Iwasconvincedshewouldnotbelongin
acquiringanascendencyoverthemindoftheprincessandIwas
equallywellassuredshewouldneverturnthisinfluenceagainst
myself；thiswasapointofnosmallimportancetome。
MadamedeForcalquiermostardentlydesiredtheplaceofladyof
honor，withoutflatteringherselfwithanyhopesofobtainingit；
and，notlikingtoaskmeopenlyforit，sheappliedtotheduc
deCosse。
Ifeltsomeregretthatshehadgonetoworkinso
circuitousamanner，andinconsequencewroteherthe
followingnote:——
“MADAM，——Iamawarethatyouaredesirousof
obtainingthepostofladyofhonor。
Youshould
nothaveforgottenthatIamsufficientlyyour
friendtohaveforwardedyourwishesbyevery
possibleexertion。
Whydidyouapplytoathird
personinpreferencetoseekingmyaid？
Ireally
ammorethanhalfangrywithyouforsodoing。
Believeme，myfriendsneednottheintervention
ofanymediatortosecuremybestservices。
You，
too，willregretnothavingmadeyourfirst
applicationtome，whenItellyouthatIwas
reservingforyoutheveryplaceyouwereseeking
bysocircuitousaroute。
Yes，beforeyouhadasked
it，thepostofladyofhonorwasyours。
Imight
havesoughtinvainforapersonmoreeminently
qualifiedfortheofficethanyourself，oronein
whomIcouldplacemoreunlimitedconfidence。
Come，myfriend，Iprayofyou，nottothankme，
whohavefoundsufficientrewardinthepleasure
ofobligingyou，buttoacknowledgetheextreme
kindnessandalacritywithwhichhismajestyhas
forwardedyourwishes。
“Believeme，dearmadam，
“Yours，verysincerely，
“THECOMTESSEDuBarry。“
MadamedeForcalquierwasnotlonginobeyingthesummonscontained
inmynote；sheembracedmewiththewarmestgratitudeand
friendship，delightedatfindingherselfsoeligiblyestablished
atcourt，foratthatperiodeverypersonregardedthecomte
d’Artoisastheonlyhopeofthemonarchy；andblindedbythe
universalpreferencebestowedonhim，theyoungprinceflattered
himselfthatthecrownwouldinfalliblyornamenthisbrows。
I
havebeentold，thatwhenfirstthequeen’spregnancywas
perceived，agenerallamentationwasheardthroughoutthecastle，
andallranksunitedindeploringaneventwhichremovedthe
comted’Artoisfromtheimmediatesuccessiontothethrone。
UptothepresentmomentIknewMadamedeForcalquieronlyas
onewhosemanycharms，bothofmindandperson，joinedtogreat
conversationalpowersandtheliveliestwit，hadrenderedherthe
idolofsociety，andobtainedforhertheappellationof
。
Iknewnotthatthiswoman，solightandtrifling
inappearance，wascapableofoneofthoselivelyandsincere
attachments，whichneithertimenorchangeoffortunecould
destroyordiminish。
Shehadaparticularfriend，amadame
Boncault，thewidowofastockbroker，andshewasanxiousto
contributetoherwell-doing。
Withthisviewshesolicitedofme
theplaceofladyinwaitingforthismuch-esteemedindividual。
AstonishedattherequestIputahastynegativeonit。
“Ifyourefusemethisfreshfavor，“saidmadamedeForcalquier，
“youwillpreventmefromprofitingbyyourkindnesstomyself。“
“Andwhyso？“
inquiredI。
“IowetomadameBoncault，“answeredshe，“morethanmylife；I
amindebtedtoherfortranquillity，honor，andthehighestimation
inwhichtheworldhasbeenpleasedtoholdme。
Ihavenowan
opportunityofprovingmygratitude，andIbeseechofyouto
assistmyendeavors。“
“Buttellme，first，“criedI，“whatisthenatureofthisvery
importantserviceyousaymadamedeBoncaulthasrenderedyou；
isitasecret，ormayIhearit？“
“Certainly，“repliedthecountess，“althoughtherecitalis
calculatedtobringtheblushofshameintomycheek。
Arewe
alone，andsecurefrominterruption？“
Irangandgaveordersthatnopersonshouldbesufferedto
disturbus；afterwhichmadamedeForcalquierproceeded
asfollows:——
“Iwasscarcelyseventeenyearsold，whenmyparentsinformedme
thattheyhaddisposedofmyhand，andthatImustpreparemyself
toreceiveahusbandimmediately。
Mysentimentswerenotinquired
into，nor，toconfessthetruth，wassuchaninvestigationusual，
ordeemedamatterofanyimport。
Ayoungfemaleofanyrank
hasnovoiceinanytransactiontillthedaywhichfollowsher
marriage；untilthenherwishesarethoseofherfamily，andher
desiresboundedbytherulesofworldlyetiquette。
Ihadscarcely
conversedtwiceorthricewithmyfuturelord，andthenonlyfor
afewminutesatatime，beforeheconductedmetothefootof
