andtherespectyouentertainformadamed’Egmontshouldnot
　　outweighyourduty，whichimperativelycallsuponyoutocommand
　　thereleaseofthiswretchedyoungman。“
　　“But，“arguedtheking，“bysuchastepIshallforeverdisoblige
　　theducdeRichelieuandhisfamily。“
　　“Fearitnot，“criedI，“ifyourmajestywilltrusttome，Iwill
　　undertaketobringthemarechalandhisnephewtoapproveof
　　yourproceedings；andasfortherestofhisfamily，letthemgo
　　wheretheywill；fortheempireoftheworldIshouldbesorry
　　tobearthemcompany。“
　　Thismannerofspeakingpleasedtheking；and，turningtoM。de
　　Sartines，“Lieutenantofpolice，“saidhe，“youhaveheardmy
　　fairchancellor；youwillactinstrictconformitywiththeorders
　　shewilltransmityoufromme。“
　　“Thentaketheseordersnow，sir，“saidI:“inthefirstplace，
　　thisill-treatedyoungMoireaumustimmediatelybesetatliberty，
　　andmyownpoliceforImusttellyouIhadthemwillgiveme
　　thefaithfulaccountofallyourproceedingsinthisaffair。“
　　Thekingcomprehendedmymeaning。
　　“Youwillkeepacarefulwatch，“
　　addedhetoM。deSartines，“thatnoharmbefallsthisunfortunate
　　youth，whom，Ibeg，youwilldiscreetlyrecommendtoquitFrance
　　erethemaliceofthosewhohavereasontofearhisreappearance
　　workshimsomeevil。“
　　“Andwho，sire，“askedI，“shalldareinjureonewhomyour
　　majestydeignstohonorwithyourprotection？“
　　“Madame，“repliedM。deSartines，“evenhismajesty’shighpatronage
　　cannotpreventasecretblowfromsomedaringhand；aquarrel
　　purposelygotup；abeveragepreviouslydrugged；afallfromany
　　ofthebridgesintotheriver；or，eventhesuppositionofone
　　founddead，havingdestroyedhimself。“
　　“Youmakemeshudder，“saidI，“inthusunveilingtheextentof
　　humandepravity。
　　So，then，thisyoungman，whoseonlyfault
　　appearstohavebeenthatcaptivatingtheeyesofanoblelady，
　　shouldperishinadungeon，orsavehislifeatthesacrificeof
　　country，friends，connections；andallthisforhavinglistenedto
　　thepassionofawoman，aslicentiousinmannersasillustrious
　　bybirth:thisfrightfulinjusticerousesallmyindignation。
　　Well，then，sincethepowerofthemonarchofFranceisinsufficient
　　toprotecthisoppressedsubjectinhisownrealms，lethim
　　shieldhimfromwantinaforeignland，byallowinghimapension
　　ofonehundredlouis。
　　Iwilltakeuponmyselftodefraythe
　　expensesofhisjourney。“
　　Thussaying，Iwashasteningtotheadjoiningroom，wherestood
　　my，totakefromitathousandcrownsIwishedto
　　giveforthepurpose。
　　Thekingheldmebackbymyarm，saying
　　tome，
　　“YouarethemostexcellentcreatureIknowof，butyouseeIam
　　alwaysmaster。
　　Iwillundertaketoprovideforthisyoungman。
　　M。deSartines，“pursuedhe，“Iwishtosecuretohimathousand
　　crownsyearly；and，further，youwillsupplyhimwithsixthousand
　　francsreadymoney，whichM。delaBordewillrepaytoyourorder。
　　“saidtheking，turningtome。
　　Myonlyreplywastothrowmyarmsaroundhisneckwithoutceremony，
　　spiteofthepresenceofawitness，whomightblushatmyfamiliarity。
　　“Youareindeed，“saidI，“areallygoodprince；itisonlyapity
　　youwillnotassertyourrighttorulealone。“
　　“Youarealittlerebel，“criedhe，“todoubtmyabsolutepower。“
　　Thistoneofplayfulgaietywaskeptupsometimeafterthe
　　departureofthelieutenantofpolice。
　　M。deSartinesreturnednextdaytotellmethateverythinghad
　　beenaccomplishedtomydesire。
　　“M。Moireau，“saidhe，“hasleft
　　prison，anddepartsforSpainto-morrowmorning:hisintention
　　istojoinsomefriendsofhisatMadrid。
　　Heisinformedofall
　　heowesyou，andentreatsyouracceptanceofhismostgrateful
　　andrespectfulacknowledgments。
　　Willyouseehim？“
　　“Thatwouldbeuseless，“answeredI；“saytohimonly，thatI
　　requesthewillwritetomeuponhisarrivalatMadrid，andgive
　　methehistoryofhislateadventureinitsfullestdetails。“
　　Moireaudidnotdisappointme；andsosoonashisletterreached
　　meIhastenedtocopyit，merelysuppressingthedateoftheplace
