thiseffect。“
　　“Certainly；ifshemustsin，shehadbetterdosowithsomereason。“
　　Whilethesegentlemenwerethusdisposingofme，whatwasI
　　doing？
　　Alone，inmyroom，Iwaitedtheresultoftheirconference
　　withmortalimpatience。
　　ThecharacterIhadtoplaywasasuperb
　　one，andatthemomentwasabouttoenteronthestage，Ifeltall
　　thedifficultiesofmypart。
　　IfearedIshouldnotsucceed，butfail
　　amidtheinsultinghissesoftheVersaillesparty。
　　Myfearsatoncedisappeared，andthenIpicturedmyselfsitting
　　onathrone，magnificentlyattired；myimaginationwanderedin
　　alltheenchantmentsofgreatness；——then，asiffromremorse，I
　　recalledmypastlife。
　　TheformerloverofNicholasblushed
　　beforethefuturemistressofLouisXV。
　　Athousanddifferent
　　reflectionscrowdeduponme，andmingledinmybrain。
　　Iftolive
　　istothink，Ilivedawholeageinonequarterofanhour。
　　At
　　lengthIheardsomedoorsopen，acarriagerolledaway，andcomte
　　Jeanenteredmychamber。
　　“Victory！“
　　criedhe，embracingmewithtransport。
　　“Victory！my
　　dearJeanne，to-morrowyousupwiththeking。“
　　OnthisinformationIturnedpale，mystrengthforsookme，andI
　　wascompelledtositdown，orrathertofallintoachair；for，
　　accordingtoJeanJacquesRousseau，mylegsshookunderme
　　。
　　This，however，wastheonlymovementofweakness
　　whichIbetrayed。
　　WhenIrecoveredalittle，thecomteJeantold
　　metheconversationhehadhadwithLebel。
　　Ijokedaboutthetitle
　　ofbarondeGonesse，andIpromisedtotreatthekingasif
　　ignorantofhisincognito。
　　Onethingonlymademeuneasy，and
　　thatwassuppingwiththeducdeRichelieu，whohadseenme
　　beforeatmadamedeLagarde’s；buttheideathathewouldnot
　　remembermegavemerenewedcourage。
　　Onsoimportantanoccasion，comteJeandidnotforgettorepeat
　　hisinstructionsoveragain。
　　Thesearenearlyhiswords，forI
　　thinkIlearntthembyheart。
　　“Rememberthatitisonyourfirstinterviewthatyoursafety
　　depends。
　　Lethimlearn，throughyou，thoseuttertendernesses
　　whichhavebeensoughtforhiminvainheretofore。
　　Heislike
　　themonarchofold，whowaswillingtopaythehalfofhiscrown
　　foranunknownpleasure。
　　Lebelisweariedinseekingeveryweek
　　fornewfruit。
　　Heisquitedisposedtoserveyou，andwillsecond
　　youinthebestmanner。
　　Youareabouttobecomethecentreof
　　attractiontoallcourtiers，andnoble。
　　Youmust
　　expectthattheywillendeavortocryyoudown，becauseyouwill
　　havecarriedofffromthemagemtowhicheveryfamilyhasits
　　pretensions。
　　Youmustatfirststandfirmlybeforethestorm，but
　　afterwardyouwillfindallenlistthemselvesunderyourbanner，
　　whohavenowife，sister，nordaughter；thatis，allwhohaveno
　　mistresstooffertotheking。
　　Youmustattachthesetoyouby
　　placeandfavor:theymustbefirstthoughtof，andthenyoumust
　　thinkofyourselfandme，mydeargirl。“
　　“Allthisiswellenough，“Ireplied，“butasyetIamnothing。“
　　“！
　　to-morrowyouwillbeeverything，“criedcomte
　　Jean，withhisdeterminedenergy。
　　“Butwemustthinkabout
　　thismorrow。
　　Makehaste，noblecomtesse；gotoallthemilliners，
　　seekwhatiselegantratherthanwhatisrich。
　　Beaslovely，
　　pleasing，andgayaspossible；thisisthemainpoint，andGod
　　willdoalltherest。“
　　Hepronouncedthisblasphemyinalaughingtone，andIconfessI
　　couldnothelpjoininginthelaugh，andthenhastenedtocomply
　　withhisdirections。
　　Aslightpreface——ArrivalatVersailles————Portrait
　　oftheking——TheducdeRichelieu——ThemarquisdeChauvelin——The
　　ducdelaVauguyon-Supperwiththeking——Thefirstnight——The
　　followingday——ThecuriosityofcomteJean——Presentsfromthe
　　king——Howdisposedof
　　Thechancesagainstoursucceedinginourenterprisewereatleast
　　athousandtoone。
　　Theseauponwhich，trustingtothefavorable
　　influenceofmyleadingstar，wewereabouttoventure，wasfilled
　　withrocksandshoalswhichthreatenedthepoormarinerwhoshould
　　directhisbarknearthem。
　　Inthefirstplace，Ihadtodreadmy
　　obscurebirth，aswellasthemannerinwhichmylifehadbeen
