favourwaswithhim；and，inordertocontestit，itrequiredall
　　theinfluenceofawoman，andthatwomantobenolessthanthe
　　belovedmistressofthekingofFrance。
　　Hepresentedhimselfbeforemetastefullyandmagnificentlydressed，
　　bothlookandvoicewearingthestampofhigh-bornprideand
　　haughtiness。
　　Nevertheless，amidstallthispomp，itwasevident
　　thathedidnotentirelyfeeltheeaseheassumed，andthata
　　speciesofremorserankledathisheart，spiteofthecourtier-like
　　gallantrywithwhichhehadinvestedhimself。
　　“Madam，“saidhe，bowingtwicemostprofoundly，“themomenthas
　　arrivedwhichIhavelongmostardentlydesired。“
　　“Thefaulthasnotbeenmine，mylord，“saidI，“thatithasbeen
　　delayeduntilnow。
　　Mydoorhasneverbeenshutagainstany
　　visityoumighthavehonouredmewith。“
　　“Ah，madam！
　　whyhaveInotknownthissooner？
　　Someevilplanet
　　ruledmythoughtswhenitoccurredtomethatImightnotbeso
　　happyastomeetwithafavourablereception。“
　　“There，mylord，youwereindeedinerror；forthoughImightnot
　　feelaverytenderfriendshiptowardsyouwhilstsupposingIhad
　　manycausesforcomplaint，Icouldnotrefuseyouthosemarksof
　　respectyourrankandstationentitleyoutoreceive。“
　　“Then，madam，ImayflattermyselfthatIshouldhavebeen
　　kindlyreceived？“
　　“Yes，sir，youwouldeverhavebeenwelcome，butnotthose
　　belongingtoyou，forIwillbeperfectlycandid；alwaysexcepting
　　theduchessedeChoiseul，forwhomIentertainthegreatest
　　venerationandrespect。“
　　“Sheisindeedwellworthytheexaltedopinionyouexpressofher；
　　andhadIfollowedheradvice，Ishouldnothavebeenfound
　　amongsttheranksofyourenemies。“
　　“Youconfessthefactthen，monsieurleduc？“
　　saidI。
　　“Itrust，madam，youwillnottakeadvantageofaninadvertent
　　expressiontoturnitagainstmyself。
　　WhatIfearis，thatwithout
　　everhavingbeenyourenemy，Imayhavepassedforsuchinyour
　　estimation；andsuchindeedisthecruelpositioninwhichI
　　amplaced。“
　　“Stay，mylordduke，“criedI；“becandid，andacknowledgethat
　　youaremyenemyasyouhaveeverbeen；andthatitisonly
　　becausetherehasbeenwarbetweenusthatyouarenowcometo
　　concludeatreatyofpeace——“
　　“Peaceorwar，madam，“repliedhe，“asyoupleasetowillit；all
　　Iwilladmitis，thatthingshaveturnedoutmostunfavourablyfor
　　mywishes。
　　YourarrivalatVersailles，yourgrace，beauty，and
　　wit，exciteduniversaljealousy；and，amidstthegeneralpanic
　　causedbyyourall-excellingmerit，wasitnotnecessaryItoo
　　shouldkeepmyselfonmyguard？
　　Forthefirsttimeinmylife
　　abeautifulwomanbecameanobjectofalarmtome；youmay
　　furtherbelieveme，whenIprotestthat，attheoutset，Iwarmly
　　defendedyou；buthowcouldIwagewaragainstsomany——how
　　opposethegeneraltorrent？
　　Itboremedown。“
　　“Andyoufearlestitshouldcarryyoubeyondyourdepth，and
　　wouldfainreturnto；isitnotso，mylordduke？“
　　Atthisironicalspeechanexpressionofheavydispleasurerose
　　tothecountenanceofM。deChoiseul，andheremainedforseveral
　　minuteslikeamanwhofearstotrusthimselftoreply。
　　Then
　　headded，
　　“Madam，whenIsolicitedthefavourofthisconversation，itwas
　　withthesincerestdesireofadjustingalldifferencesbetween
　　us，anditwouldbutilladvancethatpurposewereInowtoreply
　　toyouwithwarmthandpetulance；condescend，onyourpart，to
　　layasidesarcasmandraillery。
　　Youhavealreadytoomanyadvantages
　　overme，anditwouldillaccordwithyourwontedgenerosityto
　　insultahalf-conqueredfoe。“
　　“Youareright，mylord，“answeredI；“jestsandrecrimination
　　willeffectnothing；letusratherproceedatoncetoconsider
　　whatisbestfortheinterestofboth。“
　　“Willingly，“repliedhe。
　　’Nowyouspeaktothepurpose；andasI
　　waspreparedtohearyou——areyouinclinedforaseriousdiscussion
　　ofourbusiness？“
　　“Praybegin，mylord，Iamallattention。“
　　“Well，madam，Ideeplyregretallthathaspassed，anddeplore
　　thatmyfriendsandpartofmyfamilyshouldbedisagreeableto
　　you；Itakeuponmyselftoengagethattheirhostilityshallend，
　　andamwillingtoaffordyouthemostperfectsatisfactionupon
　　thispoint。
　　Impressedwithhighestrespectforhismajesty，and
　　themostlivelydesiretoservehim，Iaskfornothingmorethan
　　tobeongoodtermswiththoseheloves；andasforthefuture，
　　myunshrinkingloyaltymaybereliedon。“
　　“Iamwellassuredofit，mylordduke；andlikewiseyouhave
　　nevertakenanypartinthecalumnieswhichhavebeenaimedat
　　me。
　　Letusthenforgivetheandsinceweareagreedastothe
