toldthemallthathadpassed；givingmyopinionofthisladyas
　　Ithoughther——amaliciousprovokingcreature。
　　“Howsoonyoutormentyourself，“saidthechancellortome。
　　“Do
　　younotseethatthiswomanwantsapricetobebiddenforher？
　　Sheisyours，bodyandsoul，butfirstofallshemustbepaid。“
　　“Letthatbenoobstacle，“saidcomteJean，“wewillgiveher
　　money，butpresentusshemust。“
　　Onthisitwasdecided，that，onthefollowingmorning，my
　　brother-in-lawshouldgotoParistofindM。Morand，andget
　　himtoundertakethearrangement。
　　Thenextdaymybrother-in-lawwenttoM。Morand’s，andwhenhe
　　haddisclosedhismessageconcerningthecomtesse，thegood
　　Morandbegantolaugh。
　　Hetoldthecount，thattheprevious
　　eveningthisladyhadsentforhim；and，ongoingtoherhouse，
　　madamedeBearn，asaset-offagainsttheinconvenienceswhich
　　mightresulttoherfrombeingtheinstrumentofmypresentation，
　　hadstipulatedforcertaincompensations；such，forinstance，as
　　asumoftwohundredthousandlivres，awrittenpromiseofa
　　regimentforherson，andforherselfanappointmentinthe
　　establishmentofthefuture。
　　Thiswasthepointaimed
　　atbyalltheambitiouscourtiers。
　　ComteJeanthoughtthese
　　conditionspreposterous。
　　Hehadafromme，and
　　desiredM。Morandtooffertheladyonehundredthousandlivres，
　　andtoaddanassurancethatthekingshouldbeimportunedtoplace
　　youngBearnadvantageously，andtostationthemothertoher
　　wishes；andthereuponmybrother-in-lawreturnedtoVersailles。
　　ThecomteJeanhadscarcelyreturnedanhour，whenwereceiveda
　　letterfromM。Morand，stating，thathehadgone，inconsequence
　　oftheinstructionsofcomteJean，tothecomtessedeBearn；that
　　hehadfoundtheladypliantenoughonthefirstpoint，anddisposed
　　tocontentherselfwiththehalfofthesumoriginallydemanded；
　　thatonpointthesecond，Imeantheappointmentsofherselfand
　　son，shewouldcometonocompromise，andstuckhardandfastto
　　thewrittenpromiseoftheking；thathe，Morand，thoughtthisan
　　obstaclenottobeovercomeunlesswesubscribedtoherwishes。
　　Thisletterputmeinanexcessivelyill-humor。
　　Isawmypresentation
　　deferredtilldoom’sday，or，atleast，adjourned。
　　I
　　questionedmyfriends:theunanimousadvicewasthatIoughtto
　　mentionittothekingatoneofhiseveningvisits；andIdetermined
　　todosowithoutlossoftime。
　　WhenhismajestycameIreceivedhimverygraciously，andthen
　　saidtohim，
　　“Congratulateme，sire；Ihavefoundmygodmother。“
　　“Ah，somuchthebetter。“
　　Iknowthat，atthebottomofhis
　　heart，hesaid“somuchthe。“
　　“Andwho，“askedtheking，withimpatience，“maytheladybe？“
　　“MadamedeBearn，aladyofqualityinherownright，andofhigh
　　nobilityonherhusband’sside。“
　　“Yes，hewasa，andthesonhasjustleftthe
　　pages。
　　Ah！
　　shewillpresentyouthen。
　　That’swell；Ishall
　　feelfavoredbyher。“
　　“Woulditnotbebest，sire，totellhersoyourself？“
　　“Yes，yes，certainly；butaftertheceremony。“
　　“Andwhynotpreviously？“
　　“Why？
　　becauseIdonotwishtoappeartohaveforced
　　yourpresentation。“
