ofherpupils，shecouldcommandboththecourtandcity；her
censuresweredreaded，becausepronouncedinlanguagesostrong
andsevere，astofillthosewhoincurredthemwithnohopeof
evershininginpublicopinionwhilstsoformidableawas
utteredagainstthem；andherdecrees，fromwhichtherewasno
appeal，eitherstampedamanwithdishonour，orintroducedhimas
afirst-ratecandidateforuniversaladmirationandesteem，and
herhatredwasasmuchdreadedaseverhersmileshadbeencourted:
formyownpart，Ialwaysfeltafraidofher，andneverwillingly
foundmyselfinherpresence。
AfterIhadobtainedformadamedeValentinoistheboonIsolicited，
IwasconversingwiththekingrespectingmadamedeLuxembourg，
whenthechancellorenteredtheroom；hecametorelatetohis
majestyanaffairwhichhadoccasionedvariousreports，andmuch
scandal。
TheviscountdeBombelles，anofficerinanhussar
regiment，hadmarriedamademoiselleCamp，Reasons，unnecessary
formetoseektodiscover，inducedhim，allatonce，toannulhis
marriage，andprofitingbyaregulationwhichforbadeallgood
Catholicsfromintermarryingwiththoseofthereformedreligion，
HedemandedthedissolutionofhisunionwithmademoiselleCamp。
Thisattemptonhisparttoviolate，uponsuchgrounds，the
sanctityofthenuptialvow，whilstitwascalculatedtorekindle
thespiritofreligiouspersecution，wasproductiveofvery
unfavourableconsequencestothecharacterofM。deBombelles；
thegreatcrywasagainsthim，hestoodaloneandunsupportedin
thecontest，foreventhegreatestbigotsthemselveswouldnot
intermeddleorappeartoapplaudamatterwhichattackedboth
honourandgoodfeeling:thecomradesofM。deBombellesrefused
toassociatewithhim；butthefinishingstrokecamefromhisold
companionsatthemilitaryschool，wherehehadbeenbroughtup。
Onthe27thofNovember，1771，thecouncilofthisestablishment
wrotehimthefollowingletter:——
“Themilitaryschoolhaveperusedwithequal
indignationandgriefthememorialswhichhave
appearedrespectingyouinthepublicprints。
Had
younotbeeneducatedinthisestablishment，we
shouldmerelyhavelookeduponyouraffairwith
mademoiselleCampasascenetoodistressingfor
humanityanditwouldhavebeenburiedinour
peacefulwallsbeneaththeveilofmodestyand
silence；butweoweittotheyouthsenttousby
hismajesty，fortheinculcationofthoseprinciples
whichbecomethesoldierastheman，nottopass
overthepresentopportunityofinspiringthemwith
ajusthorrorofyourmisguidedconduct，aswell
asfeelingitanimperativedutytoourselvesnot
toappearindifferenttothescandalanddisgraceful
confusionyourproceedingshaveoccasionedin
thecapital。
Weleavetotheministersofour
religion，andthemagistrateswhoareappointed
toguardourlaws。
todecideuponthelegalityof
thebondsbetweenyourselfandmademoiselleCamp，
butbyonetribunalyouaredistinctlypronounced
guiltytowardsher，andthatisthetribunalof
honour，beforethattribunalwhichexistsinthe
heartofeverygoodman。
Youhavebeenuniversally
citedandcondemned。
Therearesomeerrorswhich
alltheimpetuosityofyouthisunabletoexcuse，
andyoursareunhappilyofthatsort。
Thedifferent
personscomposingthisestablishment，therefore，
concurnotonlyinprayingofustosignifytheir
sentiments，butlikewisetoapprizeyou，thatyou
areunanimouslyforbiddentoappearwithinthese
wallsagain。“
Thechancellorbroughttothekingacopyofthissevereletter，
towhichIlistenedwithmuchemotion，nordidthekingseem
morecalmthanmyself。
’Thisis，indeed，“saidheatlength，“averysadaffair；weshall
haveallthequarrelsofProtestantismrenewed，asifIhadnot
hadalreadyenoughofthoseoftheJansenistsandJesuits。
As
farasIcanjudge，M。deBombellesisentitledtothereliefhe
seeks，andeverymarriagecontractedwithaProtestantisnull
andvoidbythelawsofFrance。“
“Oh，sire，“criedI，“wouldIhadmarriedaProtestant。“
Thekingsmiledforamomentatmyjest，thenresumed:
“Iblamethemilitaryschool。“
“Isityourmajesty’spleasure，“inquiredthechancellor，“thatI
shouldsignifyyourdispleasuretothem？“
“No，sir，“repliedLouis，“itdoesnotcomewithinyourlineof
duty，anddevolvesratherupontheministerofwar；andvery
possiblyhewouldobjecttoexecutingsuchacommission；forhow
couldIstepforwardastheprotectorofonewhowouldshakeoff
themoralobligationofanoathdirectlyitsuitshisinclinations
todoubtitslegality？
Thisaffairgivesmegreatuneasiness，
andinvolvesthemostseriousconsequences。
YouwillseethatI
shallbeoverwhelmedwithpetitionsandpamphlets，demandingof
metherevocationoftheedictofNantes。“
“Andwhat，sire，“askedthechancellorgravely，“couldyoudo，
thatwouldbetterconsolidatethegloryofyourreign？“
“Chancellor，“exclaimedLouisXV，steppingbackwithunfeigned
