mettoexchangetheirsoftvows。
Happilythedeitywhopresidedoverthehonorofthedukewas
carefullywatchingtheirproceedings。
Thisguardianangelwasno
otherthanmadameDuverger，hisformermistress，who，unableto
bearthedesertionofhernobleadmirer，hadvowed，inthefirst
burstofrageanddisappointment，tohaverevengesoonerorlater
uponhertriumphantrival。
Withthisviewshespiedoutallthe
proceedingsofmademoiselleMesnard，whosestoleninterviews
andinfidelityshewasnotlongindetecting；sheevencontrived
towinovera，bywhoseconnivanceshewas
enabledtoobtainpossessionofseveralletterscontaining
irrefragableproofsofguilt，andthesesheimmediatelyforwarded
totheducdeChaulnes。
Thisproudandhaughtynoblemanmighthavepardonedhismistress
hadshequittedhimforapeeroftherealmandhisequal，butto
besupplantedbyameremanofbusiness，anauthor，too！——the
disgracewastoohorribleforendurance。
Theenragedloverflew
toBeaumarchais，andreproachedhimbitterlywithhistreachery；
thelattersoughttodenythecharge，buttheduke，losingall
self-possession，threwthelettersinhisface，callinghimabase
liar。
Atthisinsult，Beaumarchais，who，whateverhisenemiesmay
sayofhim，wascertainlynotdeficientincourage，demanded
instantsatisfaction。
Theduke，bywayofanswer，seizedtheman
oflettersbythecollar，Beaumarchaiscalledhisservants，who，
intheirturn，summonedtheguard，whichspeedilyarrivedaccompanied
bythecommissary，andwithmuchdifficultytheysucceededin
removingM。deChaulnes。
whoappearedtohaveentirelylost
hisreasonfromtheroom。
Theconductofthedukeappearedtouscompletelyoutofplace，
andhewouldcertainlyhaveansweredforitwithinthewallsof
theBastille，hadnothisfamilymadegreatintercessionforhim。
Ontheotherhand，Beaumarchais，whoeagerlyavailedhimselfof
everyopportunityofwritingmemorials，composedoneonthe
subjectofhisquarrelwithM。deChaulnes，complainingthata
greatnoblemanhaddaredtoforcehimselfintohishouse，andlay
forciblehandsonhim，asthoughhewereathieforafelon。
The
wholeofthepamphletwhichrelatedtothisaffairwasadmirably
written，and，likethe“BarberofSeville，“markedbyastrongly
sarcasticvein。
However，thethingfailed，andtheducdela
Vrilliere，theswornenemyofmenofwitandtalent，caused
BeaumarchaistobeimmediatelyconfinedwithinFort1’Eveque。
Sothattheoffendedpartywasmadetosufferthepenaltyof
theoffence。
InthesameyearthecomtedeFuentes，ambassadorfromSpainto
thecourtofLouisXV，tookleaveofus。
Hewasreplacedbythe
comted’Aranda，whowasinamannerindisgracewithhisroyal
master:thisnoblemanarrivedprecededbyahighlyflattering
reputation。
Inthefirstplace，hehadjustcompletedthedestruction
oftheJesuits，andthiswasentitlinghimtonosmallthanksand
praisesfromencyclopedists。
Everyoneknowsthosetwolines
ofVoltaire’s——
“Arandadansl’Espagneinstruisantlesfideles，
Al’inquisitionvientderognerlesailes。“
*
*“ArandainSpaininstructingthefaithful
attheInquisitionhasjustclippedwings。“——
Gutenberged。
Thesimplicityofcomted’Arandaindemnifiedusinsomedegree
forthehaughtysuperciliousnessofhispredecessor。
Althoughno
longeryoung，hestillpreservedallthetoneandvigorofhis
mind，andonlythehabitwhichappearedtohavebeenbornwith
himofreflecting，gavehimaslowandmeasuredtoneinspeaking。
Hisreservedandembarrassedmannerswerebutill-calculated
toshowthemanashereallywas，anditrequiredallthe
advantagesofintimacytoseehiminhistruevalue。
Youmay
attachsomuchmorecredittowhatIsayofthisindividual，asI
canonlyadd，thathewasbynomeansoneofmybestfriends。
WhenLouisXVheardofthenominationofthecomted’Arandato
theembassyfromSpaintoFrance，heobservedtome，
“ThekingofSpaingetsridofhisChoiseulbysendinghimtome。“
