Comeinstantly；
　　mygratefulheartexpectsyouwithimpatience。“
　　Mysister-in-law，towhomIshowedthiscorrespondence，saidto
　　me，“Thisgentlemandoesnotcometoseeyouforyourbright
　　eyes；andyethisvisitisnotdisinterested。“
　　“Whatinterestcanhehavetoserve？“
　　“Noneofhisown，perhaps；butthosevillainousJesuits。“
　　“Don’tyoulikethem，sisterofmine？“
　　“Ihatenobody。“
　　M。delaVauguyonarrived；andassoonaswewerealone，hesaid
　　tome，
　　“Well，madame，Iamnowonthepointofgoingtofightyour
　　battles。
　　Ihavetodealwitharedoubtablefoe。“
　　“Doyoufear？“
　　“Why，Iamnotoverconfident；mypositionisadelicateone。
　　Mesdameswillperforceobeytheordersoftheking，butthey
　　willnotfindmuchpleasureinseeingmetheambassadorsentto
　　them:alltheChoiseulpartywillvociferateloudly。
　　Nevertheless，
　　toprovemydevotiontoyou，Ibraveitall。“
　　“YoumayrelyonitthatIwillneverforgettheserviceyouare
　　abouttorenderme。“
　　“Ihaveonlyonefavortoaskofyou。
　　Authorizemetosayto
　　mesdames，thatifthepleasuresoflifedistractyourattention
　　fromreligiousduties，yoursoulisintruthfullydevotedtoour
　　holyreligion；andthatfarfromsupportingthephilosophers，you
　　willaid，byyourinfluencewiththeking，everymeasureadvantageous
　　tothesocietyofJesuits。“
　　Thehypocriticaltoneinwhichthiswasuttered，almostcompelled
　　metoburstoutintoafitoflaughter；buttheseriouspostureof
　　myaffairsinducedmetopreservemygravity，andIansweredin
　　aserioustone，
　　“Notonly，monsieurleduc，doIauthorizeyoutosaysomuch，but
　　IbegyoutodeclaretomesdamesthatIamalreadyfilledwith
　　loveandrespectfortheJesuits，andthatitwillnotbemyfault
　　iftheydonotreturnamongstus。“
　　“Ah，youareatreasureofwisdom，“repliedtheduke，kissingmy
　　handwithfervor；“andIamdisgustedatthewayyouarecalumniated。“
　　“Iknownoreasonforit，forIhaveneverdoneharmtoany
　　person。
　　AssuremesdamesthatIamsincerelygrievedthatIam
　　notagreeabletothem，andwouldgivehalfmylifetoobtain，not
　　theirfriendship，ofwhichIdonotfeelmyselfworthy，buttheir
　　indifference。
　　Deignalsototellthem，thatatalltimesIamat
　　theirdisposal，andbeseechthemtoconsidermeastheir
　　humbleservant。“
　　“Itisimpossibletobehavemorecorrectlythanyoudo；andIam
　　confidentthatmesdameswillsoondiscardtheirunjustprejudices。
　　Thus，itiswellunderstoodthatourfriendswillbeyours。“
　　“Yes，yes，providedtheyarereallymine。“
　　“Certainly。
　　IanswerforthemasIanswerforyou。“
　　Andthus，myfriend，didIfindmyselfalliedtotheJesuiticalparty。
　　ThedukecommencedtheattackwithmadameLouise，themost
　　reasonableoftheking’sdaughters。
　　Thisangelicprincess，already
　　occupiedwiththepiousresolutionwhichsheafterwardsputinto
　　executioninthefollowingyear，contentedherselfwithsaying
　　somewordsonthecommotionoccasionedbymypresenceatVersailles，
　　andthen，asifherdelicacyhadfearedtotouchonsuchasubject，
　　sheaskedtheducdelaVauguyon，ifthekingorderedherto
　　receivethecomtesseduBarry。
　　“Yes，madame，“repliedtheduke；“itistheexpresswillof
　　hismajesty。“
　　“Isubmittohiswish:theladymaycomewhenshewill。“
　　Theduke，contentedwithhissuccesssofar，wentnexttomadame
　　Sophie。
　　Thisprincesswasnotunkind，butsubjecttoattacksof
　　thenerves，whichfromtimetotimesouredhernaturaldisposition:
　　shehadhercapricesofhatred，herfitsoflove。
　　Thedaywhen
　　theduketalkedtoherofmypresentationshewasverymuch
　　provokedagainstme；andaftertheopeningspeechoftheambassador，
　　flunginhisteeththereportoftheapartments，whichIhave
　　alreadytoldyou。
　　Thedukeexplainedtoher，andthattoowithout
　　sayinganythingunfavorableofmadameAdelaide，andconcludedby
　　begginghertoconcedethefavorIbesought。
　　Madameeludedthis，
　　bysaying，thatbeforeshegaveadefinitereplyshewishedto
　　conferwithhersisters。
　　MadameVictoirewasnotmoreeasilypersuaded。
　　Thisprincesshad
　　amiablequalities，solidvirtueswhichmadeherlovedandrespected
　　bythewholecourt；butshehadbutlittlewillofherown，and
　　allowedherselftobeledbytheChoiseuls；who，toflatterher，
　　toldherthatshealonehadinheritedtheenergyofhergrandfather，
　　LouisXIV。
　　Shewasadvisedtodisplayitinthisinstance，and，
　　shewouldwillinglyhavedoneso。
　　ThecomtessedeBercheny，one
　　ofherladiesinwaiting，wasthepersonwhourgedherontothe
　　greatestresistance。
　　Thisladydidnotceasetoexclaimagainst
　　me，andtofantheflameofdispleasurewhich，butforher，
