“Well，sir，whatthinkyouofourcelestialbeauty？“
“Sheisworthyofathrone，“repliedLebel，bendinghishead
beforeme，andtakingmyhand，whichhepressedrespectfullyto
hislips。
Thisreplywas，perhaps，inadvertentlymade，butItook
itasagoodaugury。
“Yes，“addedLebel，“youarethemostlovely
creatureIevermet，thoughnooneismoreinthehabitofseeing
handsomefemalesthanmyself。“
“Andofcausingthemtobeseenbyothers，“repliedcomteJean。
ThiswasanopeningwhichwasnotfollowedupbyLebel。
His
firstenthusiasmhavingpassed，hemeasuredmefromheadtofoot，
asifhewouldtakeanaccuratedescriptionofmyperson。
FormypartIbegantosupportthelooksofLebelwithmoreassurance。
Hewasamanofnoparticular“markorlikelihood，“buthadmade
hisway。
LivingatVersailleshadgivenhimacertainairofeasy
impertinence，butyoucouldnotdiscoveranythingdistinguished
inhismanners，nothingwhichconcealedhishumbleextraction。
The
directionofthegavehimmuchinfluencewiththe
king，whofoundtheconvenienceofsuchaman，whowaswilling
totakeuponhimselfallthedisagreeablepartofhisclandestine
amours。
Hisdutiesplacedhimincontactwiththeministers，the
lieutenantofpolice，andthecomptroller-general。
Thehighest
nobilitysoughthisfriendshipwithavidity。
Theyallhadawife，
asister，adaughter，whomtheywishedtomakethefavorite
sultana；andforthisitwasnecessarytogettheearofLebel。
Thus，underalibertineprince，thedestiniesofFrancewere
atthemercyofa。
Ishouldtellyou，however，thatIneverhadoccasionbutto
speakwellofhim，andthatIhavetheutmostgratitudeforall
hedidforme。
Theattachmenthetestifiedonourfirstmeeting
hasneverbeenaltered。
Hegavemehisprotectionasfarasit
wasnecessaryforme，andwhenthefavorofthekinghadaccorded
tomeastation，whenceallthecourtsoughttohurlme，Lebel
secondedmewithallhispowerinmyeffortstopreserveit。
I
willsay，thatitistohisvigilancethatIowetheoverthrowof
morethanoneconspiracyagainstme。
Hewasawarmandsincere
friend，andnotatallinterestedintheservicesherendered。
He
didagreatdealofgood，aswellasharm，inprivate。
Iknow
poorfamilieswhomhehasassistedwithhisownpurse，whenhe
couldobtainnothingforthemfromtheking，forLouiswasonly
prodigalinhispleasures。
However，wedined，andLebelpraisedmeincessantlytothevery
skies，andthatwithsomuchwarmth，thatIwasfearfulatonetime
hewouldfallinlovewithmehimself，andwouldnotresignmeto
another。
Thankheaven，Lebelwasafaithfulservant。
Afterdinner，whenweleftthetable，Lebelpaidmesome
compliments；thenpullingouthiswatch，hespokeofan
appointmentattheMarais，andleftwithoutsayingawordof
seeingusagain。
Atthisabruptdeparture，comteJeanandIlookedateachother
withastonishment。
AsforMorand，hewasoverjoyed。
“Well，comtesse，“saidhe，“beholdthenumberofyourslaves
increasedbyanillustriousadorer。
Youhavemadeaconquestof
M。Lebel，andIamcertainhehasgoneawaydeeplysmitten。“
“Ihopeweshallseehimagain，“saidcomteJean。
“Doyoudoubtit？“
“Assurehim，“saidI，“ofthepleasureitwillaffordusto
receivehimashemerits。“
Severalpersonsentered，andM。Morand，profitingbythebustle
whichtheirentranceoccasioned，approachedme，andsaid，ina
lowtone，
“Youareinpossessionofhisheart，willyouchargemewith
anymessagetohim？“
“M。Morand，“wasmyreply，“whatareyouthinkingof？
A
womanofmyrankthrowherselfatanyperson’shead？“
“No，certainlynot；butyoucansendhimakindword，orsome
affectionatetoken。“
“Icouldnotthinkofit；M。Lebelappearedtomeamostagreeable
man，andIshallbeatalltimesdelightedtoseehim。“
Morandaskednothingmorethanthis，andthereourconversationended。
Twodayselapsedwithoutbeingmarkedbyanyevent。
ComteJean
hadspentthemwithmuchanxiety。
Hewasabsent，when，onthe
thirdmorning，Henriettecamehastilyintomyroom。
“Madame，“she
said，“theofthekingisinthedrawing-room，
