wasexactlywhatthislatterdesired，whoeagerlycarriedandread
thepapertothedifferentmembersofthecouncil，whoheardit
witheveryexpressionofsurpriseanddispleasure；thekingviewed
itasapieceofopenrebellion，andresolvedtopunishthewriter
withhisheaviestdispleasure；theducd’Aiguillonaskednothing
better，andereanhourhadelapsed，theducdelaVrilliere
receivedorderstodrawupainwhichthe
kingexpressedhisdiscontentofthecomtedeBroglie，deprived
himofthecommissionhehadgivenhimtogoandreceivethe
princessofSavoy，andexiledhimtoBuffee，oneofhisestates
nearAngouleme。
Thiswasamatterofgreattalkatthechateau；noonecould
imaginewhathadmadethecomtedeBroglieconducthimselfso
foolishly。
ItwasatthisperiodthatM。dMarchaultsaidof
him，whenhesawhimpasshishouseonhiswaytoBuffee，“Hehas
theministrybythetail。“
M。deBrogliehavinggone，hismajestywascompelledtolookout
foranotherconfidant，andraisedtothateminenceM。Lemoine，
clerkofhiscloset。
M。Lemoine，inaninferiorstationhadshown
himselfcompetenttofillthehighestofficesinthestate。
Such
abilitiesarerare。
Hewasanexcellentlawyer，admirable
chancellorofexchequer，andhadthekingsaidtohim，“Imake
theeageneral，“hewould，thenextday，havecommandedarmies
andgainedvictories。
Despitehismerithelivedlongunknown:
thereasonwasobvious——heknewnothingofintrigue；andhiswife，
thoughpretty，wasdiscreet；andthesearenotthemeanstoadvance
amanatcourt。
LouisXV，whoknewsomethingofmenwhenhechosetostudythem。，
wasnotslowindetectingthetalentofLemoine，andinconsequence
gavehimthatstationinwhichdeBrogliehadbeeninstalled。
No
soonerhadLemoineglancedovertheaffairssubmittedtohis
control，thanhebecamemasterofthem，asmuchasthoughthey
hadoccupiedthewholeofhislife，andinashorttimehegave
tohissituationanimportancewhichithadneverbeforereached。
Unwilling，however，toincurhatred，heenvelopedhimselfin
profoundmystery，somuchsothatnobody，withtheexceptionof
Messrs。
d’AiguillonanddeSartines，knewanythingofhislabors。
Thispleasedtheking，whowasaversetopublicity。
Theducd’Aiguilloncouldnotconcealhisjoyatbeingfreed
fromdeBroglie，hismosttroublesomecolleague。
Itwasagrand
pointgainedforhim，ashecouldnowmakesureofthepostof
secretary-at-war，themainobjectofhisambition。
Hewishedto
beplacedintheducdeChoiseul’sposition，andtoeffectthis
heredoubledhisattentionstowardstheking，who，thoughnot
reallyregardinghim，atlengthtreatedhimasthedearestofhis
subjects。
Thereareinexplicablemysteriesinweakcharacters；
obstinacyalarmsthem，andtheyyieldbecausetheyhateresistance。
Thekingwastodeath，andbecamedailymoredulland
heavy。
Isawhisgloomwithoutknowinghowtodisperseit，but
itdidnotmakemeparticularlyuncomfortable。
Occupiedwithmy
dearducdeBrissacIalmostforgothismajestyforhim:the
marechaledeMirepoix，whohadmoreexperiencethanIhadinthe
affairsatVersailles，andwhoknewthekingwell，wasalarmed
atmynegligence，andspoketomeofit。
“Doyounotsee，“shesaid，oneday，“whatacrisisisathand？“
“Whatcrisis？“
Iasked。
“Thekingisdyingofennui。“
“True。“
“Doesitnotalarmyou？“
saidthemarechale。
“Whyshouldit？“
“Whatmakeshimso？
ThinkwellwhenItellyouthatyourmortal
enemyhasseizedLouisXV；yourmostredoubtableenemy，！“
“Verywell；butwhatwouldyouhavemedo？“
“Youmustamusehim。“
’Thatiseasiersaidthandone。“
“Youareright，butitiscompulsory。
Believeme，kingsarenot
mouldedlikeothermen:earlydisgustedwithallthings，they
onlyexistinavarietyofpleasures；whatpleasesthemthisevening
willdispleasethemtomorrow；theywishtobehappyinadifferent
way。
LouisXVismorekinglyinthisrespectthananyother。
Youmustdeviseamusementsforhim。“
“Alas，“Ireplied，“how？
ShallIgivehimanewtragedyofla
Harpe’s，——hewillyawn；anoperaofMarmontel，——hewillgoto
sleep。
Heavens！
howunfortunateIam！“
“Really，mydear，“repliedthemarechale，“Icannotadviseyou；
butIcanquoteapowerfulexample。
Insuchacasemadamede
Pompadourwouldhaveadmittedarivalnearthethrone。“
“MadamedePompadourwasveryamiable，mydear，“Ireplied，“and
