Iwasstillmuchagitated，andsheimmediatelyturnedtowardsthe
　　duke，asiftoinquireofhimthecauseofmydistress:upon
　　which，
　　M。deRichelieurelatedallthathadpassedwithacool
　　exactitude
　　thatenragedmestillfurther。
　　Whenhehadfinished，Isaid，
　　“Well，madamelamarechale，andwhatisyouropinionofallthis？“
　　“Uponmyword，mydearcountess，“answeredmadamedeMirepoix，
　　“youhaveamplecauseforcomplaint，butstillthispoordukeis
　　notsoculpableasyouimaginehimtobe。
　　Hehaslargeexpenses
　　toprovidefor:andtoobtainthemoneyrequisiteforthemheis
　　compelledtolooktohismajesty，whosefavorhedesirestowin
　　byadministeringtohispleasures。“
　　“Alas！“
　　repliedtheduke，“canyoubelievethatbutforthe
　　pressureofunavoidablecircumstancesIwouldhaveseparated
　　myselffrommynephewandmyfairfriendthere？“
　　“Come，come，“criedthemarechale，“Imustrestorepeaceand