outcryagainstmewaslouderthanever，itseemedastho’the
wholenobilityofFrancewasimmolatedat“onefellswoop。“
Tohaveheardtheuniversalclamor，itwouldhavebeenthought
thattheprincesshadbeensenttothemostobscureprisoninthe
kingdom。
Thisproofoftheking’sregardformedidmuchmischief，
nodoubt，asitfurnishedmyenemieswithapretexttoaccuseme
ofavindictivespirit。
CouldIdootherwise？
OughtItohave
allowedmyselftobeoverwhelmedwithimpunity，andwasit
consistentwiththedignityofmyaugustprotector，thatIshould
beinsultedthusopenlybyhissubjects，hiscourtiers，hisguests，
evenintheprivateapartmentsofhispalace？
However，thiswrathofthenobilitydidnotpreventtheChoiseul
familyfromexperiencingafeelingoffright。
Theyhadjust
receivedasignalfavor。
ThegovernmentofStrasbourg，considered
asthekeyofFranceandAlsace，hadbeengiveninreversionto
thecomtedeStainville，brotheroftheducdeChoiseul。
Certainly
thischoicewasaverygreatproofoftheindulgenceoftheking，
andthemomentwasbadlychosentopaywithingratitudeabenefit
soimportant。
ThisdidnothindertheduchessedeGrammont，and
allthewomenofherhouse，orwhowereherallies，fromcontinuing
tointrigueagainstme。
Itwasnaturaltobelievethattheking
wouldnotpermitsuchdoingforalongtime，andthatshouldhe
becomeenragedatthem，thatIshouldattempttosoothehisanger。
Matterswereinthisstate，whenonemorning，afterhisaccustomed
routine，theducdeChoiseulrequestedaprivateaudienceofthe
king。
“Igrantitthismoment，“saidtheprince，“whathaveyou
tosaytome？“
“Iwishtoexplaintoyourmajestyhowexcessivelypainfulisthe
situationinwhichIamplacedwithregardtosomeofthemembers
ofmyfamily。
Allthefemales，andmysisterattheirhead，attack
meaboutaquarrelwhichisstrangetome，andwithwhichIhave
declaredIwouldnotmeddle。“
“Youdowell，monsieurleduc，“saidtheking，withcoolgravity，
“Iammuchvexedatallthatisgoingon，andhaveresolvednot
tosufferitanylonger。“
ThedecisionofthisdiscoursemadeadeepimpressionM。de
Choiseul:hesoughttoconcealitwhilsthereplied:
“Itisdifficult，sire，tomakewomenlistentoreason。“
“Allarenotunreasonable，“rejoinedtheking:“yourwife，for
instance，isamodelofreasonandwisdom:shehasperfectcontrol
ofherself。
Sheisthewisewomanofscripture。“
Thisflatteryandjustlymeritedeulogium，whichthekingmadeof
theduchesswheneverhefoundanopportunity，wasthemorepainful
toM。deChoiseul，ashisconductwasnotirreproachabletowards
awomanwhosevirtueshealonedidnotjustlyappreciate。
Itwas
adirectsatireagainsthissister’sconduct，whoseascendancyover
him，herbrother，thekingwellknew。
Herepliedthatthegood
behaviorofhiswifewasthesafeguardofhisfamily，andhe
greatlyregrettedthattheduchessedeGrammonthadnotarightto
thesameeulogium。
“Ibegyou，“saidtheprince，“toengagehertochangeherlanguage，
andtoconductherselfwithlessboldness，ifshewouldnothave
meforcehertorepent。“
“That，sire，isamissionpainfultofulfil，andwordsveryhard
toconveytoher。“
“Somuchtheworseforher，“repliedtheking，elevatinghis
voice，“ifshebearanyfriendshipforyou，letherproveitin
thisparticular:yourinterestsshouldkeephermouthshut。“
Thedukehadnodifficultytocomprehendtheindirectmenace
implied:heinstantlyrenewedhisregretsforthe
disturbancesthathadoccurred。
“Add，“saidLouisXV。
“Iamcontentwithyouand
yourservices，duke。
Ihavejustprovedthistoyou，bygiving
yourbrothermorethanhecouldexpectfromme；buthavenotI
therighttohavemyintimaciesrespected？
Itappearstomethat
ifyouspokemoredecidedlyinyourfamilyyouwouldcommand
moreattention。“
“Thismakesmefear，sire，thatyourmajestydoesnotbelieveme
sincereinmyexpressionoftheregretwhichIjusttookthe
libertytouttertoyourmajesty。“
“，monsieurleduc，youcertainlydonotlike
madameduBarry。“
“Ineitherlikenorhateher，sire；butIseewithtroublethat
shereceivesatherhouseallmyenemies。“
“Whosefaultisthatifitbeso？
Yourown；you，whowouldnever
visither；shewouldhavereceivedyouwithpleasure，andIhave
notconcealedfromyouthesatisfactionIshouldhaveexperienced。“
Theselastwordsmadethedukestart，hiseyesbecameanimated。
Afteramoment’sreflectionhesaidtotheking，
“Sire，isitindispensablynecessaryfortheserviceof
thestate
thatIendeavortoattainthegood-willofmadamelacomtesse
duBarry？“
“No。“
“Well，then，sire，allowmatterstoremainastheyare。
Itwould
costmemuchtoquarrelwithmywholefamily，themoresoas
thissacrificeisnotusefultoyou，andwouldinnowisealter