Iwouldhavedonesoonceortwice，butthepartofMotherGourdan
doesnotsuitme；Ipreferthatofheryoungladies。“
Atthesewordsthemarechalelaughed，whilstImadealonggrave
face。
AtthisinstantcomteJeanentered，andexclaimed，
“Really，ladies，youpresentasingularcontrast。
MayIaskyou，
sister，whatcausesthissorrow？
Whatailsyou？“
“Oh，brother！“
wasmyresponse，“thekingisdyingofennui。“
“Thatisnomarvel，“saidmybrother-in-law。
“Andtorousehim，“Iadded，“itisnecessary，themarechalesays，
thatImusttakeaprettygirlbythehand，andpresentherto
thekingwiththesewords:’Sire，havingfoundthatyougrow
tiredofme，Ipresentthisladytoyou，thatyoumayamuse
yourselfwithher。“
’Thatwouldbeveryfine，“repliedcomteJean；“itwouldshow
himthatyouhadprofitedbymyadvice。“
Then，whisperinginmy
ear，“Youknow，sister，Iamcapableofthegreatestsacrifices
fortheking。“
“Whatareyousaying，ComteJean？“
askedthe
marechale，who
hadheardsomewords。
“Isaidtomysister，“answeredhe，coolly，“thatsheoughttobe
executedtopleasetheking。“
“Andyou，too，brother，“Icried。
“Yes，sister，“saidhe，withatheatricaltone，“Iseethedire
necessity，andsubmittoitunrepiningly。
Letusyieldtofate，
orrather，letussoactastomakeitfavorabletous。
The
kingrequiressomeamusement，andletusfindhimalittlewench。
Wemusttakeheednottopresentanyfinelady:no，no；byall
thedevils——！
Excuseme，marechale，’tisahabitIhave。“
“Itisnature，youmean，“repliedthemarechale:“thenightingale
isborntosing，andyou，comteJean，wereborntoswear；isit
nottrue？“
“，madam，youareright。“
Afterthisconversationthemarechalewentout，andComteJean
departedtoarrangehisplansfortheking’samusement。
However，theennuiofLouisXVwassomewhatdissipatedbythe
tidingsofthevariousincidentswhichoccurredatthegrandentry
ofthedauphinanddauphinessintoParis。
Welearntthattheduc
deBrissac，asgovernorofParis，onreceivingthedauphiness，said，
“Madam，youseeaboutyoutwohundredthousandlovers。“
Hewas
right；theprincesslookedlikeanangel。
Ihadtakenamortal
aversiontoher。
Alas！
circumstanceshavetoofullyavengedme:
thisunfortunatequeenlosespopularitydaily；herperfidious
friendshavesacrificedhertotheirinterests。
Ipityher。
Visitfromastranger——MadamedePompadourandaJacobinical
monk——Continuationofthishistory——Deliveranceofastateprisoner——
Ameetingwiththestranger
Oneday，atanhouratwhichIwasnotaccustomedtoseeanyperson，
aladycalledandrequestedtoseeme；shewasinformedthatIwas
visibletonoperson。
Nomatter，shepersistedinherrequest，
sayingthatshehadtospeaktomeuponmattersofthefirst
importance，anddeclared，thatIshouldbedelightedwithher
visit。
However，myservants，accustomedtotheartificespractised
bypersonswishingtoseemeforinterestedpurposes，heeded
verylittlethecontinuedprotestationsofmystrangeapplicant，
andperemptorilyrefusedtoadmither；uponwhichtheunknown
retiredwiththeindicationofextremeanger。
Twohoursafterwardsanote，bearingnosignature，wasbrought
me，inwhichthelatescenewasdescribedtome，andIwasfurther
informed，thatthelady，soabruptlyrepulsedbymyservants，
hadpresentedherselftocommunicatethingswhichconcernednot
onlymyownpersonalsafetybutthewelfareofallFrance；a
frightfulcatastrophewasimpending，whichtherewasstilltime
toprevent；themeansofsodoingwereofferedme，andIwas
conjurednottorejectthem。
Theaffair，iftreatedwith
indifference，wouldbringonincalculablemisfortunesandhorrors，
towhichIshouldbethefirstvictim。
Allthisapparentmystery
wouldbeclearedup，and，thewholeaffairexplained，ifI
wouldrepaironthefollowingday，atoneo’clock，totheBaths
ofApollo。
Agroveoftreestherewaspointedoutasasafe
placeofrendezvous，andbeingsoverynearmyresidence，calculated
toremoveanyfearsImightentertainofmeetingastranger，who，
asthenoteinformedme，possessedthemeansofenteringthis
secludedspot。
Iwasagainconjuredtobepunctualtotheappointed
hourasIvaluedmylife。
Themysteriousandsolemntoneofthissingularepistlestruck
mewithterror。
MadamedeMirepoixwaswithmeatthemomentI
receivedit。