Hewasnotdeficientinsense，butyetbehavedlikeaboor:
hepassedhistimeinrunningovertheacademies，libraries，and
manufactories:Ineversawsuchanill-bredman。
Imaginehim
embracingmeatourfirstinterview，andcarryingmeinhisarms
asoneofmyvaletswouldhavedone。
Hewasdirty，coarse，and
ill-dressed。
Well，alltheFrenchmenranafterhim；onewould
havesupposedbytheireagernessthattheyhadneverseena
regalcountenance。“
“Yettherewasnooccasiontorunveryfartoseethehandsome
faceofaking。“
“Holdyourtongue，madamelabaronnedePamklek，youareaflatterer。
Thereisacrownedheadwhichforthirtyyearshasdesiredtovisit
France，butIhavealwaysturnedadeafear，andwillresistitas
longaspossible。“
“Who，sire，isthekingsounfortunateastobanishedbyyoufrom
yourmajesty’spresence？“
“Who？
Thekingofphilosophers，therivalofVoltaire，mybrother
ofPrussia。
Ah，mydearbaronne，heisabadfellow；hedetestsme，
andIhavenoloveforhim。
Akingdoeswisely，certainly，tosubmit
hisworkstothejudgmentofaFreron！
Itwouldbeoutrageous
scandalifhecamehere。
Greatandsmallwouldcrowdaroundhim，
andtherewouldnotbetwentypersonsinmytrain。“
“Ah！
sire，doyouthinkso？“
“Iamsureofit。
TheFrenchnow-a-daysdonotcarefortheir
kings，andwillberenewedatanearlyday。
After
all，philosophersbelievethatFrederickIIprotectsthem:the
honestmanlaughsbothatthemandme。“
“Atyou，sire？
Impossible。“
“No，no；Iknowtheimpertinencesheisguiltyoftowardsme:
butlethim。
Iprefermakingmycourttotheprettywomenofmy
kingdominsteadoftomypages。
Youmaydependuponitthatif
hecametoVersailleshewoulddebauchsomeofthem。“
Theking，charmedathavingsaidthismaliciousspeech，rubbed
hishandsagain。
“Really，sire，“Ireplied，“Iamastonishedthatthisprince，
havingsuchdisgustinginclinations，canhavemuch
attachedtohisname。“
“Ah，thatisbecausehehasgreatqualities:hewillnotallow
himselftobecheated。
Doyouknowthatheisacquaintedwith
thedisposalofhisfinancestothelastfarthing？“
“Sire，hemustbeamiser。“
“No，madame，heisamanofmethod。
Butenoughofhim。
Astohis
majestyofDenmark，altho’hewouldhavebeenaswelcometostay
athome，Ishallreceivehimwithasmuchattentionaspossible。
The
kingsofDenmarkandSwedenaremynaturalallies。“
Thekingchangedthesubject，andsaid，“Thereisanabbe，named
laChapelle，whomIthinkhalfcracked。
Heflattershimselfthat
hecan，thro’themediumofsomeapparatus，remainonthewater
withoutsinking。
Hebegsmypermissiontoexhibithisexperiment
beforeme；andifitwouldamuseyou，wewillhavetheexhibition
to-morrow。“
Iacceptedtheking’sproposalwithpleasure。
Onthenextdaywewentinabodytotheterraceofthechateau。
Thekingwasnearmewithhishatinhishand；theducdeDuras
gavemehisarm。
M。l’abbewaitedusinaboat:heflunghimself
bodilyintothewater，dressedinasortofcork-jacket，movedin
anydirectioninthewater，drank，ate，andfiredoffagun。
Sofar
allwentoffwell，butthepoorabbe，toclosetheaffair，wrotea
lettertotheking。
Theletterwascarriedingreatpomptohis
majesty。
ItcontainedtwoversesofRacine，whichhadsome
doubleallusiontotheexperiment。
This，youmaybesure，was
interpretedintheworstmanner。
Theducd’Ayengavethefinishing
stroketothewhole，onhisopinionbeingaskedbytheking。
“Sire，“saidhe，“suchmenoughttobethrownintothewater；but
allwecanwishforthemis，thattheyshouldremainthere。“
Theabbewasnotmorefortunateintheevening。
Hepresented