mypositionwithyourmajesty。“
Howeverpainfultothekingsuchadeterminationmightbe，he
didnotallowtheduketoperceiveit；hedissembledtheresentment
hefelt，andcontentedhimselfwithsaying，
“DucdeChoiseul，Idonotpretendtoimposechainsonyou；I
havespokentoyouasafriendratherthanasasovereign。
Now
Ireturntowhatwassaidatfirst，andacceptwithconfidencethe
promiseyoumakemenottotormentaladywhomIlovemostsincerely。“
Thusendedaconversationfromwhichtheduke，withalesshaughty
disposition，mighthaveextractedgreateradvantagesandplayed
asurergame。
Itwasthelastplankofsafetyofferedinthe
shipwreckwhichmenacedhim。
Hedisdainedit:theopportunityof
seizingitdidnotpresentitselfagain。
Idoubtnotbutthatif
hewouldhaveunitedhimselffreelyandsincerelywithmeI
shouldnothaveplayedhimfalse。
LouisXV，satisfiedwithhis
condescensioninmybehalf，wouldhavekepthimattheheadof
hisministry:buthisprideruinedhim，hecouldnotthrowoff
theyokewhichtheduchessedeGrammonthadimposedonhim:he
recoiledfromtheideaoftellingherthathehadmadeatreaty
ofpeacewithme，andthatwasnotoneoftheleastcausesof
hisdisgrace。
ThejourneytoMarlygavebirthtoamultitudeofintriguesof
personswhothoughttowrapthemselvesupinprofoundmystery，
andallwhoseactionsweknew。
Thepolicewereveryactive
abouttheroyalabodes，especiallysincethefataldeedofthe
regicideDamiens。
Tokeepthemperpetuallyonthewatch，they
wereorderedtowatchattentivelytheamoursofthelordsand
ladiesofthecourt。
ThedaughteroftheducdeRichelieu，thecomtessed’Egmont，whose
agewasnopretextforherfollies，dearlylikedlowloveadventures。
SheusedtoseekthemoutinParis，whenshecouldfindnoneat
Versailles。
Shewasnot，however，themoreindulgenttowardsme。
Thisladywasnotalwayscontentwithnoblelovers，butsought
theminallclasses，andmorethanonce，simplemortals，menof
loworder，obtainedpreferenceoverdemi-gods。
Herconductin
thisrespectwastheresultoflongexperience。
Sheusedtogoout
alone，andtraversethestreetsofParis。
Sheenteredtheshops，
andwhenhereyerestedonagoodfigure，havingwideshoulders，
sinewylimbs，andagoodlookingface，shethencalledupallthe
resourcesofhermindtoformandcarryonanintrigue，ofwhich
theconsequences，atfirstagreeabletohimwhowastheobject
ofit，terminatedmostfrequentlyfatally。
Thefollowingadventure
willgiveyouanideaofthetalentofmadamed’Egmontinthisway，
andhowshegotridofheradorerswhenshehadexhaustedwith
themthecupofpleasure。
Intrigueofthecomtessed’Egmontwithashopman——Hisunhappy
fate——ThecomtesseduBarryprotectshim——ConductofLouisXV
upontheoccasion——TheyoungmanquitsFrance——MadameduBarry’s
lettertothecomtessed’Egmont——Quarrelwiththemarechal
deRichelieu
Thecomtessed’Egmontwasonedayobservedtoquitherhouse
attiredwiththemostparsimonioussimplicity；herheadbeing
coveredbyanenormouslydeepbonnet，whichwhollyconcealedher
countenance，andtherestofherpersonenvelopedinapelisse，
whosemanyrentsbetrayeditslongservice。
Inthisstrange
dressshetraversedthestreetsofParisinsearchofadventures。
Shewasgoing，shesaid，wittilyenough，“toreturntothecits
whatherfatherandbrotherhadsofrequentlyrobbedthemof。“
ChancehavingledherstepstotherueSt。Martin，shewas
stoppedtherebyaconfusionofcarriages，whichcompelledher
firsttoshelterherselfagainstthewall，andafterwardstotake
refugeinanoppositeshop，whichwasoneoccupiedbya
linen-draper。
Shelookedaroundherwiththeeyeofaconnoisseur，andperceived
beneaththemodestgarbofashopmanoneofthosebroad-shouldered
youths，whoseopensmilingcountenanceandgentlytingedcomplexion
bespokeapersonwhosesimplicityofcharacterdifferedgreatlyfrom
thevastenergyofhisphysicalpowers:heresembledtheFarnese
Herculesuponareducedscale。
Theprincessapproachedhim，and
requestedtoseesomemuslins，fromwhichsheselectedtwogowns，
andafterhavingpaidforthem，requestedthemasteroftheshop
tosendhisshopmanwiththem，inthecourseofhalfanhour，to
anaddressshegaveasherusualabode。
Thecomtessed’Egmonthadengagedanapartmentonthethirdfloor
ofahouseintherueTiquetonne，whichwasintheheartofParis。
TheporteressofthedwellingknewheronlyasmadameRossin:her
householdconsistedofahousekeeperandanoldman，bothdevoted
toamistresswhosecharactertheywellunderstood，andtowhom
theyhadeverymotivetobefaithful。
Hereitwas，then，thattheladyhastenedtoawaitthearrival
ofthenewobjectofherplebeianinclinations。
YoungMoireau