　　“Well，then，“Ireplied，strikingthefloorwithmyfoot，“youwill
　　notdoformewhatyouwoulddoforawomanwhoisacomplete
　　strangertoyou。
　　Manythanksforyourexcessivekindness。“
　　“Well，well，donotscold。
　　Angerdoesnotbecomeyou。“
　　“Nomorethanthisindifferencesuitsyou；itiscruel。
　　Ifyou
　　recedefromsayingaword，whatwillyoudowhenItellyouof
　　theconditionsofmadamedeBearn？“
　　“Whatdoesthegoodcomtesseaskfor？“
　　“Thingspastconception。“
　　“What？“
　　“Shehasstipulationsunlimited。“
　　“Butwhataretheythen？“
　　“Ahundredthousandlivresforherself。“
　　“What，onlythat？
　　Wewillgrantsomuch。“
　　“Thenaregimentforherson。“
　　“Oh，heisthewoodtheymakecolonelsof，andifhebehavewell——“
　　“Butthen！
　　Shewishestobeannexedinsomestationorotherto
　　thehouseholdofthefuture。“
　　“Oh，thatisimpossible:alltheselectionshavebeenmade:but
　　wewillmakeanequivalentbyplacingoneofherfamilyaboutthe
　　personofoneoftheprinces，mygrandson。
　　Isthisall？“
　　“Yes，sire，thatisall，withonesmallformalityexcepted。
　　This
　　lady，whoisoneofmuchpunctilio，onlyconsiders
　　engagementsasbinding。
　　Shewishesforonewordinyour
　　majesty’shand-writing——“
　　“Amostimpertinentwoman！“
　　criedtheking，walkingwithrapid
　　stridesupanddownmyroom——
　　“Shehasdarednottobelieveme
　　onmyword！
　　Writing！——signature！
　　Shemistrustsmeasshewould
　　thelowestscribblerofFrance。
　　Awriting！
　　Mysignature！
　　My
　　grandfather，LouisXIV，repentedhavinggivenhistoCharost。
　　I
　　willnotcommitasimilarerror。“
　　“But，sire，whenaprincehasarealdesiretokeephisword，it
　　isoflittleimportwhetherhegivesitinwriting。“
　　Atthesewords，LouisXVfrownedsternly，butashehadthebest
　　senseintheworld，hesawthathewaswrong；andhavingnoreply
　　tomake，hedeterminedtofleeaway。
　　Iranafterhim，andtaking
　　himbythearm，hesaid，withassumedanger，whichdidnot
　　deceiveme:——
　　“Leaveme，madame，youhaveoffendedmyhonor。“
　　“Well，then，monsieurlaFrance，“repliedI，assumingalsoa
　　scoldingtone，“Iwillgiveyousatisfaction。
　　Chooseyourtime，
　　weapons，andplace；Iwillmeetyou，andweshallseewhether
　　youhavecouragetokillawomanwholivesforyouonly，and
　　whomyourenderthemostmiserablecreatureinexistence。“
　　LouisXVgavemeakiss，andlaughinglysaid，“Ioughttomake
　　yousleepintheBastilleto-night。“
　　“Iamthenmoremercifulthanyou，forIthinkIshallmakeyou
　　sleepinthecouchyoulovebest。“
　　Thisreplyamusedthekingexcessively，andhehimselfproposed
　　tosendformadamedeBearn。
　　Ishouldspeakofmypresentation
　　beforehim，andthenwithoutmakinganypositiveconcession，he
　　wouldseewhatcouldbedonetosatisfyher。
　　Forwantofanyother，Iacceptedthis。
　　ThecomtessedeBearn——Thesupper——LouisXV——Intriguesagainstmy
　　presentation——M。deRoquelaure——Thescaldedfoot——Thecomtesse
　　d’Aloigny——Theducd’AiguillonandmadamedeBearn——Angerofthe
　　king’sdaughters——MadameAdelaideandthecomtesseduBarry——
　　Dissatisfactionoftheking
　　M。Morandwasagainputinrequisition，andwentfrommetoask
