favourwaswithhim；and，inordertocontestit，itrequiredall
theinfluenceofawoman，andthatwomantobenolessthanthe
belovedmistressofthekingofFrance。
Hepresentedhimselfbeforemetastefullyandmagnificentlydressed，
bothlookandvoicewearingthestampofhigh-bornprideand
haughtiness。
Nevertheless，amidstallthispomp，itwasevident
thathedidnotentirelyfeeltheeaseheassumed，andthata
speciesofremorserankledathisheart，spiteofthecourtier-like
gallantrywithwhichhehadinvestedhimself。
“Madam，“saidhe，bowingtwicemostprofoundly，“themomenthas
arrivedwhichIhavelongmostardentlydesired。“
“Thefaulthasnotbeenmine，mylord，“saidI，“thatithasbeen
delayeduntilnow。
Mydoorhasneverbeenshutagainstany
visityoumighthavehonouredmewith。“
“Ah，madam！
whyhaveInotknownthissooner？
Someevilplanet
ruledmythoughtswhenitoccurredtomethatImightnotbeso
happyastomeetwithafavourablereception。“
“There，mylord，youwereindeedinerror；forthoughImightnot
feelaverytenderfriendshiptowardsyouwhilstsupposingIhad
manycausesforcomplaint，Icouldnotrefuseyouthosemarksof
respectyourrankandstationentitleyoutoreceive。“
“Then，madam，ImayflattermyselfthatIshouldhavebeen
kindlyreceived？“
“Yes，sir，youwouldeverhavebeenwelcome，butnotthose
belongingtoyou，forIwillbeperfectlycandid；alwaysexcepting
theduchessedeChoiseul，forwhomIentertainthegreatest
venerationandrespect。“
“Sheisindeedwellworthytheexaltedopinionyouexpressofher；
andhadIfollowedheradvice，Ishouldnothavebeenfound
amongsttheranksofyourenemies。“
“Youconfessthefactthen，monsieurleduc？“
saidI。
“Itrust，madam，youwillnottakeadvantageofaninadvertent
expressiontoturnitagainstmyself。
WhatIfearis，thatwithout
everhavingbeenyourenemy，Imayhavepassedforsuchinyour
estimation；andsuchindeedisthecruelpositioninwhichI
amplaced。“
“Stay，mylordduke，“criedI；“becandid，andacknowledgethat
youaremyenemyasyouhaveeverbeen；andthatitisonly
becausetherehasbeenwarbetweenusthatyouarenowcometo
concludeatreatyofpeace——“
“Peaceorwar，madam，“repliedhe，“asyoupleasetowillit；all
Iwilladmitis，thatthingshaveturnedoutmostunfavourablyfor
mywishes。
YourarrivalatVersailles，yourgrace，beauty，and
wit，exciteduniversaljealousy；and，amidstthegeneralpanic
causedbyyourall-excellingmerit，wasitnotnecessaryItoo
shouldkeepmyselfonmyguard？
Forthefirsttimeinmylife
abeautifulwomanbecameanobjectofalarmtome；youmay
furtherbelieveme，whenIprotestthat，attheoutset，Iwarmly
defendedyou；buthowcouldIwagewaragainstsomany——how
opposethegeneraltorrent？
Itboremedown。“
“Andyoufearlestitshouldcarryyoubeyondyourdepth，and
wouldfainreturnto；isitnotso，mylordduke？“
Atthisironicalspeechanexpressionofheavydispleasurerose
tothecountenanceofM。deChoiseul，andheremainedforseveral
minuteslikeamanwhofearstotrusthimselftoreply。
Then
headded，
“Madam，whenIsolicitedthefavourofthisconversation，itwas
withthesincerestdesireofadjustingalldifferencesbetween
us，anditwouldbutilladvancethatpurposewereInowtoreply
toyouwithwarmthandpetulance；condescend，onyourpart，to
layasidesarcasmandraillery。
Youhavealreadytoomanyadvantages
overme，anditwouldillaccordwithyourwontedgenerosityto
insultahalf-conqueredfoe。“
“Youareright，mylord，“answeredI；“jestsandrecrimination
willeffectnothing；letusratherproceedatoncetoconsider
whatisbestfortheinterestofboth。“
“Willingly，“repliedhe。
’Nowyouspeaktothepurpose；andasI
waspreparedtohearyou——areyouinclinedforaseriousdiscussion
ofourbusiness？“
“Praybegin，mylord，Iamallattention。“
“Well，madam，Ideeplyregretallthathaspassed，anddeplore
thatmyfriendsandpartofmyfamilyshouldbedisagreeableto
you；Itakeuponmyselftoengagethattheirhostilityshallend，
andamwillingtoaffordyouthemostperfectsatisfactionupon
thispoint。
Impressedwithhighestrespectforhismajesty，and
themostlivelydesiretoservehim，Iaskfornothingmorethan
tobeongoodtermswiththoseheloves；andasforthefuture，
myunshrinkingloyaltymaybereliedon。“
“Iamwellassuredofit，mylordduke；andlikewiseyouhave
nevertakenanypartinthecalumnieswhichhavebeenaimedat
me。
Letusthenforgivetheandsinceweareagreedastothe
