First，themarechaledeLuxembourg，one；then——“
“ThenthecomtessedeChoiseul，mysister-in-law，“addedthe
duke；“weknowitaswellasyou，sir。
Butthisisnotthematter
inquestion。
Youarenotignorantthatourenemiessurroundthis
madameduBarry；anditisofyouralliancewiththemthat
Icomplain。“
“Youseeeverythingwithajaundicedeye，monsieurleduc。
But
ifyoufeartheinfluenceofthisladywiththeking，whydoyou
notpresentyourselfatherapartments？
Shewouldbedelighted
toreceiveyou。“
“No，no！“
criedtheduchess，“mybrotherwillneverpresent
himselftosuchacreature。
Ifhewoulddegradehimselfsolow，
IwouldneverforgivehimaslongasIlive。
Sinceyoushow
yourgratitudeforwhathasbeendoneforyoubyleaguingyourself
withthiswoman，tellherfrommethatIdetesther，andthatIwill
neverrestuntilIhavesentherbackagaintoherdunghill。“
“Madame，“repliedthechancellor，“Iwillevincemygratitudeto
thedukebynotdeliveringsuchamessage“；andthechancellor
wentout。
M。
deMaupeoucametotellmethewholeofthisconversation，
whichwrotedownunderhisdictation，thatImightshow
ittotheking。
Youwillseeinmynextletterwhatresultedfrom
allthis，andhowtheill-timedenmityoftheChoiseulsservedmy
interestsmostmaterially。
CHAPTERXI
AwordconcerningtheduchessedeChoiseul——Theapartmentofthe
ComtedeNoailles——TheNoailles——Intriguesforpresentation——The
comtedeBearn——M。Morandoncemore——VisitofthecomtesseBearn
tothecomtesseduBarry——Conversation——Interestedcomplaisance
ThekingandthecomtesseduBarry——Disputeandreconciliation
Ishowedthekingthisconversation，inwhichIhadsoshamefully
vilifiedbytheduchessedeGrammont。
LouisXVwasverymuch
inclinedtotestifyhisdisapprobationtothislady，butwaswithheld
bytheconsiderationhefeltforthedukeandparticularlythe
duchessedeChoiseul。
Thislatterladywasnotbelovedbyher
husband，buthernoblequalities，hergoodheart，madeheran
objectofadorationtothewholecourt。
Youcouldnotspeakto
anypersonofmadamedeChoiseul
withouthearinganeulogiumin
reply。
Thekinghimselfwasfullofrespecttowardsher；somuch
so，that，onthedisgraceoftheduke，heinsomesortaskedher
pardonforthechagrinwhichhehadcausedher。
Goodconductis
noclaimtoadvancementatcourt，butitprocurestheesteemof
thecourtiers。
Remember，myfriend，thismoralmaxim:thereis
notoneofgreatertruthinmywholejournal。
Theking，unabletointerposehisauthorityinawoman’squarrel，
wasyetdeterminedongivingastrikingproofoftheattachment
heboretome。
IhaduptothisperiodoccupiedLebel’sapartments
inthechateau:itwasnotbefittingmystation，andtheking
thoughthewouldgivemethoseofmadamedePompadour，towhich
Ihadsomeclaim。
Thisapartmentwasnowoccupiedbythecomte
deNoailles，governorofthechateau，who，asgreatfoolasthe
restofhisfamily，begantoexclaimmostlustilywhentheking’s
willwascommunicatedtohim。
Hecametohismajestycomplaining
andlamenting。
Thekinglistenedveryquietlytohislistof
grievances；andwhenhehadmoanedandgroanedouthisdolorous
tale，hismajestysaidtohim，
“Mydearcount，whobuiltthechateauofVersailles？“
“Why，sire，yourillustriousgrandfather。“
“Well，then，asIamathome，Imeantobemaster。
Youmay
establishtheseatofyourgovernmentwhereyouwill；butintwo
hourstheplacemustbefree。
Iaminearnest。“
ThecomtedeNoaillesdepartedmuchdisconcerted，tookawayhis
furniture，andthesameeveningIinstalledmyselfintheapartments。
Youmustthinkthatthiswasafreshcauseofchagrin，andcreated
memoreenemies。
Therearecertainfamilieswholookuponthe
courtastheirhereditarydomain:theNoailleswasoneofthem。
However，thereisnogroundsofpretensiontosucharight。
TheirfamilytookitsrisefromacertainAdhemardeNoailles，
ofToulouse，ennobled，accordingtoallappearance，
bytheexerciseofhischargein1459。
Thegrandfatherofthese
NoailleswasadomesticofM。deTurenne’s，andhisfamilywas