　　madamedeBearntocomeandsupatmyapartments。
　　Wewerein
　　committee——mysisters-in-law，myself，andcomteJean。
　　Thecomtesse
　　madesomedifficultiesatfirst，underpretencethatshewasafraid
　　torefusemeasecondtime。
　　Ourmessengerassuredherbysaying，
　　thatasupperwouldnotbindhertoanything，andthatsheshould
　　stillbeatlibertytogiveanyreplyshepleased。
　　MadamedeBearn
　　allowedherselftobepersuaded，andsentmewordthatshewould
　　acceptmyinvitation。
　　Shewouldhavereflectedtwicebeforeshe
　　sofarcommittedherself，hadsheatallsuspectedtheturnwe
　　meanttoserveher。
　　ButIsawbythewordingofhernote，that
　　shestillhopedthatthekingwouldbeinducedtograntmethe
　　writtenpromisewhichIaskedforher。
　　Shecame。
　　Ireceivedherwithallpossiblecourtesy，andyetnot
　　withmuchheartiness。
　　Icouldnothelprememberingthevexatious
　　termsshesetuponhercomplaisance。
　　However，thesupperwas
　　gayenough，comteJeanandmysisters-in-law，whoknewverywell
　　howtodissemble，didthehonorsinamostagreeableway。
　　On
　　leavingtablewewentintothedrawing-room，andthenbeganto
　　discusstheseriousquestionwhichhadbroughtustogether。
　　At
　　thefirstwordswhichcomteJeanuttered，madamedeBearn，taking
　　myhandswitharespectfulfamiliarity，saidtome:——
　　“Ihope，madame，thatyouwillnothaveabadopinionofme，ifI
　　putsuchconditionstomydesireofobligingyou。
　　Thesituation
　　ofmyfamilyrequiresit，butitisonlyatrifleforthekingtogrant。“
　　“Muchmorethanyouimagine，madame，“Ireplied。
　　“Thekingdoes
　　notcaretoinvolvehimselfinsuchengagements。
　　Hedoesnot
　　like，moreover，thathissacredwordshouldbedoubted。“
　　“Ah？“
　　repliedthecunningcreature，“heavenforbidthatIshould
　　notblindlytrusttotheking’sword，buthismemorymayfail，or
　　he，likeothermen，mayforget。“
　　“Madame，“repliedcomteJean，withtheutmostgravity，“madame
　　isaladyasfullofprudenceasofkindness，butyetalittletoo
　　exacting。
　　Madamewishestohaveapromisesignedforherself
　　andson:thatistoomuch。
　　Whydoesshenotcontentherselfin
　　dividingthedifficulty，bysatisfyingherselfwithaverbal
　　promiseforwhatconcernsherself，andwithawrittenengagement
　　forwhatrelatestoherson？“
　　“，“repliedthecountess，“Iamanxiousto
　　arrangealltoourmutualsatisfaction。
　　Buthismajestywouldnot
　　surelyrefusetheentreatiesofmadameforwhatIask。“
　　“IwillspeaktohimofitthefirsttimeIseehim。“
　　“Oh，youareacharmingwoman。
　　Youwillobtainallfromthe
　　king，andmakeasurefriend——“
　　“Whosefriendshipisverydifficulttoacquire，“saidI，interruptingher。
　　Thecountesswouldhaverepliedtothis，whenmyfirst
　　，openingthetwofolding-doorsofthe
　　room，announcedtheking。
　　Atthisunexpectednamemyguesttrembled，andinspiteofthe
　　thickrougewhichcoveredhercheeks，Iperceivedsheturnedpale。
　　Shethensawthescenewehadpreparedforher:shewishedherself
　　ahundredleaguesoff:butshecoulddonothing，butremainwhere
　　shewas。
　　Itookherbythehand，alltremblingasshewas，and