Iwasconvincedshewouldnotbelongin
　　acquiringanascendencyoverthemindoftheprincessandIwas
　　equallywellassuredshewouldneverturnthisinfluenceagainst
　　myself；thiswasapointofnosmallimportancetome。
　　MadamedeForcalquiermostardentlydesiredtheplaceofladyof
　　honor，withoutflatteringherselfwithanyhopesofobtainingit；
　　and，notlikingtoaskmeopenlyforit，sheappliedtotheduc
　　deCosse。
　　Ifeltsomeregretthatshehadgonetoworkinso
　　circuitousamanner，andinconsequencewroteherthe
　　followingnote:——
　　“MADAM，——Iamawarethatyouaredesirousof
　　obtainingthepostofladyofhonor。
　　Youshould
　　nothaveforgottenthatIamsufficientlyyour
　　friendtohaveforwardedyourwishesbyevery
　　possibleexertion。
　　Whydidyouapplytoathird
　　personinpreferencetoseekingmyaid？
　　Ireally
　　ammorethanhalfangrywithyouforsodoing。
　　Believeme，myfriendsneednottheintervention
　　ofanymediatortosecuremybestservices。
　　You，
　　too，willregretnothavingmadeyourfirst
　　applicationtome，whenItellyouthatIwas
　　reservingforyoutheveryplaceyouwereseeking
　　bysocircuitousaroute。
　　Yes，beforeyouhadasked
　　it，thepostofladyofhonorwasyours。
　　Imight
　　havesoughtinvainforapersonmoreeminently
　　qualifiedfortheofficethanyourself，oronein
　　whomIcouldplacemoreunlimitedconfidence。
　　Come，myfriend，Iprayofyou，nottothankme，
　　whohavefoundsufficientrewardinthepleasure
　　ofobligingyou，buttoacknowledgetheextreme
　　kindnessandalacritywithwhichhismajestyhas
　　forwardedyourwishes。
　　“Believeme，dearmadam，
　　“Yours，verysincerely，
　　“THECOMTESSEDuBarry。“
　　MadamedeForcalquierwasnotlonginobeyingthesummonscontained
　　inmynote；sheembracedmewiththewarmestgratitudeand
　　friendship，delightedatfindingherselfsoeligiblyestablished
　　atcourt，foratthatperiodeverypersonregardedthecomte
　　d’Artoisastheonlyhopeofthemonarchy；andblindedbythe
　　universalpreferencebestowedonhim，theyoungprinceflattered
　　himselfthatthecrownwouldinfalliblyornamenthisbrows。
　　I
　　havebeentold，thatwhenfirstthequeen’spregnancywas
　　perceived，agenerallamentationwasheardthroughoutthecastle，
　　andallranksunitedindeploringaneventwhichremovedthe
　　comted’Artoisfromtheimmediatesuccessiontothethrone。
　　UptothepresentmomentIknewMadamedeForcalquieronlyas
　　onewhosemanycharms，bothofmindandperson，joinedtogreat
　　conversationalpowersandtheliveliestwit，hadrenderedherthe
　　idolofsociety，andobtainedforhertheappellationof
　　。
　　Iknewnotthatthiswoman，solightandtrifling
　　inappearance，wascapableofoneofthoselivelyandsincere
　　attachments，whichneithertimenorchangeoffortunecould
　　destroyordiminish。
　　Shehadaparticularfriend，amadame
　　Boncault，thewidowofastockbroker，andshewasanxiousto
　　contributetoherwell-doing。
　　Withthisviewshesolicitedofme
　　theplaceofladyinwaitingforthismuch-esteemedindividual。
　　AstonishedattherequestIputahastynegativeonit。
　　“Ifyourefusemethisfreshfavor，“saidmadamedeForcalquier，
　　“youwillpreventmefromprofitingbyyourkindnesstomyself。“
　　“Andwhyso？“
　　inquiredI。
　　“IowetomadameBoncault，“answeredshe，“morethanmylife；I
　　amindebtedtoherfortranquillity，honor，andthehighestimation
　　inwhichtheworldhasbeenpleasedtoholdme。
　　Ihavenowan
　　opportunityofprovingmygratitude，andIbeseechofyouto
　　assistmyendeavors。“
　　“Buttellme，first，“criedI，“whatisthenatureofthisvery
　　importantserviceyousaymadamedeBoncaulthasrenderedyou；
　　isitasecret，ormayIhearit？“
　　“Certainly，“repliedthecountess，“althoughtherecitalis
　　calculatedtobringtheblushofshameintomycheek。
　　Arewe
　　alone，andsecurefrominterruption？“
　　Irangandgaveordersthatnopersonshouldbesufferedto
　　disturbus；afterwhichmadamedeForcalquierproceeded
　　asfollows:——
　　“Iwasscarcelyseventeenyearsold，whenmyparentsinformedme
　　thattheyhaddisposedofmyhand，andthatImustpreparemyself
　　toreceiveahusbandimmediately。
　　Mysentimentswerenotinquired
　　into，nor，toconfessthetruth，wassuchaninvestigationusual，
　　ordeemedamatterofanyimport。
　　Ayoungfemaleofanyrank
　　hasnovoiceinanytransactiontillthedaywhichfollowsher
　　marriage；untilthenherwishesarethoseofherfamily，andher
　　desiresboundedbytherulesofworldlyetiquette。
　　Ihadscarcely
　　conversedtwiceorthricewithmyfuturelord，andthenonlyfor
　　afewminutesatatime，beforeheconductedmetothefootof