astonishment，“haveyoulostyoursenses？
Whatwouldtheclergy
sayordo？
Theverythoughtmakesmeshudder。
Doyouthenbelieve，
M。deMaupeou，thattheraceoftheClements，theRavaillacs，the
Damiens，areextinctinFrance？“
“Ah，sire，whatneedlessfears。“
“Notsoneedlessasyoumaydeemthem，“answeredtheking。
“I
havebeencaughtonce，Iamnotgoingtoexposemyselftodanger
asecondtime。
Youknowtheproverb，——no，no，letusleavethings
asmypredecessorsleftthem；besides，Ishallnotbesorryto
leavealittleemploymentformysuccessor；hemaygetthroughit
howhecan，andspiteofalltheclamouringofthephilosophers，
theProtestantsshallholdtheirpresentprivilegessolongasI
live。
Iwillhaveneithercivilnorreligiouswar，butlivein
peaceandeatmysupperwithagoodappetitewithyou，myfair
comtesse，formyconstantguest，andyou，M。deMaupeou，for
thisevening’svisitor。“
Theconversationhereterminated。
MadameduBarrypurchasestheservicesofMarinthegazetteer——
LouisXVandmadamedeRumas——M。deRumasandthecomtessedu
Barry——Anintrigue————Apresentupontheoccasion——The
ducdeRichelieuindisgrace——100，000livres
ThisMarin，aprovencalbybirth，inhischildhoodoneofthe
choristers，andafterwardsorganistofthevillagechurch，was，
attheperiodofwhichIamspeaking，oneofthemostusefulmen
possible。
NominatedbyM。deSt。Florentintothepostofcensor
royal，thisfriendtothephilosopherswasremarkableforthe
peculiartalent，withwhichhewouldalternatelyapplaudand
condemnthewritingsofthesegentlemen。
Affixinghissanction
totwolinesinatragedybyDorathadcosthimtwenty-fourhours’
meditationwithinthewallsoftheBastille；andforpermitting
therepresentationofsomeoperathenameofwhichIforgethe
hadbeendeprivedofapensionof2，000francs；but，weddedto
thedelightsofhissnugpost，Marinalwayscontrived，after
everystorm，tofindhiswaybacktoitssafeharbor。
Hehad
registeredavownevertoresigntheofficeofcensor，buttokeep
itindespiteofdangeranddifficulty。
Isoondiscoveredthat
hepassedfromthepatronageofLebeltothatofChamilly，andI
wasnotslowinconjecturingthathejoinedtohisavocationsof
censorandgazetteerthatofpurveyortohismajesty’s。
SpiteofmyindefatigableendeavorstorenderLouisXVhappyand
satisfiedwiththepleasuresofhisownhome，hewouldtake
occasionalwanderingfits，andgoupontheramble，sometimesin
pursuitofahigh-borndame，atotherseagertoobtainapoorand
simple；andsolongthattheobjectofhisfancywere
butnewtohim，itmatteredlittlewhatwereherclaimstoyouth，
beauty，orrankinlife。
ThemarechaledeMirepoixfrequently
saidtome，“Doyouknow，mydearcreature，thatyourroyal
admirerisbutaveryfickleswain，whoisplayingthegaygallant
whenheoughttobequietlyseatedathisownfireside。
Havea
care，heisgrowingold，andhisintellectbecomesmorefeeble
eachday；andwhathewouldneverhavegrantedsomefewyears
back，maybeeasilywrungfromhimnow。
Chamillyaspiresat
governinghismaster，andMarinsecondshiminhisproject。“
Atlength，rousedtoasenseofimpendingevil，bytheconstant
remindingofthemarechale，IsummonedMarintomypresence。
“Now，sir，“saidI，asheapproached，“Iwouldhaveyoutoknow
thatIamapprisedofallyourtricks:youandyourfriendChamilly
areengagedinaverycleverschemetoimproveyourownfortunes
attheexpenseofthekingyourmaster。“
Marinburstintoloudprotestationsofhisinnocence，declaring
thathewasasinnocentasthelambjustborn。
Irefusedto
believethis，anddesiredhewouldexplaintomewhyhewentso
frequentlytotheapartmentsofM。Chamilly。
“Alas，madam！“
repliedMarin，“Igothitherbuttosolicithis
aidincravingthebountyofhismajesty。“
“Youareforeverpleadingpoverty，miserlybeing，“criedI；“you
arefarricherthanIam；butsinceyouwantmoneyIwillsupply
youwithit，andinreturnyoushallbemysecretnewsman，and
royalcensorinmyservice。
Nowunderstandmeclearly；every
monththatyoufaithfullybringmeanaccountofcertaingoings
on，Iwillcountintoyourhandfiveandtwenty。“
ImustconfessthatMarinonlyacceptedmypropositionwithmuch
reluctance，butstillhedidacceptit，andwithdrew，meditating，
nodoubt，howheshouldbeenabledtosatisfybothChamilly
andmyself。
AlongtimeelapsedbeforeMarinbroughtmeanynewsofimportance，
andIbegantofeelconsiderabledoubtsofhisfidelity，whenhe
cametocommunicateaveryimportantpieceofintelligence。
He
hadjustlearnedthatChamillyfrequentlywenttoParis，the
beareroflettersfromthe’kingtoayoungandprettyfemale，
namedmadamedeRumas，whoresidedintheoldrueduTemple。
Herewasaprettydiscovery；thekingactuallyengagedinalove
affair，letterspassingbetweenhimandhismistress，whilstthe
headwasactingthepartofMercurytothe
lovers。
Thisindeedrequiredsomespeedyremedy，andIlostno