Onthedayfollowingshecame；Iimmediatelysentto
　　apprizeM。d’Aiguillon，who，withM。delaVrilliereandthe
　　chancellor，enteredmyapartmentseretheladyhadhadtimeto
　　commencethesubjectuponwhichshewastheretospeak。
　　This
　　unexpectedappearancedidnotseemtodisconcertherintheleast，
　　nordidherandordinaryassuranceinanydegree
　　failher。
　　Shereproachedmeforhavingintrustedthesecrettoso
　　manypersons，butherreproofwasutteredwithoutbitterness，and
　　merelyasifshefearedlestmyindiscretionmightcompromiseour
　　safety。
　　Shewasoverwhelmedwithquestions，andthechancellor
　　interrogatedherwiththekeenestcuriosity；buttoalltheinquiries
　　puttohersherepliedwithareadinessandcandourwhichsurprised
　　thewholeparty。
　　Shewasdesiredtogivethenamesofthose
　　engagedintheconspiracy，aswellasofhimwhofirstinformed
　　herofit。
　　SheansweredthatherownnamewasLorimer，thatshe
　　wasawidowlivinguponherownproperty。
　　Asfortheman，her
　　informant，hewasaSwiss，namedCabert，ofaboutthirtyyearsof
　　age，andhadlongbeenherintimatefriend:however，theembarrassed
　　tonewithwhichshepronouncedtheselastwordsleftroomforthe
　　suspicion，thathehadbeensomethingdearertoherthanafriend。
　　Shewasthenurgedtogiveupthenamesofthefourparliamentarians，
　　butsheprotestedthatshehadnotyetbeenabletoprevailon
　　Caberttoconfidethemtoher，thatshewascompelledtousethe
　　utmostcircumspectioninherattemptsatdiscoveringthefacts
　　alreadydisclosed，butflatteredherselfsheshouldyetsucceed
　　ingainingafullandunreserveddisclosure。
　　M。deMaupeou
　　encouragedher，byeverypossibleargument，toneglectnomeans
　　ofarrivingatsoimportantadiscovery。
　　Theexaminationover，andthe100，000francsshehaddemanded
　　giventoher，sheretired，butfollowedatadistancebyanumber
　　ofspies，whowerecommissionedtowatchherslightestmovement。
　　Cabert，theSwiss，wasarrestedinafurnishedlodgingheoccupied
　　inrueSaintRoch，andsentwithoutdelaytoVersailles，where，as
　　before，M。d’Aiguillonwithhistwocolleagueswaitedinmystudy
　　toreceiveandquestiontheprisoner。
　　Cabertwasayoungand
　　handsomeman，whosecountenanceboreevidentmarksofadissolute
　　andprofligatelife。
　　Heconfessed，withoutanydifficulty，that
　　hisonlymeansofgainingalivelihoodwerederivedfromthe
　　generosityofafemalefriend，butwhenhewaspresseduponthe
　　subjectoftheconspiracy，henolongerrepliedwiththesame
　　candour，butmerelyansweredinshortandimpatientnegatives
　　themanyquestionsputtohim，accompaniedwithfervent
　　protestationsofinnocence；adding，thatimplacableenemieshad
　　fabricatedthewholestory，onlythattheymighthaveanopportunity
　　ofwreakingtheirvengeance，byimplicatinghiminit。
　　“Accusenotyourenemies，“criedI，forthefirsttimemingling
　　intheconversation，“butratherblameyourbenefactress；itis
　　madameLorimerwhohasdenouncedyou，andfarfromintendingto
　　harmyoubysodoing，shepurposesdividingwithyouthe100，000
　　livreswhicharetorewardherdisclosures。“
　　Ieasilyfound，bythefrowninglooksdirectedtowardsmebythe
　　threegentlemenpresent，thatIhadbeenguiltyofgreatimprudence
　　insayingsomuch；butCabert，wringinghishands，uttered，with
　　themostdespairingaccent，
　　“Iamlost！
　　andmosthorriblyhastheunfortunatewoman
　　avengedherself。“
　　“Whatwouldyouinsinuate？“
　　“ThatIamthevictimofanenragedwoman，“repliedhe。
　　Heafterwardsexplained，thathehadbeentheloverofmadame
　　Lorimer，buthadbecomeweariedofher，andleftherinconsequence；
　　thatshehadviolentlyresentedthisconduct；and，afterhaving
　　invainsoughttomovehimbyprayersandsupplications，had
　　triedthemosthorriblethreatsandmenaces。
　　“Ioughtnotindeed，“
　　continuedhe，“tohavedespisedthesethreats，forwellIknew
　　thefiendlikemaliceofthewretchedcreature，anddearlydoI
　　payformyimprudence，byfallingintothepitshehasdugforme。“
　　Invainweendeavouredtoinducehimtoholdadifferentlanguage。
　　Hepersistedwithdeterminedobstinacyinhisfirststatement；
　　continuallyprotestinghisowninnocence，andloadingtheauthor
　　ofhiswoeswithbitterimprecations。
　　Itwasdeemedimpossible
　　toallowthismantogoatlarge；accordinglyM。delaVrilliere
　　issueda，whichsenthimthatnighttoseeka
　　lodgingintheBastille。
　　Itwasafterwardsdeemedadvisableto
　　puthimtothetorture，buttheagoniesoftherackwrungfrom
　　him
　　nodeviationfrom，orcontradictionof，whathehadpreviouslyalleged。
　　Theaffairhadnowbecomemysteriousandinexplicable。
　　However，
　　aspeedyterminationwasmostimperativelycalledfor；ifit
　　werepermittedtobecomegenerallyknown，itcouldnotfailof
　　reachingtheearsoftheking，whosehealthwasdailydeclining；