　　thealtar，theretopronouncethesolemnvowwhichboundmehis
　　forlife。
　　Ihadscarcelyseenhim，andbarelyknewwhetherhe
　　wasagreeableordisagreeable。
　　Hewasneitheryoungnorold，
　　handsomenorugly，pleasingnordispleasing；justoneofthose
　　personsofwhomtheworldisprincipallycomposed；oneofthose
　　menwhoenterorleaveasaloonwithouttheslightestcuriosity
　　beingexcitedrespectinghim。
　　IhadbeentoldthatIoughtto
　　lovemyhusband，andaccordinglyItaughtmyselftodoso；but
　　scarcelyhadthehoneymoonwaned，thanmyficklepartnertransferred
　　hisaffectionsfrommetooneofmyattendants；andtosucha
　　heightdidhisguiltypassioncarryhim，thathequittedhishome
　　forItaly，carryingwithhimtheunfortunatevictimofhisseductive
　　arts。
　　ItwasduringhisabsencethatIfirstbecameacquainted
　　withmadameBoncault；shewasmyownage，andequallyunfortunate
　　inherdomesticlife；thesametests，griefs，andagreatsimilarity
　　oftemperanddispositionsoonunitedusinthebondsofthe
　　firmestfriendship；butasshepossessedastrongerandmore
　　reasonablemindthanIdid，sheforgotherownsorrowstoadminister
　　tomine。
　　However，ifthewholetruthmustbeowned，Ioughtto
　　confessthatmychiefconsolationwasderivedfromayoungcousin
　　ofmyown，whofreelylavisheduponmethatunboundedaffection
　　Iwouldfainhavesoughtfrommyhusband。
　　“Meanwhile，weariedofhisfolly，thislatterreturned；and，
　　afterhavingtransferredhiscapriciousfanciestoatleasthalf
　　adozenmistresses，hefinishedwhereheshouldhavebegunby
　　attachinghimselftoher，who，ashiswife，hadeveryclaimto
　　hishomage。
　　Menareunaccountablecreatures，butunfortunately
　　formyhusbandhissensesreturnedtoolate；myheartwastoo
　　entirelyoccupiedtorestorehimtothatplacehehadsohastily
　　vacated。
　　Myaffectionswerenolongerminetobestow，butequally
　　sharedbymyestimablefriendmadameBoncaultandmyyoungand
　　captivatingcousin。
　　Iwasabadhandatdissimulating，andM。de
　　Forcalquierperceivedenoughofmysentimentstoexcitehisjealous
　　suspicions，andimmediatelyremovedwithmetooneofhisestates。
　　“However，mycousinwhommyhusbandwasfarfromsuspectingand
　　madameBoncaultaccompaniedmeinmyretreat；theremyselfand
　　myadmirer，morethrowntogetherthanwehadbeenatParis，began
　　insensiblytolayasidetherestraintwehadhithertoimposedon
　　ourinclinations，andcommencedatrainofimprudenceswhich
　　wouldquicklyhavebetrayedushadnotfriendshipwatchedover
　　us。
　　TheexcellentmadameBoncault，inordertosavemyreputation，
　　tooksolittlecaretopreserveherown，thatM。deForcalquier
　　wascompletelycaughtbyhermanoeuvre。
　　Onemorning，finding
　　mealone，hesaid，
　　“’Madam，Iambynomeanssatisfiedwithwhatisgoingonhere。
　　Yourfriendiswhollydevoidofshameandmodesty；shehasbeen
　　withusbutoneshortfortnight，andisnowtheopenandconfessed
　　mistressofyourcousin。’
　　“’Sir，’exclaimedI，tremblingforwhatwastofollow，’youare，
　　youmustbemistaken:thethingisimpossible。
　　MadameBoncault
　　isincapable——’
　　“’Nonsense，madam，’repliedM。deForcalquier；’IknowwhatIam
　　saying。
　　Severalthingshaveinducedmetosuspectforalong
　　whilewhatInowassertwithperfectconfidenceofitstruth；but
　　ifyouarestillincredulous，beholdthisproofofguiltwhichI
　　foundjustnowinyourcousin’schamber。’
　　“Sosaying，myhusbandputintomyhandsaletterwrittenbymy
　　cousinevidentlytosomefemaleinthechateau，whomhesolicited
　　toadmithimthateveningtotheusualplaceofrendezvous，where
　　heflatteredhimselftheirlatemisunderstandingwouldbeclearedup。
　　“Afterhavingread，or，tospeakmorecorrectly，guessedatthe
　　contentsofthisfatalletter，Iconjuredmyhusbandtoreplace
　　itwherehehadfoundit，lesthisguestsshouldsuspecthimof
　　havingdishonorablyobtainedpossessionoftheirsecret。
　　He
　　quittedme，andIhastenedinsearchofmyfriend:Ithrewmyself
　　onmykneesbeforeher，andrelatedallthathadpassed，accusing
　　myselfofthebasestselfishnessinhavingconsentedtosavemy
　　honorattheexpenseofhers；thenrisingwithrenewedcourageI
　　declaredmyintentionofconfessingmyimprudencetomyhusband。
　　MadameBoncaultwithheldme。
　　’Doyoudoubtmyregardforyou？’
　　askedshe；’ifindeedyoudojusticetomysincereattachmentto
　　you，permitmetomakethisonesacrificeforyoursafety。
　　Leave
　　yourhusbandatlibertytoentertainhispresentsuspicions
　　respectingme，butgrantmeonefavorinyourturn。
　　Speakto