“Thenwhynotfollowsoexcellentanexample，sire？“
repliedI；“
andsinceyourChoiseuliswearyofChanteloup，whynotcommand
himuponsomepoliticalerrandtothecourtofMadrid。“
“Heavenpreservemefromsuchathing，“exclaimedLouisXV。
“Such
amanasheisoughtnevertoquitthekingdom，andIhavebeen
guiltyofconsiderableoversighttoleavehimthelibertyofso
doing。
Buttoreturntocomted’Aranda；hehassomemeritI
understand；stillIlikenotthatclassofpersonsaroundme；they
areinexorablecensors，whocondemnalikeeveryactionofmylife。“
However，nottheking’sgreatestenemycouldhavefoundfault
withhismannerofpassinghisleisurehours。
Agreatpartof
eachdaywasoccupiedinamysteriousmanufactureofcasesfor
relics，andoneofhis，namedTurpigny，was
intrustedwiththecommissionofpurchasingoldshrinesand
reliquaries；hecausedthesacredbones，orwhateverelsethey
contain，tobetakenoutbyGrandelatz，oneofhisalmoners，
re-adjusted，andthenreturnedtonewcases。
Thesereliquaries
weredistributedbyhimtohisdaughters，oranyladiesofthe
courtofgreatacknowledgedpiety。
WhenIheardofthisImentioned
ittotheking，whowishedatfirsttoconcealthefact；but，as
hewasnoadeptatfalsehoodordisguise，hewascompelledto
admitthefact。
“Itrust，sire，“saidI，“thatyouwillbestowoneofyour
prettiestandbest-arrangedreliquariesonme。“
“No，no，“returnedhe，hastily，“thatcannotbe。“
“Andwhynot？“
askedI。
“Because，“answeredhe，“itwouldbesinfulofme。
Askanything
elseinmypowertobestow，anditshallbeyours。“
ThiswasnohypocrisyonthepartofLouisXV，who，spiteofhis
somewhatirregularmodeoflife，professedtoholdreligionin
thehighesthonorandesteem；toallthatitproscribedhepaid
thesubmissionofachild。
Wehadampleproofsofthisinthe
sermonspreachedatVersaillesbytheabbedeBeauvais，afterwards
bishopofSenetz。
Thisecclesiastic，filledwithaninconsideratezeal，fearednot
openlytoattackthekinginhispublicdiscourses；heevenwent
sofarastointerferewithmanythingsofwhichhewasnota
competentjudge，andwhichbynomeansbelongedtohisjurisdiction:
infact，therewereamplegroundsforsendingtheabbetothe
Bastille。
Thecourtopenlyexpresseditsdissatisfactionatthis
audacity，andformyownpartIcouldnotavoidevincingthe
livelychagrinitcausedme。
Yet，wouldyoubelieveit，LouisXV
declared，inatonefromwhichtherewasnoappeal，thatthis
abbehadmerelydonehisduty，andthatthosewhohadbeenless
scrupulousintheperformanceoftheirs，woulddowelltobe
silentonthesubject。
Thiswasnotall；thecardinaldela
RocheAymon，hisgrandalmoner，refusedtosanctionthenomination
ofM。deBeauvaistothebishopric，underthepretextofhisnotbeing
noblydescended。
M。deBeyons，bishopofCarcassone，aprelateofirreproachable
character，wasdeeplydistressedtofindthatthewantofbirth
wouldexcludeM。deBeauvaisfromthedignitiesofhisholy
profession。
Hewenttodiscussthematterwiththegrandalmoner，
whoagainadvancedhisfavoritepleaforexcludingM。deBeauvais。
“My
lord，“repliedM。deBeyons，“ifIbelievedthatnobilityof
descentwerethechiefrequisiteforouradvancementinour
blessedcalling，Iwouldtramplemycrosierunderfoot，and
renounceforeverallchurchdignities。“
M。deBeyonssoughttheking，andloudlycomplainedtohimof
theinfatuationandobstinacyofM。delaRocheAymon。
LouisXV
howevercommandedthatM。deBeauvaisshouldbeappointedto
thefirstvacantsee，andwhenthegrandalmonerrepeatedhis
objectionstothepreferment，thekinganswered，“Monsieurle
cardinal，inthedaysofourblessedSaviourtheapostleshadno
needtopresenttheirgenealogicaltree，dulywitnessedand
attested。
ItismypleasuretomakeM。deBeauvaisabishop；
letthatendthediscussionofthematter。“
Thecommandwastooperemptorytoadmitofanycoursebut
instantandentiresubmission。