timeinsummoningmyprivycounsellor，ComteJean，whomIacquainted
withwhathadoccurred，andbeggedhisadviceastothebest
measurestobepursued。
“Indeed，“repliedmybrother-in-law，“what
otherswoulddoinourplacewouldbetothrowM。Chamillyfrom
oneofthewindowsofthechateau，andtreatthishisfriendMarin
withalodgingintheBastille；but，aswearepersonsoftemper
andmoderation，wewillgomoregentlytowork。
Iwill，inthe
firstplace，gaineveryinformationrelativetotheaffair，that
ImaysatisfymyselfMarinisnotseekingtoshowhishonest
claimstoyourgold，byimposingaforgedtaleuponyourcredulity；
whenthatisascertainedwewilldecideuponournextbeststep。“
ComteJeandepartedtoseektheassistanceofM。deSartines，
whowasatthattimeentirelydevotedtomyinterests；and，after
havingdiligentlysearchedthewholerueduTemple，hesucceeded
indiscoveringmadamedeRumas。
Helearntthatthisladyhad
recentlymarriedapersonofherownrank，towhomsheprofessed
tobeviolentlyattached；thattheylivedtogetherwithgreat
tranquillity，andhadthereputationofconductingthemselvesas
personsofextremeproprietyandregularity；paidtheirdebts，
andavoided，bytheirairofneatness，order，andmodestreserve，
thescandalofeventheirmostill-naturedneighbors。
Thehusband
wassaidtobeagreatreligionist，whichincreasedthesuspicions
ofComteJean。
Withregardtotheepistolarycorrespondence
carriedonbythelady，noinformationcouldbegleanedinin
thatquarter。
Marinwasagainsentforbymybrother-in-law，whoquestioned
andcross-questionedwithsomuchaddress，thatMarinfoundit
impossibletoconcealanylongertheremainingpartoftheaffair，
ofwhichhehadbeforecommunicatedbutsomuchashispolicy
deemedadvisable。
Heconfessedthathehadoriginallymentioned
madamedeRumaswhomhehimselfhadlongknowntoChamilly，
hadshownhimseveralofherletters；and，asheexpected，the
styleoftheseepistlessopleasedtheheadvalet，thatheexpressed
awishtoseethefairwriter。
Marinaccordinglyintroducedhim
totherueduTemple，wherehewasmostgraciouslyreceived，and
returnedhomeenchantedwiththelady:hespokeofhertothe
king，stronglyrecommendinghismajestytojudgeforhimself。
AccordinglyhismajestywrotetomadamedeRumas，whoreceived
theletterfromthehandsofherfriendChamillywithallpompand
state，talkedfirstofherownvirtueandhonor，andafterwards
ofherdutifulrespectforhismajesty。
Sherepliedtotheroyal
noteinsoprudentyetobligingamanner，thatthekingwas
enchanted。
Thiseffectivebilletwasansweredbyasecondletter
fromtheking，whichobtainedareplyevenmoretenderlycharming
thantheonewhichprecededit。
Aninterviewwasnextsolicited
andgranted；foravisitwassuchatrifletorefuse。
Theroyal
guestbecamepressingandtheladymorereserved，tillthetime
waslostinattemptsatconvincingeachother。
Atthenext
interviewmadamedeRumasfreelyconfessedhersincereattachment
forhismajesty，butadded，thatsuchwasherdesiretopossess
hiswholeandundividedregard，thatshecouldnevergiveherself
uptothehopeofkeepinghimexclusivelyherswhilstIinterposed
betweenherandtheking’sheart——inafewwordsthenshedemanded
mydismissal。
Thiswasgoingtoofar；andLouisXV，whothought
itnoscandaltohaveahundredmistresses，wasalarmedatthe
thoughtsofoccasioningthebustleandconfusionattendantupon
disgracinghisacknowledgedfavoriteandrecognisedmistress；he
thereforeassuredher，herrequestwasbeyondhispowertogrant。
MadamedeRumasnowsoughttocompromisetheaffair，bytalking
ofashareinhisfavor。
Sheasked，shesaid，buttheheartofher
belovedmonarch，andwouldfreelyleavemeinpossessionofall
powerandinfluence。
Thekingwhoseheartwasregularlypromised
onceaday，didnothesitatetoassureherofhisfidelity，and
hiswilyenslaverflatteredherself，thatwithtimeandclever
management，sheshouldsucceedininducinghimtobreakoff
thosetieswhichhenowrefusedtobreak。
ThingswereinthisstatewhenMarindivulgedtoustheintrigue
conductedbyChamilly，anddirected，thoughinacovertmanner，
bythemarechalducdeRichelieu。
Thisspitefuloldmanpossessed
noshareofthetalentofhisfamily；and，notcontentedwiththe
favorbestowedonhisnephew，thoughtonlyofhispersonalcredit
andinfluence，whichhefanciedheshouldbestsecurebyintroducing
anewmistresstotheking。
Thiswell-concoctedschemethrew
bothComteJeanandmyselfintoaperfectfury。
Wedismissed