　　wouldneverhaveappeared。
　　Iwasinformedofthemodeadoptedby
　　madamedeBerchenytoinjureme。
　　IsentforM。Bertin，whowas
　　devotedtomyservice，andbeggedhimtogoandspeaktothelady；
　　hewent，andmadeherunderstandthattheking，enragedagainst
　　her，wouldexpelherfromVersailles，ifshewerenotsilent。
　　ThecomtessedeBerchenywasalarmed；andunderpretenceoftaking
　　atour，leftthecourtforamonth。
　　Youwillseeanontheresult
　　ofalltheseconferences。
　　TheprincessesconsenttothepresentationofmadameduBarry——
　　Ingeniousartificeemployedbythekingtoofferapresenttothe
　　ducdelaVauguyon——MadameduBarry’sletterrespectingit——The
　　duke’sreply——Theking’sletter——Thecourtindespair——Couplets
　　concerningmadameduBarry——Herpresentation——Achangeinpublic
　　opinion——Aneveningpartyatthehouseofthecountess——Joyofher
　　partizans——Conversationwiththechancellorrespectingtheladyof
　　themarechaldeMirepoix
　　ThedepartureofthecomtessedeBerchenywasannouncedtothe
　　princessesinthemannerleastlikelytoprovoketheirregrets。
　　Nevertheless，arumorneversleptatVersailles，awhisperwas
　　quicklycirculatedthro’-outthecastle，thatthissuddenand
　　unexpectedjourneyhadoriginatedintheking’swearinessofher
　　continualphilippicsagainstme；anditwasclearlycomprehended
　　byall，thatasimilardisgracewouldbetheportionofthosewho
　　shouldoffendthemonarchwhilstseekingtoprocuremyhumiliation。
　　Thisshowoffirmnesswassufficienttorepressthedaringflights
　　ofthoseself-constitutedheroines，whosecouragelastedonly
　　whilstthekingwassilent，andwhotrembledlikealeafbefore
　　theslightestmanifestationofhiswill。
　　Stillthecabalagainst
　　me，tho’weakened，wasnotdestroyed；itwastoostrongforthe
　　presentshocktodissolveit；andaltho’nonewassufficiently
　　hardytodeclareopenwar，plotswereconstantlygoingonto
　　ensnareme。
　　MeanwhilemadameVictoire，lefttoherself，couldnotlongsupport
　　suchexcessiveanimosity；andtheducdelaVauguyonprofitingby
　　thespeciesoflassitudeintowhichsheappearedtohavefallen，
　　ledherwithoutdifficultytoactinconformitytotheking’swishes。
　　ThereremainednowthereforebutmadameAdelaidetoovercome，
　　andthetaskbecamemoredifficultinproportiontotheelevated
　　ranksheoccupiedatcourt。
　　Bypriorityofbirthsheheldthe
　　firstplacethere；andhithertothissuperiorityhadbeenceded
　　toherwithoutdispute，moreparticularlysincethehandofdeath
　　hadremovedboththequeenhermother，andthedauphinessher
　　sister-in-law。
　　Shethereforecouldonlyviewwithuneasinessthe
　　prospectofanotherappearingonthestagewhoseinfluencewould
　　begreaterthanhers；andwhountiltheyoungdauphinessshould
　　attaintoyearsofmaturitymightdepriveherofallhonorsbut
　　thoseduetoherbirth。
　　MadameAdelaidewasgiftedwithgood
　　sense，affabilityofmanners，andakindandcompassionating
　　hearttowardsallwhoneededheraid；herdispositionwasgood，
　　butsheloveddominion，andtheleastshowofresistancetoher
　　wisheswaspainfulandoffensivetoher。
　　Shewasdeterminedto
　　upholdtheducdeChoiseul；andmydecidedmannertowardsthat
　　ministerplainlyevincedhowlittleIshouldfeelinclinedto
　　supportherviewofthings。
　　Therewerethereforeseveralreasons
　　formypresenceatcourtbeingunpleasanttomadameAdelaide。
　　AgainstherthereforedidtheducdelaVauguyondirecthis
　　batteries。
　　Shereceivedhisattackwiththemostdetermined
　　obstinacy；allwasinvain，shewasunconquerable，andthemost
　　skilfullydevisedplanswereinsufficienttosurmountherresistance；
　　itwasthereforenecessarytohaverecoursetotheclergy，who
　　wereatthattimecompletelyledbytheJesuits；eachmemberof
　　thechurch，uptothearchbishopofParis，wascalleduponto
　　interfere，ortheirnameswereemployedindefaultoftheir
　　presence。
　　ItwaspointedouttomadameAdelaidethatIpossessed
　　goodintentionswithfeelingsofreligion，which，howeverstifled
　　bythefreedomoftheage，onlyrequiredcarefulmanagementto
　　producearichdevelopment。
　　Thesuccessofthislastmodeof
　　attackastonishedthedukehimself；andmadam，dazzledbythe
　　hopesofmyconversion，aswellaswearyofhostilities，yielded
　　herconsenttomybeingpresented。
　　Aftertheseprivatenegotiations
　　thefoursistersmetatthehouseoftheelderone；andtherethey
　　decidedthatsincethekinghadsoexpresslymanifestedhis
　　pleasurerelativetomypresentation，theyshouldconformtothe
　　desireoftheirfather，byreceivingmewitheverypossiblemark
　　ofcourtesy。