andinquiresifyouwillreceivehim。“
AtthisnewsIwassurprisedandvexed。
M。Lebeltookmeunawares；
mytoilettewasnotbegun。
Igaveahastyglanceatmymirror，“Let
M。Lebelcomein“；andM。Lebel，whowasontheheelsofmymaid，
enteredinstantly。
Afterhavingsalutedme，hesaid，
“Itisonlyyou，Madame，whomonemightthussurprise。
Your
beautyneedsnoornament，yourcharmsaredecorationsufficient。“
Irepliedtothiscomplimentwithofcoursemuchmodesty，
accordingtocustom。
Weenteredintoconversation，andIfound
thatLebelreallythoughtmethesister-in-lawofcomteJean；and
Iremarkedtheinvoluntaryrespectthatattendedevenhisfamiliarity。
Ilefthiminhiserror，whichwasmaterialtomyinterests。
He
talkedtomesometimeofmyattractions，ofthepartwhicha
femalelikemyselfmightassumeinFrance。
Butfearingto
compromisemyself，Imadenoreply，butpreservedthereserve
whichmycharacterimposeduponme。
Iamnotclever，myfriend，
Inevercouldconductanintrigue:Ifearedtospeakordowrong；
andwhilstIkeptatranquilappearance，Iwasinternallyagitated
attheabsenceofcomteJean。
Fortunesenthimtome。
Hewaspassingthestreet，whenhesaw
atourdooracarriagewiththeroyallivery。
Lebelalwaysused
itwhenhisaffairsdidnotdemandapositiveincognito。
This
equipagemadehimsuspectavisitfromLebel，andhecamein
opportunelytoextricatemefrommyembarrassment。
“Sir，“saidLebeltohim，whenheentered，“hereisthelady
whoseextrememodestyrefusestolistentowhatIdarenot
thusexplaintoher。“
“IsitanythingImayhearforher？“
saidthecomte，
withasmilingair。
“Yes，Iamtheambassadorofamightypower:youarethe
ministerplenipotentiaryofthelady，andwithyourleave，we
willgointoyourprivateroomtodiscussthearticlesofthe
secrettreatywhichIhavebeenchargedtoproposetoyou。
Whatsaysmadame？“
“Iconsenttoanythingthatmaycomefromsuchan
ambassador。“
ComteJeaninstantlyledhimintoanotherroom，andwhenthey
werealone，Lebelsaidtohim，“Doyouknowthatyoursister-in-
lawisamostfascinatingcreature？
Shehasoccupiedmythoughts
sinceIhaveknownher，andinmyenthusiasmIcouldnothelp
speakingofherinacertainquarter。
SohighlyhaveIeulogized
her，thathismajestydesiresaninterviewwithher，thathemay
judgewithhisowneyesifIamanappreciatorofbeauty。“
AtthesewordscomteJeanfeltamomentaryagitation，butsoon
recoveringhimself，hereplied:
“Iamexceedinglyobligedtoyou，sir，forthefavorabledisposition
youhaveevincedtowardsthecomtesseduBarry。
SheandIhave
asmuchrespectasloveforhismajesty；butmysister-in-lawhas
notbeenpresented，and，consequently，Icanscarcelyseehow
shecanbeallowedtopayherrespectstohismajesty。“
“Donotletthatdisturbyou；itisnotintendedthatsheshallgo
andpartakeofthemagnificenceofVersailles，butbeadmitted
toanintimacymuchmoreflattering。
Wouldyourefusetogrant
himthatpleasure？“
“Itwouldbeacrimeof，“saidthecomteJean，
laughing，“andmyfamilyhavetoomuchrespectfortheirmonarch。
Weshouldnotbecontentwithafugitivefavor。“
“Youmayexpecteverythingfromthecharmsofthecomtesse；Iam
certaintheywillhavetheutmostsuccess；butforme，Icangive
younoguarantee。
Youmustrunthechance。“
“Yourprotection，however，istheonlythingwhichencouragesmy
sister-in-lawinthisaffair。
Buttellmewhenisthismeetingto
takeplace？“
“Instantly。
ThekingisimpatienttoseethecomtesseandIhave
promisedthatshewillsupwithhimto-morroweveninginmy
apartmentatVersailles。“
“Howisshetobeintroducedtotheking？“
“Iamtoentertainfourofmyfriends。“
“Whoarethey？“
“’First，thebarondeGonesse。“
“Whoishe？“
“Thekinghimself。“
“Well，whonext？“
“TheducdeRichelieu。“
“Whoelse？“
“ThemarquisdeChauvelin。“
“Well？“
“TheducdelaVauguyon。“
“What，thedevotee？“
“Thehypocrite。
Butnevermind:themainpointis，thatyoumust
notappeartorecognizetheking。
Instructyoursister-in-lawto