　　andM。deQuesnayhadassuredus，thatinhispresentlanguid
　　state，theshockproducedbynewssoalarming，mightcausehis
　　instantaneousdeath。
　　Whilstweremainedinuncertaintyastoourmodeofproceeding
　　inthebusiness，Cabert，theSwiss，threedaysafterhisadmission
　　intotheBastille，expiredinthemostviolentconvulsions。
　　His
　　bodywasopened，butnotraceofpoisoncouldbediscovered:our
　　suspicionswerehoweverawakened，andwhatfollowedconfirmedthem。
　　MadameLorimerwasarrested。
　　Sheprotestedthatshehadbeen
　　actuatedbynofeelingsofenmityagainstherunfortunatelover，
　　whomshehadcertainlyreproachedforhavingexpendedthemoney
　　shefurnishedhimwithinthesocietyofotherfemales，andtothe
　　angerwhicharosebetweenherselfandCabertontheoccasion
　　couldshealoneascribehisinfamouscalumniesrespectingher；
　　that，forherownpart，shehadneverceasedtolovehim，and，as
　　farassheknew，thatfeelingwasreciprocal；and，inbetraying
　　theconspiracy，herprincipaldesire，nexttotheanxioushopeof
　　preservingtheking，wastomakethefortuneofCabert。
　　She
　　wasconfinedintheBastille，butshedidnotlongremainwithin
　　itswalls；forattheendofafortnightshediedofaninflammatory
　　disease。
　　Herdeathwasmarkedbynoconvulsions，butthetraces
　　ofpoisonwereevident。
　　Thesetwoviolentdeathsoccurringsoimmediatelyoneafter
　　anotherasnottheslightestdoubtexistedthatCaberthad
　　likewisediedofpoisonthrewtheministersintoasadstateof
　　perplexity。
　　Buttowhomcouldtheyimputethedoublecrime
　　unlesstosomeaccomplice，whodreadedwhattheunhappyprisoners
　　mightbetemptedtoreveal。
　　YettheconductoftheJesuitical
　　priestsstatedbymadameLorimertobetheprincipalring-leaders
　　intheplot，althoughexposedtothemostrigorousscrutiny，
　　offerednottheslightestgroundsforsuspicion。
　　Neitherdid
　　theirletterswhichwereallinterceptedatthevariouspost-houses
　　giveanyindicationofatreasonablecorrespondence。
　　M。deSartinescausedtheprivatepapersofthesuspectedparties
　　tobeopenedduringtheirowners’absence，withoutdiscovering
　　anythingwhichcouldcompromisetheircharacter。
　　Iamspeaking，
　　however，ofthefathersCorbin，Berthier，andCerulti，forallour
　　effortscouldnottracefatherDumasthroughoutallParis。
　　Nor
　　wastheinnocenceoftheparliamentarianslessevident；theyvented
　　theirhatredagainsttheministry，andparticularlyagainstM。de
　　Maupeou，inpamphlets，couplets，andepigrams，bothinFrenchand
　　Latin，buttheyhadnoideaofconspiraciesorplots。
　　Andthusterminatedanaffair，whichhadcausedsomuchalarm，
　　andwhichcontinuedforaconsiderableperiodtoengagethe
　　attentionofministers。
　　Howwasthemysterytobeclearedup？
　　Thepoisonedorange-flowerwater，andthesuddendeathsofthe
　　twoprisoners，werefactsdifficulttoreconcilewiththenoless
　　undeniableinnocenceofthethreeaccusedJesuits。
　　Thewhole
　　businesswastomeanincomprehensiblemassofconfusion，in
　　whichincidentsthemosthorribleweremingled。
　　Atlastwe
　　agreedthatthebestandonlythingtobedonewastoconsign
　　theaffairtooblivion；buttherewerecircumstanceswhichdid
　　notsoeasilydepartfromtherecollectionofmyexcellentfriend，
　　themarechaledeMirepoix。
　　“Mydearsoul，“saidshetomeone
　　day，“haveyoueverinquiredwhatbecameofthe100，000livres
　　giventomadameLorimer？
　　shehadnotimetoemploytheminany
　　waybeforeherimprisonmentintheBastille。
　　Yououghttoinquire
　　intowhathandstheyhavefallen。“
　　Ifullycomprehendedthedriftofthisquestion，whichIputto
　　M。deSartinesthefirsttimeIsawhim。
　　“Blessme，“exclaimedhe，“youremindmethatthese100，000
　　livreshavebeenlyinginadrawerinmyoffice。
　　ButIhavesuch
　　aterriblememory。“
　　“Happily，“repliedI，“Ihaveafriendwhosememory
　　isasgood
　　asyoursseemsdefectiveuponsuchoccasions。
　　Itwillnotbe
　　wisetopermitsuchasumtoremainuselesslyinyouroffice:at
　　thesametimeIneednotpointoutthatyou，byyourconductin
　　thelateaffair，havebynomeansearnedarighttothem。“
　　Heattemptedtojustifyhimself；but，interruptinghim，Iexclaimed，
　　“Mygoodfriend，youhavesetupareputationofyourowncreating
　　andinventing；andwellitisyoutooktheofficeuponyourself
　　fornooneelsewouldhavedoneitforyou；butyouperceivehow
　　frailhavebeenitsfoundations；forthemomentyouarecompelled
　　tostanduponyourownresourcesyoufaint，andareeasilyovercome。“
　　Heendeavouredtomakeajokeoftheaffair，butindeeditseemed
　　toaccordasillwithhisnaturalinclinationasdidtherestitution
　　ofthe100，000livres。
　　However，hebroughtthemtomethe
　　followingday，andasIwasexpectingthearrivalofmadamede
　　Mirepoix，Iplacedtheminaporcelainvasewhichstooduponmy
　　chimney-piece。