patronizedatcourtbymadamedeMaintenon。
Everybodyknows
this。
Buttoreturntomypresentation。
M。deMaupeou，whosegoodservicesIcanneversufficiently
vaunt，cametomeoneday，andsaid，“IthinkthatIhavefound
alady。
Ihaveadameofqualitywhowilldo
whatwewant。“
“Whoisit？“
saidI，withjoy。
“Acomtessed’Escarbagnas，alitigiouslady，withmuchambition
andavarice。
Youmustseeher，talkwithher，andunderstand
eachother。“
“Butwherecanweseeher？“
“Thatiseasyenough。
SheclaimsfromthehouseofSalucesa
propertyofthreehundredthousandlivres:sheisverygreedyfor
money。
Sendsomeonetoher，whoshallwhisperinherearthat
Iseeyouoften，andthatyourprotectioncanservehergreatlyin
herlawsuit:shewillcometoyouposthaste。“
Iapprovedthecounselofthechancellor；and，inconcertwith
comteJean，IonceagainmadeuseoftheministryofthegoodM。
Morand，whomIhadrecompensedlargelyforhisgoodandloyal
services。
Thiswas，however，thelastheeverrenderedme；forI
learnedsomemonthsaftermypresentationthathehaddiedof
indigestion:adeathworthyofsuchalifeandsuchaman。
M。Morand，afterhavingfoundouttheattorneyofmadamethe
comtessedeBearn，wenttohimundersomepretext，andthen
boastedofmyvastinfluencewiththechancellor。
Thelawyer，to
whommadamedeBearnwastopayavisitonthatveryday，did
notfailtorepeatwhatM。Morandhadtoldhim。
Thenextdaythe
comtesse，likeatruelitigant，calleduponhim:sherelatedher
affairtohim，andbeggedhimtousehisinterestwithme。
“Iwoulddoitwithpleasure，“saidtheworthy，“ifIdidnot
thinkitbetterthatyoushouldseethecomtesseduBarryyourself。
Icanassureyouthatshewillbedelightedtoaidyou。“
MadamedeBearnthencametomewithM。Morand。
Graciousheavens！
howsimpleweweretotakesomuchpainswiththislady:hadwe
knownherbetterweshouldnothavebeensolongincomingtothe
point。
Scarcelyanythingwassaidatthisfirstvisit:Icontented
myselfwithassuringherofmygoodwill。
Onthesamedaythe
vicomteAdolpheduBarrytoldhisfatherthatthattheyoungde
Bearnhadaskedhimtheeveningbefore，ifIhadfounda
topresentme；thatincaseIhadnot，hismotherwouldnotrefuse
suchaservice，shoulditbedesiredbytheking。
ComteJeanand
Iperfectlyunderstoodthelady。
Shecameagain，andIrenewed
theexpressionofmydesiretobeusefultoher。
Sherepliedin
ahackneyedphrase，thatsheshouldbecharmedtoproveher
gratitudetome。
Itookherword。
“Madame，“saidItoher，“youcannotbeignorantthatIardently
desiretobepresented。
Myhusbandhassentinhisproofsof
nobility，whichhavebeenreceived；Inowonlywanta
godmother；ifyouwillofficiateinthatcapacity，Ishallowe
youadebtofgratitudeallmylife。“
“Madame，Iamattheking’sorders。“
“But，madame，thekinghasnothingtodowiththis。
Iwishto
bepresented；willyoubemyintroductress？“
“Madame，thefirstwishofmyheartistobeagreeabletoyou；I
onlydesirethatthekingindicateinsomeway，nomatterhow
trifling，hiswillonthispoint。“
“Well，then，“Iexclaimed，withimpatience，“Iseeyouwillnot
givemeadirectreply。
Whyshouldyouwishthekingtointerfere
inwhatdoesnotconcernhim？
Isityourintentiontoobligeme；
yesorno？“
“Yes，madame，certainly；butyoumustbeawareofthetremendous
cabalwhichisraisedagainstyou。
CanIcontendagainstitalone，
andwhowillsustainmethro’it？“
“IwilltothefullextentofmypoweraslongasIamhere，and
thekingwillalwaysdoso。
Icanassureyou，thathewillbe
gratefulforyourexertionsinmybehalf。“
“Ishouldliketohavehalfalinefromhismajestyasaprotection
andassurance。“
“Andthatyouwillnotget。
Theking’ssignaturemustnotbe
compromisedinthisaffair，andIdonotthinkIoughttoask
forit；letustherefore，madame，ceasethisdiscourse，since
youasksuchtermsforyourcomplaisance。“
ThecomtessedeBearnrose；Ididthesame；andwepartedmutually
dissatisfiedwitheachother。
Myfriends，mybrother-in-law，andhissisters，impatiently
awaitedtheresultofmyconversationwithmadamedeBearn。