　　passed；andstillmorehadItofeartheindifferentreputationof
　　comteJean。
　　Therewasmorethansufficientinallthistodisturb
　　aheadfarstrongerthanIcouldboast。
　　However，thankstomy
　　thoughtfulness，notroublesomethoughtsinterferedtobreakmy
　　restonthenightprecedingadaysoimportanttome，andIsleptas
　　tranquillyasthoughuponwakingIhadnootheroccupationformy
　　timethanawalkontheboulevards，oradrivetotheBoisdeBoulogne。
　　ComteJean，however，hadpassedaverydifferentnight；foronce，
　　thewhisperingsofambitionhadovercomeevenhisnatural
　　indifferenceandcarelessness，andtiredoftossingupona
　　sleeplesspillow，hearoseatthefirstbreakofday，reproached
　　meforslumberingsolong，andallowedmeneitherpeacenor
　　resttillIjoinedhimdressedforourjourney。
　　Atlength，we
　　setoutaccordingtoouragreementwithLebel；Iwasclosely
　　muffledupinmylarge——thecarriagerolledalongtill
　　wereachedVersailles，wherewehadforthelastmonthengageda
　　lodging，whichmightbeusefultousinallevents；wealighted，
　　andaftervainlyseekingafewmoments’repose，proceededon
　　foottoLebel，inwhoseapartmentsweweretoattireourselvesin
　　asuitablemanner。
　　“Youarewelcome，“saidthecomte，“prayconsideryourselfas
　　athome。“
　　“Iacceptyouraugury，“repliedI，“itwouldbeamusingenough
　　tofindthatmyyoungprophethadpredictedrightly。“
　　“Wellthen，“saidmyconductor，laughing，“Irecommendyouto
　　manageasliponthestaircase，itwouldbetakingpossession
　　afterthemanneroftheancients。“
　　“No，no，Ithankyou，“answeredI；“nofallsifyouplease，they
　　arenotpropitiousinFrance。“
　　Whilstwewerethusspeaking，wewerecrossingalongsuiteof
　　chambers，andreachedtheoneatwhichwewereexpected。
　　We
　　knockedcautiouslyatadoor，whichwasopenedtouswithequal
　　caution。
　　Scarcelyhadweentered，thanLebelcameeagerlyforward
　　toreceiveus。
　　“Ah，madame！“
　　criedhe，“Ibegantofearyoumightnotcome，
　　youhavebeenlookedforwithanimpatience——“
　　“Whichcanhardlyequalmine，“interruptedI；“foryouwere
　　preparedforyourvisitor，whilstIhaveyettolearnwhoisthe
　　friendthatsokindlydesirestoseeme。“
　　“Itisbetteritshouldbeso，“addedLebel；“donotseekeither
　　toguessordiscovermore，thanthatyouwillheremeetwith
　　somecheerfulsociety，friendsofmine，whowillsupatmyhouse，
　　butwithwhomcircumstancespreventmysittingdownattable。“
　　“How！“saidI，withaffectedsurprise，“notsupwithus？“
　　“Evenso，“repliedLebel；andthenaddedwithalaugh，“and
　　Isitdowntosuppertogether！
　　Whatanidea！
　　No！
　　youwillfind
　　thatjustastheguestsareabouttositdownattable，Ishall
　　suddenlybecalledoutoftheroom，andshallonlyreturnat
　　thecloseoftherepast。“
　　Allthiswasbutofsmallimporttome。
　　Nevertheless，Iaffected
　　toregrettheunavoidableabsenceofLebel。
　　Infact，Ibelieve
　　thatthefirstbreathinspiredatcourtisfraughtwithfalsehood
　　anddeceit，entirelydestructivetoeveryfeelingofnaturalcandor。
　　Lebel，withthemostceremoniousgallantry，conductedmetoa
　　privatedressing-room，whereIfoundseveralfemaleswaitingto
　　assistmeatmytoilet；Iabandonedmyselftotheircares，which
　　were，indeed，mostskilfullyexercisedinmybehalf。
　　Theywrought
　　wondersinmyappearance，bathingmeaftertheEasternfashion，
　　adorningmyhairandperson，tillIissuedfromtheirhandsblooming
　　andbeauteousasanhouri。
　　WhenIreturnedtotheroominwhichLebelwasexpectingme，his
　　surprisewasalmostoverpowering。
　　“Youare，indeed，“exclaimedhe，“thenewsunwhichistorise
　　uponVersailles。“
　　“Excellent！“
　　criedI，laughingextravagantly，“butliketheplanet
　　youarepleasedtocomparemewith，Imustreservemysplendid
　　risingtillIhaveobtainedfreshpowersfromtheaidofnight。“*
　　*，
　　isthewittyreplyintheoriginal，butwhichitis
　　impossibletorenderfullyandpiquantlythroughthe
　　dilutionofatranslation——tr。
　　Thecomteentered，andjoinedhiscongratulationsuponthebeauty
　　ofmyappearance；allatoncethehasty，soundofabell，violently
　　pulled，washeard。