Itmustbeconfessedthatwesometimeskeptverybad
companyatVersailles。
Theking，whoabhorreddegradingactions，
didnotliketheducdeFronsac，butwasfullofkindlyfeeling
towardstheducd’Aiguillon。
Thelatterexperiencedtheextent
ofhisfavorinhislongandobstinatestrugglewiththeparliament
ofBretagne。
Itmustbeowned，thatifhegainedthevictoryat
court，hedecidedlylostitinthecity，andIwaspublicly
insultedonthisaccountinthemostbrutalmanner。
However，
thefriendshipwhichhisfirstinterviewinspiredmewith，Ihave
alwayspreservedunaltered。
Theweekglidedaway，andeachdaymyfortuneseemedmorefully
assured。
Theloveofthekingincreased，heheapedpresentson
meperpetually，andseemedtothinkhenevercoulddoenoughfor
me。
ThebountiesofLouisXVwereknown，andinstantlyaroused
againstmethetwoenemieswithwhomIhadbeenthreatened——the
ducdeChoiseulandtheduchessedeGrammont，hissister。
Imust
say，however，that，atfirst，thebrothercontentedhimselfwith
despisingme，buttheduchessewasfurious；Ihadoffendedher
feminineself-love，andshecouldnotforgiveme。
Ihavetoldyou
thatsheobtainedpossessionofthekingbystratagem。
Thisis
fact。
Shewasinaplaceofconcealmentduringaregaldebauch，
andwhenLouisleftthetable，withhisheadheatedbywine，she
awaitedhiminhisbedtocommitasortofviolenceonhim。
What
curiousambition！
Assoonasthisnobleladylearnedmyposition，
shewasdesirousofknowingwhoIwas，andIhavebeentold
sinceallthemeasuresshetooktolearnthis。
Shedidnot
confinehersearchtothecircleofVersailles，buthastenedto
prosecuteherinquiriesinPariswithM。deSartines。
The
lieutenantofpolicenotsuspectingthefavorthatawaitedme，
aswellasthatwhichIalreadyenjoyed，andontheotherhand
persuadedofthatoftheChoiseulfamily，setallhisbloodhounds
onmytraces。
Theydidnotfailtobringhimbackathousand
horribletalesaboutme，withwhichhegratifiedtheduchesse，
who，thinkingtherebytodomeasevereinjury，spreadinthe
chateauamultitudeofprejudicialtalesagainstme，hopingthat
theywouldreachtheearsofthekinganddisgusthimwithhis
amour。
Itwasatthisjuncturethatappearedinthe““thoseinfamousarticles，collectedinwhattheycall
theCollectionofBachaumont。
Fromthesamesourceproceeded
thesongswhichfilledParis，andweresung
abouteverywhere。
Thesescandalsproducednoothereffectthan
increasingtheattachmentwhichthekinghadforme，andto
diminishthatwhichhefeltfortheducdeChoiseul。
Passionneverreasons；ifithadcommonsense，itwouldperceive
thatitcannotdisgustaloverbyvilifyinghismistress，but，on
thecontrary，interestshisself-loveinsupportingher。
Thus
alltheseintriguesscathedmenot；Ididnotmentiontomy
counsellorcomteJeananinsultwhichImetwithinthepark
atVersaillesfrommadamedeGrammont。
Ididnottellittothe
king，notwishingtocreateanydisturbanceatcourt。
Iavenged
myselfbymyself，andthinkIconductedmyselfremarkablywell
inthisadventure，whichwasasfollows:
IwaswalkinginthegardenwithHenriette，whohadgivenmeher
arm；itwasearlyinthemorning，andthewalksappearedsolitary。
WewalkedtowardsthesideoftheIled’Amour，whenwe
heardthestepsoftwopersonswhocamebehindus。
Henriette
turnedherheadandthensaidtome，“HerearemesdamesdeBrionne
anddeGrammont。“
Iknewthelatterbutveryslightly，andthe
formernotatall。
Certainlyshecouldnothavebeenthereby
chance；theyknewIshouldbethere，andwishedtoseemeclosely。
Notsuspectingwhatwastofollow，Iwasdelightedattherencontre。
Theypasseduswithheaderect，haughtyair；lookedatmewitha
disdainfulstare，laughedrudelyandwalkedaway。
Altho’such
behavioroffendedme，itdidnotputmeoutofhumor；Ithought
itverynaturalformadamedeGrammonttobeirritatedagainstme。
Henriettehadlessmagnanimity。
Sherepeatedsooftenhow
impertinentitwasthustoinsultafemalehonoredbythebounties
oftheking，andsofarexcitedmyfeelings，thatinsteadof
returningasprudencesuggested，Ifollowedthestepsofthese
ladies。
IdidnotproceedfarbeforeIrejoinedthem；theywere
seatedonabench，awaitingmyarrivalasitappeared。
Ipassed
closetothem，andatthatmomenttheduchessedeGrammont，
raisinghervoice，said，
“Itmustbeaprofitablebusinesstosleepwitheverybody。“
Iwasexcessivelynettled，andinstantlyretorted，“AtleastI
cannotbeaccusedofmakingaforcibleentryintoanyperson’s
bed。“
Thearrowwenttothemarkandpenetrateddeeply。
The
wholecountenanceoftheduchesseturnedpale，exceptherlips，
whichbecameblue。
Shewouldhavesaidsomethingfoolish，but
madamedeBrionne，morecoolbecausetouchedlessnearly，placed
herhandoverhercompanion’smouth。
Iinmyturnwalkedaway
withHenriette，laughingtilltearscameintomyeyesatthis
pleasingvictory。
TheduchessedeGrammont，whohadnofurtherinclinationtolaugh，
toldthewholetoherbrother。
He，wholovedherexcessively，too
muchsoperhaps，reprimandedher，nevertheless，andpointedout
toherthedisadvantageinanopenstrugglewithme。
Madamede
Brionnewasenjoinedtosecrecy，butthatdidnotpreventherfrom
confidingtheaffairtothedowagerduchessed’Aiguillon。
Thislatterwasaladyofmostsuperiormerit，unitingtomuch
witmoresolidacquirements。
ShespokeEnglishlikeanative。
Herdeath，whichhappenedin1772，wasagreatmisfortunetoher
son，towhomshegavethemostexcellentcounsel。
Shetoldmy
adventuretoherdaughter-in-law，who，excessivelyambitious，saw，
withoutanypain，theincreasingattachmentofherhusbandfor
me。
Imusttellyou，inaparenthesis，thatIalwayslivedonthe
besttermswithher，andthat，inmydisgrace，herfriendshipdid
notweaken。
Imustdoherthisjustice。
Allmy
havenotbeenequallyfaithfultowardsme。
Thesetwoladiesknowingthisoccurrence，theducd’Aiguillonwas
notlongkeptinignorancethatsomethinghadhappened。
Hecame
inhastetoseeme，andinquiredwhatitwas。
Butheaskedinvain，
Iwouldnottellhim。
Mysecrecyhurthim，andonhisreturnhome
hewrotetome。
AsIhavegreatpleasureintellingyouallthat
recallsthisamiablegentlemantomymind，Iwilltranscribehis
letter，whichwillgiveyouanopportunityofjudgingoftheturn
ofhismind。