wasconductedintothesameapartmentasbefore，whereIfound
thesamefemaleswhohadthenassistedatmytoilet*againprepared
tolendtheiraid；andfromthismomentIhadaregular
establishmentofattendantsappointedformyuse。
*Awordofwhichthemeaninghasgreatlychangedover
thelasttwocenturies。
Hereitmeansputtingonher
clothing，makeup，jewelry，andsoforth。
Throughmost
ofthisbookitisspelled“toilette。“——Gutenberged。
Themomentthekingwasinformedofmyarrival，unabletorestrain
hisimpatience，hehastenedtometoassistatmydressingtable，
andhecontinuedstandingbesidemesolongastheoperation
lasted；Ifeltgreatlyembarrassed，notknowingwhetherIdurst
takethelibertyofrequestinghimtobeseated。
However，my
silenceonthesubjectwasgreatlyadmired，andascribedtomy
perfectacquaintancewithpolishedlife，wheninrealityit
originatedfrommeretimidity。
Mytriumphwascomplete；the
monarchsmiledatandadmiredeverywordasitfellfrommylips，
kissedmyhands，andplayedwiththecurlsofmylonghair，
sportivelytwistinghisfingersamidstmyflowingringletswith
allthevivacityofaloveroftwenty。
Thecompanyuponthis
eveningwasdifferentfromthatoftheformeroccasion，consisting
oftheducdeDuras，firstgentlemanofthebedchamber，andthe
ducd’Ayen，whohadthereputationofbeingagreatwit；however，
inmyopinion，hewasmuchmoredeservingthecharacterofareal
fiend；hisverybreathwaspoisonous，andhistouchvenomousas
thebiteofanadder。
IwellrememberwhatM。deFleurysaidof
himtothekinginmypresence。
“Sire，“saidhe，“thethingI
mostdreadintheworldnexttoabitefromM。d’Ayen，isthe
biteofamaddog。“
Formyownpart，Ididnotintheendlook
uponhimwithlessterror，andwellhepaidmeformyfears。
Upononeoccasion，whenthekingwasspeakingofmetohim，he
said，“IamwellawarethatIsucceedSt。Foix。“
“Yes，sire“；repliedtheduke，“inthesamemannerasyourmajesty
succeedsPharamond！“
Ineverforgavehimthosewords，dictatedbyafiendishmalice。
However，upontheeveningofmyfirstintroductiontohim，he
behavedtomewiththemostmarkedpoliteness。
Iwasthenan
objectofnoconsequencetohisinterests，andhisvisionhadnot
yetrevealedtohimtheheightIwasdestinedtoattain。
Helooked
uponmebutasoneofthosemeteorswhichsparkledandshonein
thecastleatVersaillesfortwenty-fourhours，andsanktorise
nomore。
TheducdeDuraswasnotanill-disposedperson，butinconceivably
stupid；indeed，witwasbynomeansafamilyinheritance。
Both
fatherandson，goodsortofpeopleinotherrespects，werefor
eversayingordoingsomegoodthinginsupportoftheirreputation
forstupidityatcourt。
Onedaythekingquitejokinglyinquired
oftheducdeDuras，whatwasdonewiththeoldmoons。
“Upon
myword，sire，“repliedhe，“Icangiveyounoidea，neverhaving
seen，butwithyourmajesty’spermission，Iwillendeavortolearn
fromM。deCassini*！“
Tosuchapitchdidthepoorman’ssimplicity
extend。
Bothfatherandsonwerenominatedtoattendthekingof
Denmark，whenonhisroadtovisitFrance。
Thekingobservedto
apersonwhorepeatedittome:“TheFrencharegenerallystyled
aclever，wittynation；IcannotsayIshouldeverhavebeenable
todiscoverit，hadIbeentemptedtoformmyopinionfromthe
specimentheyhavesentme。“
*Theroyalastronomer——Gutenberged。
AsfarasIamconcerned，aftersayingsomanyunfavorablethings
oftheMessrs。
deDuras，Imustdothemthejusticetosay，that
theirconducttowardsmewaseverythingthatcouldbedesired。
Iwasalwaysgladtoseethem；itgavemyownimaginationasort
ofsedativedosetoconversewiththesetwosimple-mindedbeings，
whoseinterestsIwasalwaysreadytopromotebyeverymeansin
mypower，andItrustthememoryofwhatIhavedonewillbe
longrememberedbythenoblehouseofDuras。
Thissupperdidnotpassoffsogailyastheformerone。
Theduc
deDurasspokeaslittleaspossible，inthedreadofmakingsome
unluckyspeech，andtheducd’Ayensatdevouringthespleenhe
couldnotgiveventto，andmeditatingfreshobjectsuponwhom
toexercisehismalignity；hevainlyendeavoredtoleadmeonto
makesomeridiculousobservation，butwithoutsuccess；happily
forhim，thekingdidnotperceivehisaim。
Myroyalloverwas
indeedsoentirelyengrossedbyme，thathelostalltheduke’s
manoeuvres；histransportsappearedtoomuchforhissensesto
sustain，andhevowedthatIshouldneverquithimmore，but
remaintobeelevatedbyhispowertothefirstplaceatcourt。
Atthemonarch’ssign，thetwoguestswithdrew。
Whentheducd’Ayenquittedtheroom，’Thatnoblemanisbyno
meanstomytaste，“saidItotheking，“hehastheairofaspy，
whowishesmenogood。“
