Themarchionessgavetheseanecdoteswithagrace
　　andtalentpeculiarlyherown；andIsometimesimaginedthat
　　someofthemanyshefavoreduswithhadperhapstakenplacein
　　amorerecentperiodthanthatsheassignedtothem；andthat，
　　inordertodivertoursuspicionsastowhoweretherealactors，
　　shefrequentlysubstitutedtheforwhatshouldhavebeen
　　withmorecorrectnessthetime。
　　Withmannersso
　　calculatedtowin，shecouldnotfailbeingadelightfulcompanion，
　　altho’inmyheartIcouldnothelpgivingthepreferencetothe
　　societyofthemarechaledeMirepoix。
　　Besides，thepreferenceevincedbythisladyinsogenerously
　　separatingherselffromallherfamily，inordertoattachherself
　　tome，wasnotwithoutitsfullvalueinmyeyes。
　　Iknewmyself
　　tobegenerallydislikedbyherbrotherandsister-in-law，the
　　princeandprincessedeBeauvau，thelatterofwhomwassecretly
　　themistressoftheducdeChoiseul，overwhomsheexercisedan
　　equalempirewiththeduchessedeGrammont，andIwaseveryday
　　theobjectofsomefreshattackontheirpart。
　　Iusedsometimes
　　tocomplainofthistothemarechale。
　　“Mydearfriend，“shewould
　　reply，“Iamsorry，butcannothelpit；inthemidstoftimessuch
　　aswelivein，andinsuchacourttoo，theprincedeBeauvau
　　aspirestobeanobleRoman，andwouldfainbetheCatoofhis
　　countryatleast。
　　WhenIrecommendtohimagreaterdegreeof
　　prudence，hetalkstomeofvirtue，astho’atVersaillesduty
　　didnotconsistinimplicitobediencetothewishesofourroyal
　　master；eitherobedienceorabsencefromcourtisthegoldenrule
　　laiddown，fromwhichnonedaredeviate。
　　Astomysister-in-law
　　sheaimsattheheroiclikewise，althohermodelsareformedfrom
　　anotherschool；infact，shehasporedovertheromancesofCyrus。
　　Cassander，andClelia，tillsheishalfbewildered，andholdsforth
　　uponthevirtuesofthesefamousheroines，tillIamfrequently
　　uponthepointofexclaiming，“Ah，mydear，itisallveryfine；
　　butCleliaandMandanewouldnothavesharedtheirbedwith
　　theducdeChoiseul。“
　　Bytheselivelysalliesthemarechalesucceededindivertingmy
　　angerfromherrelations，andIgenerallyforgotmyresentment
　　inaheartyfitoflaughter，broughtonbyhersprightly
　　conversation。
　　Ifoundmyselfbecomingdailymoreattachedto
　　her，andherpresencehelpedtoconsolemeforthemanyvexations
　　Icontinuallyencountered。
　　ThegreatestdisagreeablenessIencounteredwasoccasionedbythe
　　capriciousbehavioroftheprincesses，whosometimesreceivedme
　　withpleasureandatothersevincedadispositiontoannoymein
　　everypossibleway，accordingasitsuitedthewhimsandwishes
　　ofthoseaboutthem。
　　Thefollowingmayserveasaninstanceof
　　theirversatility。
　　TheprincedeCondehavingannouncedhisintentionofgivinga
　　grandfeteatChantilly，theprincessesdeclaredtheywouldnot
　　bepresentifIwerethere。
　　TheprincedeConde，spiteofhis
　　claimstothecharacterofagreatman，wasneverthelessoneof
　　themostsubtlecourtiers；andassoonashewasinformedofthe
　　princesses’intention，hecame，withoutceremony，toexplainthe
　　mattertome。
　　Thiswasthefirstvisithehadhonoredmewith。
　　“Madame，“saidhe，“Ihadflatteredmyselfyouwouldhaveembellished