Marinwithapresentoffiftylouis，andmybrother-in-law
besoughtofmetogranthimfourandtwentyhoursundisturbed
reflection，whilst，onmyside，IassuredhimIshouldnotrest
untilwehadcompletelydiscomfitedourenemies。
OnthefollowingdayComteJeanlaidbeforemeseveralprojects，
whichwerefarfrompleasinginmyeyes；toomuchtimewasrequired
intheirexecution。
Iknewthekingtoowelltobeblindtothe
dangerofallowingthismerewhimofthemomenttotakerootin
hismind。
Oneideacaughtmyfancy，andwithoutmentioningitto
ComteJean，Idetermineduponcarryingitintoexecution。
ThemarechaledeMirepoixhappenedatthismomentnottobeat
ParisatherhotelintherueBergere，butathercountryhouse，
situatedauPortal’Anglaise。
Isignifiedtothekingmyintention
ofpassingacoupleofdayswiththemarechale，andaccordingly
setoutforthatpurpose。
UponmyarrivalatParisImerely
changedhorses，andproceededonwardswithallpossibledespatch
torejointhemarechale，whowasquitetakenbysurpriseatmy
unexpectedarrival。
Aftermanymutualembracesandexchangeof
civilities，Iexplainedtoherthewholeaffairwhichhadbrought
mefromVersailles。
Thegood-naturedmarechalecouldnotbelieve
herears。
Shesoon，however，comprehendedthenatureofmyalarms；
andsofarfromseekingtodissipatethem，urgedmetoloseno
timeincrushinganaffair，whichgrewmorethreateningfromeach
day’sdelay。
Iwasfullyofheropinion，andonlyaskedher
assistanceandco-operationinmyplanofwritingtoM。deRumas，
andinvitinghimtocomeonthefollowingdaytothehouseof
madamedeMirepoix。
Thatladywoulddoubtlesshavepreferredmyaskinghertoassist
meinanyotherway，butstillshecouldnotrefusetoserveme
inthemannerdescribed:forIeitherbestowedonherallshe
desired，orcausedotherstogratifyherslightestrequest；and
howcouldshebesure，thatweremyreigntoend，shemightderive
thesameadvantagesfromanynewfavorite？
Self-interesttherefore
boundhertomyservice，andaccordinglyshewrotetoM。deRumas
averypressingletter，requestingtoseehimonthefollowingday
uponmattersofthehighestimportance。
Thislettersentoff，I
dinedwiththemarechale，andthenreturnedtosleepatParis。
Onthefollowingday。
atanearlyhour，IrepairedtothePort
al’Anglaise；M。deRumasarrivedthereafewminutesafter
myself。
Hehadtheairandlookofanhonestman，butperhaps
nospeciesofdeceitismoreeasilydetectedthanthatquiet，
subduedmanner，compressedlips，andupliftedeye。
Now-a-days
suchamodeofdissemblingwouldbetooflimsytoimposeevenon
children；andhypocritesareevergreaterproficientsintheir
artthanwasevenM。deRumas。
MadamedeMirepoixleftusalonetogether，inorderthatImight
conversemorefreelywithhim。
Iknewnothowtobegin，but
mademanyattemptstoconvey，inanindirectmanner，thereasons
forhisbeingsummonedtothatday’sconference。
However，hints
andinsinuationswerealikethrownawayupononewhohaddetermined
neithertouseeye’snorearsbutasinterestpointedoutthe
reasonablenessofsodoing；andaccordingly，unablelongerto
repressmyimpatience，Iexclaimedabruptly，
“Pray，sir，doyouknowwhoIam？“
“Yes，madam，“repliedhe，withaprofoundbow，andlookofthe
deepesthumility，“youarethecomtesseduBarry。“
“Well，sir，“addedI，“andyouareequallywellaware，nodoubt，
oftherelationinwhichIstandtotheking？“
“But，madam——“
“Nay，sir，answerwithouthesitation；Iwishyoutobecandid，
otherwisemyexceedingfranknessmaydispleaseyou。“
“Iknow，madam，“repliedthehypocrite，“thathismajestyfinds
greatpleasureinyourcharmingsociety。“
“Andyet，sir，“answeredI，“hismajestyexperiencesequaldelight
inthecompanyofyourwife。
Howansweryouthat，M。deRumas？“
“Mywife，madam！“
“Yes，sir，inthecompanyofmadamedeRumas；hepayshermany
privatevisits，secretlycorrespondswithher——“
“Theconfidenceofhismajestymusteverhonorhissubjects。“
“But，“repliedI，quickly，“maydishonorahusband。“
“How，madam！
Whatisityouwouldinsinuate？“
“Thatyourwifewouldfainsupplantme，andthatsheisnowthe
mistressoftheking，althoughcompelledtobesuchinsecret。“
“Impossible，“exclaimedM。deRumas，“andsomeenemytomywife
hasthusaspersedhertoyou。“
“Anddoyoutreatitasamerecalumny？“
saidI。
“No，sir，
nothingcanbemoretrue；andifyouwouldwishfurtherconfirmation，
beholdtheletterwhichmadamedeRumaswrotetothekingonly
thedaybeforeyesterday；takeitandreadit。“
“Heavenpreserveme，madam，“exclaimedthetime-servingwretch，