“Doyoureallythinkso，mylovelycomtesse？“
“Iamcertainofit；andIalreadyshudderatthebareanticipation
ofanenemyhavingaccesstoyourmajesty’sear。“
“Reassureyourself，“saidtheking，withtheutmosttenderness，
“inmeyouhaveasuredefender，whowillneverforsakeyou；look
uponmefromthisminuteasyournaturalprotector，andwoeto
himonwhoseheadyourdispleasureshallfall。“
Afterthisconversationthekingandmyselfretiredtorest，and
whenhequittedmeinthemorning，heentreatedmenottoreturn
toParis，buttogivehimmycompanyforawholeweek。
Lebel
madehisappearancetobegIwouldconsidermyselfmistressof
theapartmentsIoccupied，andthathehadreceivedordersto
providemewithanestablishmentuponthemosthandsomescale。
ThatverydayHenriette，whomIhadsentfor，andinstitutedas
myheadwaiting-woman，informedme，thatanoldgentleman，attired
astho’foragrandgala，butwhorefusedtosendinhisname，
beggedtobepermittedtopayhisrespects。
Ibadeheradmit
him；itwastheducdeRichelieu。
“Madamelacomtesse，“saidhe，bowinglow，“Icometocomplain
ofyourwantofcondescension；unless，indeed，yourmemoryhas
beenatfault。
WasitpossiblethatwhenIhadthehonorof
suppingwithyoutheothernight，youdidnotrecollectyour
formeroldfriend？“
“If，indeed，myforgetfulnesswereafault，monsieurlemarechal，
itwasoneinwhichyouboreanequalshare；youwerenotmore
forwardthanmyselfindisplayingmarksofrecognition。“
“Thataroseonlyfromthedazzlingincreaseofyourbeauty。
Youwerebutanymphwhenlastmyeyeshadbeheldyou，andnow
youarematuredintoagoddess。“
Thedukethenmadesomeslightallusiontothefamilyofmadame
Lagarde，butguessingwithhisadmirabletact，thatsuch
reminiscencescouldnotbeparticularlyagreeabletome，he
dexterouslyturnedtheconversation，byrequestingpermissionto
presenttomehisnephew，theducd’Aiguillon，thathemightleave
aworthysubstituteandchampionnearthekingwhenstateaffairs
calledhimintoGascony；hecravedmykindofficestoobtainthe
intimateacquaintanceofcomteJean。
Theyweresubsequentlyat
daggersdrawnwitheachother，butthishaughtyoverbearinglord
conductedhimselfatfirstwiththemostabjectservility。
The
thirdfavorhehadtosolicitwasthatIwouldnamehimtothe
kingasfrequentlyasopportunitiesoccurredtoformoneofour
supperparties。
AllthisIengagedtodo，norindeedcouldI
refuseaftertheviolentprotestationsoffriendshiphemademe。
“Youwill，erelong，“saidhe，“seethewholecourtatyourfeet，
butbewareofconsideringthemallasyourfriends；haveacare，
aboveall，oftheduchessedeGrammont。
Shehasbeenlong
endeavoringtoobtaintheking’saffections，andshewillsee
withhatredandfuryanothermoreworthyengrossingtheplace
shehassovainlycontendedfor；sheandherimpertinentbrother
willcallintheaidofthedevilhimselftodispossessyouofyour
elevatedseat；youarelostifyoudonottwistboththeirnecks。“
“How，monsieurlemarechal，shallImarkmycareerbyamurder？“
“Youtakemetooliterally；IonlymeanthatinyourplaceI
wouldnotbeatthetroubleofkeepinganytermswiththem。“
“Ah，monsieurleduc，Iunderstandyounow；yetitseemsabad
augurytohavetobeginmyreignbycabalsandintrigues。“
“Alas！
myfaircomtesse，youaretoogood，tooguilelessfora
courtlife；betweenourselvesweareallhypocritesmoreorless；
mistrusteveryone，eventhosemakethefinestprotestations。“
“Inthatcasethefirstobjectofmysuspicionwouldbemyold
andesteemedfriendthemarechaldeRichelieu。“
“Ah，madame！
thisisnotfairusage，thustoturnmyweapons
againstmyself，andtofightmewithmyownarms。“
Uponthisthedukequittedme，andscarcelyhadhelefttheroom，
whentheduclaVauguyonentered。
Thisgentlemanofferedmeno
advice；hecontentedhimselfbystylingtheJesuitshis“verygood
friends，“andcontinuallyturningtheconversationupontheir
merits。
Iallowedhimtoexpresshisattachment，without
interruption，forthesedisagreeablemen，whomIdetermined
inmyownmindtohavenothingtodowith，recollectingallIhad
heardoftheirdisliketooursex。
Afteranhourpassedinamusing
talk，theducdelaVauguyonretired，wellpleasedwithhisvisit，
andhisplacewasimmediatelysuppliedbycomteJean，towhomI
communicatedallthathadpassedbetweenmylatevisitorsandmyself。
“Forheaven’ssake，“saidhe，“letusnotbethedupesofthese
greatlords；beforewerangeourselvesunderthebannersofeither
ofthemletussecureourownfooting；letuswaittillyou
arepresented。“
“But，mygoodfriend，Imustbeamarriedladytoobtainthathonor。“
“Andsoyouwillbeshortly，donotbeuneasyaboutthat。