　　Chantillywithyourpresence；butthebeautiesofthecourt，too
　　justlyalarmedattheideaofbeingeclipsedbyyourdazzling
　　charms，havesosuccessfullymanoeuvred，thattheyhavewrought
　　upontheroyaldaughtersofouraugustmonarchtodeclare，that
　　thebeautyoftheirattendingnymphsshallnotbeeffacedbyyours。
　　Youhavetoomuchgoodsensetoseetheaffairinanybutitstrue
　　light；andthedisappointmentyourabsencewillinflictonmewould
　　betoocruellyfeltforendurance，didInotseektopacifymy
　　anxiouswishesonthesubject，byobtainingyourpromisetopay
　　meavisitwhenthekingnexthonorsChantillywithhispresence。“
　　Ifeltdeeplyflatteredbytheinvitation。
　　Theprincecontinued
　　topaymeseveralelegantandgallantcompliments；andIwas，
　　uponthewhole，charmedwithourinterview。
　　However，theking
　　washighlydispleasedwithhisdaughters’proceedings。
　　“Ihave
　　agreatinclination，“saidhe，“toforbidtheirgoingtoChantillyat
　　all。
　　Uponmyword，ifIweretolistentothem，theywouldfain
　　makeofmethesamepuppettheyallowthemselvestobecomein
　　thehandsofthegreatestsimpletonwhowilltakethetroubleof
　　leadingthem。“
　　Iendeavoredtoappeasehisanger，byremindinghim，thathecould
　　notexpectperfectionfromhisdaughters；andthat，forcedasthey
　　weretohearmecontinuallyspokenillofbymyenemies，itwas
　　nexttoimpossibletheyshouldbeabletopreventthemselvesfrom
　　adoptingtheopinionofthosearoundthem。
　　“Andthat，“saidhe，
　　“iswhatIprincipallyfindfaultwith。
　　Whathavetheytodowith
　　apingthetoneofthoseaboutthem；andwhatpointoftheirduty
　　teachesthemtodetestthosewhomIlove？
　　Iwilltakecaretolet
　　themknowmydispleasure。“
　　Allmyendeavorswereinvain；Icouldobtainnochangeofhis
　　purpose；and，summoningthearchbishopdeSenlis，hespoketo
　　himinamannerthatplainlyevincedhisintentionofmakinghim
　　responsiblefortheactionsoftheprincesses。
　　PoorM。de
　　Roquelaurecalledallthesaintsinparadisetowitnesshisinnocence。
　　“Silence，sir，“exclaimedtheking，“Iamperfectlycertainthis
　　affairhasnotgoneonwithoutyourknowledgeandprobable
　　participation。
　　Iknowyouwellforapersondevotedtothe
　　ladies，asagay，gallantgentlemanneedbe:Iknowlikewise
　　thatyouexpendtherevenuesofyourbishopricandlivingsupon
　　theprettiestgirlsofParis；thusIcanhardlysupposeyouwould
　　havecounselledmydaughters’conduct。
　　No，Iblamethosewicked
　　andvindictivescandal-mongers，whoseageistheironlyprotection，
　　andthoseintriguingmenwhobesetmydaughters’ears。“
　　“Sire，“protestedthetremblingbishop，“Ientreatyoutobelieve
　　Iaminnocentofthewholeaffair。“
　　“Sir，“interruptedtheking，“Iknowwellthatyouareasgooda
　　courtierasaprelate，butstillIbelieveyoumerelyapeyour
　　betters；andfarfromentertaininganypersonaldisliketothe
　　comtesseduBarry，youwouldnotobjecttoreceiveeitherthe
　　archbishopricofd’AlbiorSensfromherhands，weretheyinher
　　powertobestow。“
　　Theconversationwentoninthisstyleformorethanhalfan
　　hour。
　　Theking，whohadamusedhimselfhighlyattheterrorof
　　thebishop，leftoffinexcellenthumor。
　　ThisinterviewhadnotbeenproductiveofequalamusementtoM。