himselfatsupper，butthekingdidnotaddressawordtohim，and
hewascompelledtobearthemaliciousjokesofthecourtiers。
But
letusleaveChoisyandtheexperimentalist，andreturntoVersailles
andmyself。
Myfriendswereexcessivelydesirousformypresentation，which
woulddecidemypositionatthechateau。
AsyetIonlyhadan
equivocalexistence，havingrankneitheratplay，theatre，orpublic
festival；sothatifthekingshouldbecapriciousIcouldbe
dismissedasoneofthedemoisellesofthe。
The
ducd’Aiguillon，whoseattachmenttomeincreased，calculated
accuratelyalltheadvantagesofthispresentation。
Itwouldplace
meonthesamefootingwithmadamedePompadour，andcompel
theministerstocomeandworkwithme。
Thedukedidnotdoubt
butthatM。deChoiseulwouldrefusetopayhistome，
andthathisresistancewouldleadtohisfall。
Butformy
presentation，itwasnecessarynotonlythatthekingshould
consent，forofthatIwascertain，butthatheshoulddesireit，
andhisdesirecouldnotbedependedon。
LouisXVwasexcessivelytimid:withanairwhichappearedofa
dreadnaughtquality，hewasfearfulatheart。
Theclamorsof
Versailleskepthiminalarm；andhekeptathisowncourtand
atforeigncourtssecretagents，whoseonlycarewastoreport
tohimthecomplaintsofthepeopleandthesarcasmsandsatires
ofsociety。
Thekingwasattachedtothem；andwhentheforceof
circumstancescompelledhimtoabandonthem，hestillsupported
themclandestinelywithallhispower。
AproofofwhatIadvance
maybeknownasregardsthechevalierorchevaliered’Eon，Iknow
notwhich。
Butthesesecretagentswere，unknowntotheking，all
devotedtotheparliaments，andconsequentlyinimicaltocourtiers，
favorites，andespeciallymistresses。
Godknows
howtheydisposed
ofus！
Bytheseunpropitiouschannelsthekinghadlearntallthe
hatredwhichwasbornetomadamedePompadour。
Hewasafraidof
excitingthediscontentofthepeoplebyannouncinganothermistress，
andwasnolessintimidatedattheseverityofmadameLouise，and
theill-humorofhisotherchildren。
Helovedhispleasuremuch，
buthiseasemore。
ComteJean，whowasrestrainedbynoconsiderations，advisedme
tooverleapalldifficulty，byaskingthekingmyselfforthefavor
whichIcoveted。
Hisadviceseemedrational，andIwasbesides
urgedontodoso。
Eachdaybroughttomeimpertinencessaidof
mebythenobleladiesofthechateau。
Ilearntthattheyboasted
thatIshouldneversetfootinthegreatapartments，butshould
remaintheobscuremistressoftheking。
Thismademeimpatient，
andbydegreesdeprivedmeofmynaturalgaiety。
Onedaywhenthekingwaswithme，heperceivedmywantofspirits。
“Whatailsyou？“
saidbe，withthegreatestsolicitude。
“Whatailsme！“
repliedI，“IwishIweredead，ratherthansee
myselfthebuttofallthescandalofthefoul-mouthedgossips
ofyourcourt。“
Theking，suspectingtheconfidenceIwasabouttoreposeinhim，
wassorryhehadaskedforit，andwassilent。
Hebegantoplay
atattoowithhisfingersonthechimney-piece。
Atthismoment
mademoiselleChoncamein。
Theking，delightedatseeingher，
instantlyinquiredintoherstateofhealth。
She，afteraprofound
reverence，said，
“Sire，howcanIbewellwhenthereistroubleinmyfamily？“
“Ah，！
whatisthis？“
saidhe，turningtome。
“Iaminsulted，hooted:theysaythatIhavethemisfortunetobe
nolongerinthegoodgracesofyourmajesty。“
“Ah，tellthemtheylieintheirthroats，“repliedtheking，
kissingmeontheforehead；“youarethewomanofmyheart，and
shewhomIwouldfainloadwithhonors。