　　fromwhichitwaswritten，andforwardeditimmediatelytothe
　　comtessed’Egmont，withthefollowingnote:——
　　“Themanyproofsoftenderattachmentwithwhichthewidow
　　RossinhonoredyoungMoireaumakemebelievethatshewilllearn
　　withpleasureofmyhavingthegoodfortunetorescuetheill-fated
　　youthfromthecrueltyofthecomtessed’Egmont。
　　Thisinteresting
　　youngmannolongergroansawretchedprisonerinthegloomy
　　abodethathaughtyladyhadselectedforhim，butisatthisminute
　　safeinaneighboringkingdom，underthepowerfulpatronageof
　　kingofFrance，whoisinpossessionofeverycircumstancerelative
　　totheaffair。
　　Ilikewiseknowthewholeofthematter，andhavein
　　mykeepingthemostirrefragableproofsofallthattookplaceand
　　shouldIhenceforwardhaveanyreasontocomplainofthecomtesse
　　d’Egmont，Ishallpublishthesedocumentswithpermissionofthose
　　concerned。
　　“Thepublicwillthenbeenabledtojudgeofthevirtueand
　　humanityofonewhoaffectstotreatmewitharidiculousdisdain。
　　Thereexistsnolawagainstafairladyhavingloversandadmirers，
　　butasternoneforbidshertocommandorprocuretheirdestruction。
　　IKNOWALL；andmadamed’Egmont’sfutureconductwilldecidemy
　　silenceanddiscretion。
　　TheaffairwithMoireauisnottheonlyone，
　　othersofevenagraversinprecededit。
　　Icanpublishthewhole
　　together；and，Irepeat，mydeterminationonthisheaddepends
　　whollyandentirelyuponthemannerinwhichmadamed’Egmontshall
　　henceforwardconductherselftowardsme。
　　IbegmadamedeRossin
　　willallowmetosubscribemyself，witheveryfeelingshesowell，
　　merits，
　　“Herveryhumbleandmostobedientservant，
　　“THECOMTESSEDUBARRY“
　　Ihadcommunicatedtonoonethesecretofthisvengeance；Iwished
　　tokeepthedelightofthusexcitingtherageoftheprincesse
　　d’Egmontalltomyself。
　　Iwascertain，thatwhatevermight
　　henceforwardbeherlineofconducttowardsme，thatwhenever
　　shefoundherselfinmypresence，shewouldbitterlyfeelthe
　　stingsofanaccusingconscience，andthegnawingsofthatworm
　　whichdiethnotintheheartofhypocriticalandwickedpersons，
　　moreespeciallywhencompelledtomeettheeyeofthosewho
　　couldunmasktheminaminute。
　　OnthefollowingdayIreceivedavisitfromtheducdeRichelieu。
　　Spiteofthemanyendeavorshemadetoappearsmilingandgood
　　humored，adeepragekeptitsstationroundhismouth，and
　　contractedhislipseveninthemidstoftheartificialsmilewith
　　whichhesoughttodissimulatehiswrath。
　　“Madame，goodmorning，“saidhetome，“Icometooffermy
　　congratulations，youreallyarebecomequiteoneofus；uponmy
　　word，themostexperiencedcourtierhasnothingmoretoteachyou。“
　　“IamasyetinignoranceofthecausetowhichImayascribe
　　thesecompliments，M。lemarechal，whichIgreatlyfearsurpass
　　mypoormerits；andwhichevenyouwillbecompelledtoretract
　　themwhenIambetterknowntoyou。“
　　“Fearitnot，madame，“saidhe，“yourcommencementisamaster-stroke；
　　andtheletteryouyesterdayaddressedtothecomtessed’Egmont——“
　　“Ah，sir，“exclaimedI，withunfeignedastonishment，“inherplace
　　Icertainlyshouldnothaveselectedyouasmyconfidantin
　　theaffair。“
　　“Andwhocouldshebetterhaveselectedthanherfather？
　　But
　　thatisnotthematterinhand。
　　Mydaughterisfilledwithanger
　　againstyou；andifImustspeakthetruth，Idonotthinkyour
　　behaviortowardsherquitewhatitshouldhavebeen。“
　　“Really，monsieur，Iwasnotpreparedforareproachofthiskind；
　　andwhatcanmadamed’Egmontallegeagainstme？
　　’Tisshewho
　　haspursuedmewiththemostbittersarcasms，themostdetermined
　　malice；and，Imayadd，themostimpertinentbehavior。
　　Ientreat
　　yourpardonforusingsuchstrongexpressions，butherbehavior
　　allowsofnonemilder。
　　AndwhathaveIdoneinmyturn？
　　snatched
　　fromalingeringdeathanunfortunateyoungman，whoseonly
　　crimeconsistedinhavingpleasedthisunreasonablemadame
　　d’Egmont。