　　deRoquelaure，whoseself-lovehadbeendeeplyhumbledbythe
　　wayinwhichthekinghadspoken。
　　Nosoonerdidhefeelhimself
　　atliberty，thanhehastenedtocommunicatetotheprincessesthe
　　violentdispleasuretheyhadexcited；andtheseladies，sobrave
　　anddaringwhilsttheirfatherappearedtooffernoshowof
　　authorityoranger，durstproceednofurtherwhentheyheardof
　　hisseriouslydisapprovingofit；andtheyfeltthefull
　　inconsistencyoftheirconduct，infirstadmittingmeintotheir
　　presence，andthenrefusingtomeetmeatanyotherplace。
　　The
　　consequenceoftheirdeliberationuponthesubjectwastodepute
　　thebishopdeSenlistocalluponme。
　　Thisaccommodatingprelate
　　dischargedhismissionwiththeutmostamenity，presentingme
　　withtheunitedcomplimentsoftheroyalsisters，whoalljoined
　　inrequestingthepleasureofmeetingmeatChantilly。
　　Hadnot
　　theprincedeCondeheldouttheflatteringprospectofgiving
　　meafetewhollytomyself，inallprobabilityIshouldhave
　　profitedbytheirinvitation；butknowingofthesecretintention
　　oftheprince，Ireturnedforanswer，“thatitwassufficiently
　　flatteringandgratifyingtome，tofindthatIstillpreserved
　　anyportionoftheprincesses’kindfavor，butthatIwas
　　abundantlyhonoredbytheintimationofmypresence
　　beingagreeable。
　　Nevertheless，asIhadgoodauthorityfor
　　conjecturingthatitmightnotbeequallysotomanyofthe
　　ladiesoftheircourt，Ishouldabstainfromgivingoffenceto
　　anyonebymypresence。“
　　“Ah，madame，，，criedM。deRoquelaure，“Ientreatofyounotto
　　insistuponmycarryingthelatterpartofthismessagetothe
　　princesses，theywouldbesomuchgrieved。“
　　“Well，then，sir，“saidI，“tellthemthatIamindisposed，and
　　thatthestateofmyhealthwilldetainmeatVersailles。“
　　’Thatindeed，“saidhe，“isamorerespectfulmessage；and
　　furtherIwouldventuretoaskofyourgoodness，thatsinceit
　　isnotyourpleasuretohonorChantillywithyourpresence，that
　　youwillhavethekindnesstomentionintheproperquarter，that
　　farfrommyroyalladiesopposinganyobstacletoyourgoing，
　　theywouldhavebeenmuchdelightedwithyourpresencethere。“
　　“Beassured，sir，“answeredI，“thatIshalleverfeelproudand
　　honoredbytheprincesses’notice；andIwilltakecarethatthe
　　faithfulaccountofalltheirgraciouscondescensionshallbe
　　faithfullyandloudlyreported。“
　　Thebishopdepartedmuchpleasedwiththesuccessof
　　hisnegotiation；and，aboveall，withtheagreeableturn
　　theaffairhadtaken。
　　WhenInextsawtheking，Isaidtohim，“Yourdaughters，sire，
　　areasamiableasyouwouldhavethem；theyhavebeeninformed
　　thatsomeevildisposedpersonshaveasserted，thattheyhad
　　prohibitedmybeingofthepartytoChantilly；andinorderto
　　testifyhowdifferentlythey
　　weredisposedtowardsme，they
　　despatchedthebishopdeSenlis。“
　　“Amostfitpersontobeintrustedwithsuchacommission，“
　　repliedtheking；“forIhave，ineveryinstance，endeavoredto
　　justifythewishesofthisholypillarofthechurch，thisworthy
　　prelatewithhisdouble-facedpoliteness，towardsthosewhom
　　heopenlycompliments，andrevilesinprivate，justashisinterest
　　mayrequireit。
　　Well！
　　andwhatdidyousaytohim？“