thealtar，theretopronouncethesolemnvowwhichboundmehis
forlife。
Ihadscarcelyseenhim，andbarelyknewwhetherhe
wasagreeableordisagreeable。
Hewasneitheryoungnorold，
handsomenorugly，pleasingnordispleasing；justoneofthose
personsofwhomtheworldisprincipallycomposed；oneofthose
menwhoenterorleaveasaloonwithouttheslightestcuriosity
beingexcitedrespectinghim。
IhadbeentoldthatIoughtto
lovemyhusband，andaccordinglyItaughtmyselftodoso；but
scarcelyhadthehoneymoonwaned，thanmyficklepartnertransferred
hisaffectionsfrommetooneofmyattendants；andtosucha
heightdidhisguiltypassioncarryhim，thathequittedhishome
forItaly，carryingwithhimtheunfortunatevictimofhisseductive
arts。
ItwasduringhisabsencethatIfirstbecameacquainted
withmadameBoncault；shewasmyownage，andequallyunfortunate
inherdomesticlife；thesametests，griefs，andagreatsimilarity
oftemperanddispositionsoonunitedusinthebondsofthe
firmestfriendship；butasshepossessedastrongerandmore
reasonablemindthanIdid，sheforgotherownsorrowstoadminister
tomine。
However，ifthewholetruthmustbeowned，Ioughtto
confessthatmychiefconsolationwasderivedfromayoungcousin
ofmyown，whofreelylavisheduponmethatunboundedaffection
Iwouldfainhavesoughtfrommyhusband。
“Meanwhile，weariedofhisfolly，thislatterreturned；and，
afterhavingtransferredhiscapriciousfanciestoatleasthalf
adozenmistresses，hefinishedwhereheshouldhavebegunby
attachinghimselftoher，who，ashiswife，hadeveryclaimto
hishomage。
Menareunaccountablecreatures，butunfortunately
formyhusbandhissensesreturnedtoolate；myheartwastoo
entirelyoccupiedtorestorehimtothatplacehehadsohastily
vacated。
Myaffectionswerenolongerminetobestow，butequally
sharedbymyestimablefriendmadameBoncaultandmyyoungand
captivatingcousin。
Iwasabadhandatdissimulating，andM。de
Forcalquierperceivedenoughofmysentimentstoexcitehisjealous
suspicions，andimmediatelyremovedwithmetooneofhisestates。
“However，mycousinwhommyhusbandwasfarfromsuspectingand
madameBoncaultaccompaniedmeinmyretreat；theremyselfand
myadmirer，morethrowntogetherthanwehadbeenatParis，began
insensiblytolayasidetherestraintwehadhithertoimposedon
ourinclinations，andcommencedatrainofimprudenceswhich
wouldquicklyhavebetrayedushadnotfriendshipwatchedover
us。
TheexcellentmadameBoncault，inordertosavemyreputation，
tooksolittlecaretopreserveherown，thatM。deForcalquier
wascompletelycaughtbyhermanoeuvre。
Onemorning，finding
mealone，hesaid，
“’Madam，Iambynomeanssatisfiedwithwhatisgoingonhere。
Yourfriendiswhollydevoidofshameandmodesty；shehasbeen
withusbutoneshortfortnight，andisnowtheopenandconfessed
mistressofyourcousin。’
“’Sir，’exclaimedI，tremblingforwhatwastofollow，’youare，
youmustbemistaken:thethingisimpossible。
MadameBoncault
isincapable——’
“’Nonsense，madam，’repliedM。deForcalquier；’IknowwhatIam
saying。
Severalthingshaveinducedmetosuspectforalong
whilewhatInowassertwithperfectconfidenceofitstruth；but
ifyouarestillincredulous，beholdthisproofofguiltwhichI
foundjustnowinyourcousin’schamber。’
“Sosaying，myhusbandputintomyhandsaletterwrittenbymy
cousinevidentlytosomefemaleinthechateau，whomhesolicited
toadmithimthateveningtotheusualplaceofrendezvous，where
heflatteredhimselftheirlatemisunderstandingwouldbeclearedup。
“Afterhavingread，or，tospeakmorecorrectly，guessedatthe
contentsofthisfatalletter，Iconjuredmyhusbandtoreplace
itwherehehadfoundit，lesthisguestsshouldsuspecthimof
havingdishonorablyobtainedpossessionoftheirsecret。
He
quittedme，andIhastenedinsearchofmyfriend:Ithrewmyself
onmykneesbeforeher，andrelatedallthathadpassed，accusing
myselfofthebasestselfishnessinhavingconsentedtosavemy
honorattheexpenseofhers；thenrisingwithrenewedcourageI
declaredmyintentionofconfessingmyimprudencetomyhusband。
MadameBoncaultwithheldme。
’Doyoudoubtmyregardforyou？’
askedshe；’ifindeedyoudojusticetomysincereattachmentto
you，permitmetomakethisonesacrificeforyoursafety。
Leave
yourhusbandatlibertytoentertainhispresentsuspicions
respectingme，butgrantmeonefavorinyourturn。
Speakto