future，letusspeakbutofthepresent。
Ihavefriendsfitted
toservetheking，whoseambitionleadsthemtoaspiretothat
honour。
Whatwillyoudotoassistthem？“
“EreIpromisethat，madam，itisnecessaryIshouldbeacquainted
withthem。“
“Whatwoulditavailtonamethemtoyou？
Youperfectlywell
comprehendtowhomIallude。
Iamresolutelydecidedtosupport
them，andtoemployforthispurposethefriendshipwithwhich
hismajestydeignstohonourme。“
Thedukecoloureddeeplyatthesewords。
“Then，madam，“saidhe，“youwouldfainstripmetoenrichothers？“
“No，mylord，Iaskbutadivisionofyourpossessions。
Youcannot
haveeverything；anditwouldnotbefairthatourreconciliation
shouldbeprofitabletoyouonly。“
“Ididnotanticipate，madam，incominghither，thatyouwould
commandmetoofferupmyselfasasacrificeuponanaltarraised
byyoutotheinterestsofyourfriends。“
“Meaningtosay，mylordduke，thatyouwillkeepeverythingto
yourself。
Icannotcomplimentyouuponyourliberality，however
Imayforyourcandour。“
“Madam，Ihaveneversincemyentryintotheministrysoughtto
liveattheexpenseofmycountry，andletmeresignofficewhen
Imay，Ishallretireloadedonlywithdebts，whilstyouandyour
friendsdrawlargerevenuesfromthenation。“
Theconversationbecamewarmandangry，thedukeandmyself，with
crimsoncheeksandinflamedcountenances，surveyedeachother
withhaughtydefiance。
Atlengthheadded，
“IhadhopedthatIshouldhavequittedyoumorekindlydisposed
towardsme。“
“AndI，mylord，fanciedthatyouwerecomingwithanardent
desireforpeace；butno，thespiritofyoursisterleadsyou
astray，andyouwouldfainpunishmeforherabsencefromcourt。“
“Madam，Ibeseechyoutoleavemysisterinpeace；shehasgone，
thatoughttosatisfyyou。
Wewillnot，ifyouplease，speakofher。“
“Ionlywishthatshewouldlikewisedomethehonourtobesilent
respectingme。
Iamnotignorantthatshecontinuestoaimher
slandersatmefromafarasshedidwhennearme。
Onemight
supposethatthesoleobjectofherjourneyingswasbuttoexcite
allFranceagainstme。“
“Madam，youaremistaken。
Mysister——“
“ContinuestoplaythesamepartinthecountryshedidinParis。
ShedetestsmebecauseIhappentohaveyouthandbeautyonmy
side。
Mayherhatredlastforever。“
“Ah，madam，saynotso；forwithyourcharmsyouareindeedtoo
formidableanantagonist；andthemoreso，asIclearlyperceive
youarenotinclinedforpeace。“
“Atleast，“saidI，“thewaronmysideshallbefairandopen，
andthosebelongingtoyouhavenotalwayswageditwithmeupon
thoseterms。“
Thedukemerelywardedoffthislastassertionbysomeunmeaning
compliment，andweseparatedgreaterenemiesthanever。
ThefirstpersontowhomIcouldcommunicatewhathadpassedwas
theducd’Aiguillon。
Helistenedtomyrecitalwithoutanydecided
expressionofhisopinion；butnosoonerhadIconcluded，thanhe
tookmebythehand，andpressingitwithafriendlygrasp，
“HowIcongratulateyou，“saidhe，“uponthegoodfortunewhich
hasextricatedyoufromthisaffair。
Doyouknowthatareconciliation
withtheducdeChoiseulwouldhaveinvolvedyourinevitable
disgrace？
Whatevilgeniuscounselledyoutoactinsuchamanner？“
“IfanciedIwasdoingright，“saidI，“inthusprovingtothe
kingthatIwasnotanunreasonablewoman。“
“TheChoiseuls，“repliedhe，“wouldhaveentangledyouintheir
nets，and，separatedfromyourrealfriends，wouldhavemadeyou
theinnocentauthorofyourowndestruction。
Tellthekingjust
somuch，thattheducdeChoiseulhasbeentoseeyou，thatyou
conversedtogethersometime，andthathehasoffendedyoumore
thanever。“
“Ipromiseyou，mykindfriend，“saidI，“tofollowyouradvice。“
WhenInextsawtheking，Iapprizedhimofthevisit。
“Thatdoesnotastonishme，“saidLouisXV，“thedukeisanxious
tobeonfriendlytermswithyou。“
“Hehasthentakenaverycontraryroadtoarriveatmyfriendship，“
saidI；“ifhereallydesiresthatweshouldbeongoodterms，he
mustconducthimselfverydifferently“；andtheretheconversation
ended。
Butseveraldaysafterwards，havingsentawaymy，withwhomIhadreasontobedissatisfied，andthe
kingappearingsurprisedatseeingafreshcountenanceamongst
myhousehold，Isaidtohim，“Sir，IhavegotridofChoiseul，
whenwillitpleaseyoutogetridofyours？“
Theking，without
replyingtome，begantolaugh；inwhich，forwantofabetter
terminationtomyremark，Iwasconstrainedtojoin。