　　future，letusspeakbutofthepresent。
　　Ihavefriendsfitted
　　toservetheking，whoseambitionleadsthemtoaspiretothat
　　honour。
　　Whatwillyoudotoassistthem？“
　　“EreIpromisethat，madam，itisnecessaryIshouldbeacquainted
　　withthem。“
　　“Whatwoulditavailtonamethemtoyou？
　　Youperfectlywell
　　comprehendtowhomIallude。
　　Iamresolutelydecidedtosupport
　　them，andtoemployforthispurposethefriendshipwithwhich
　　hismajestydeignstohonourme。“
　　Thedukecoloureddeeplyatthesewords。
　　“Then，madam，“saidhe，“youwouldfainstripmetoenrichothers？“
　　“No，mylord，Iaskbutadivisionofyourpossessions。
　　Youcannot
　　haveeverything；anditwouldnotbefairthatourreconciliation
　　shouldbeprofitabletoyouonly。“
　　“Ididnotanticipate，madam，incominghither，thatyouwould
　　commandmetoofferupmyselfasasacrificeuponanaltarraised
　　byyoutotheinterestsofyourfriends。“
　　“Meaningtosay，mylordduke，thatyouwillkeepeverythingto
　　yourself。
　　Icannotcomplimentyouuponyourliberality，however
　　Imayforyourcandour。“
　　“Madam，Ihaveneversincemyentryintotheministrysoughtto
　　liveattheexpenseofmycountry，andletmeresignofficewhen
　　Imay，Ishallretireloadedonlywithdebts，whilstyouandyour
　　friendsdrawlargerevenuesfromthenation。“
　　Theconversationbecamewarmandangry，thedukeandmyself，with
　　crimsoncheeksandinflamedcountenances，surveyedeachother
　　withhaughtydefiance。
　　Atlengthheadded，
　　“IhadhopedthatIshouldhavequittedyoumorekindlydisposed
　　towardsme。“
　　“AndI，mylord，fanciedthatyouwerecomingwithanardent
　　desireforpeace；butno，thespiritofyoursisterleadsyou
　　astray，andyouwouldfainpunishmeforherabsencefromcourt。“
　　“Madam，Ibeseechyoutoleavemysisterinpeace；shehasgone，
　　thatoughttosatisfyyou。
　　Wewillnot，ifyouplease，speakofher。“
　　“Ionlywishthatshewouldlikewisedomethehonourtobesilent
　　respectingme。
　　Iamnotignorantthatshecontinuestoaimher
　　slandersatmefromafarasshedidwhennearme。
　　Onemight
　　supposethatthesoleobjectofherjourneyingswasbuttoexcite
　　allFranceagainstme。“
　　“Madam，youaremistaken。
　　Mysister——“
　　“ContinuestoplaythesamepartinthecountryshedidinParis。
　　ShedetestsmebecauseIhappentohaveyouthandbeautyonmy
　　side。
　　Mayherhatredlastforever。“
　　“Ah，madam，saynotso；forwithyourcharmsyouareindeedtoo
　　formidableanantagonist；andthemoreso，asIclearlyperceive
　　youarenotinclinedforpeace。“
　　“Atleast，“saidI，“thewaronmysideshallbefairandopen，
　　andthosebelongingtoyouhavenotalwayswageditwithmeupon
　　thoseterms。“
　　Thedukemerelywardedoffthislastassertionbysomeunmeaning
　　compliment，andweseparatedgreaterenemiesthanever。
　　ThefirstpersontowhomIcouldcommunicatewhathadpassedwas
　　theducd’Aiguillon。
　　Helistenedtomyrecitalwithoutanydecided
　　expressionofhisopinion；butnosoonerhadIconcluded，thanhe
　　tookmebythehand，andpressingitwithafriendlygrasp，
　　“HowIcongratulateyou，“saidhe，“uponthegoodfortunewhich
　　hasextricatedyoufromthisaffair。
　　Doyouknowthatareconciliation
　　withtheducdeChoiseulwouldhaveinvolvedyourinevitable
　　disgrace？
　　Whatevilgeniuscounselledyoutoactinsuchamanner？“
　　“IfanciedIwasdoingright，“saidI，“inthusprovingtothe
　　kingthatIwasnotanunreasonablewoman。“
　　“TheChoiseuls，“repliedhe，“wouldhaveentangledyouintheir
　　nets，and，separatedfromyourrealfriends，wouldhavemadeyou
　　theinnocentauthorofyourowndestruction。
　　Tellthekingjust
　　somuch，thattheducdeChoiseulhasbeentoseeyou，thatyou
　　conversedtogethersometime，andthathehasoffendedyoumore
　　thanever。“
　　“Ipromiseyou，mykindfriend，“saidI，“tofollowyouradvice。“
　　WhenInextsawtheking，Iapprizedhimofthevisit。
　　“Thatdoesnotastonishme，“saidLouisXV，“thedukeisanxious
　　tobeonfriendlytermswithyou。“
　　“Hehasthentakenaverycontraryroadtoarriveatmyfriendship，“
　　saidI；“ifhereallydesiresthatweshouldbeongoodterms，he
　　mustconducthimselfverydifferently“；andtheretheconversation
　　ended。
　　Butseveraldaysafterwards，havingsentawaymy，withwhomIhadreasontobedissatisfied，andthe
　　kingappearingsurprisedatseeingafreshcountenanceamongst
　　myhousehold，Isaidtohim，“Sir，IhavegotridofChoiseul，
　　whenwillitpleaseyoutogetridofyours？“
　　Theking，without
　　replyingtome，begantolaugh；inwhich，forwantofabetter
　　terminationtomyremark，Iwasconstrainedtojoin。