Villeroihasspokenoflovetoyou？“
　　“Yes，indeed，madam，“repliedthepoorgirl，weepingbitterly。
　　“Andyoureturnhispassion。“
　　“Ibelieveso，madam。“
　　Thisconfessionmademesmile。
　　Icontinued——
　　“Thenyouarenotquitesureofthefact？“
　　“No，madam；forwhenIdonotseehimIforgetallaboutit；but
　　whenheisbeforeme，sohandsomeandsogenerous，sofullof
　　love，Itrytomakemyselfequallyfondofhim；butsomehowI
　　cannothelppreferringhiscourier，M。l’Eclair。“
　　Theselastwordscompletelydestroyedallattemptsatpreserving
　　mygravity，andIburstintothemostuncontrollablelaughter，
　　which，however，soongaveplacetoapainfulrecollectionofhow
　　soonthisyoungandartlesscreature，assimpleasshewasbeautiful，
　　waslikelytolosethisopen-heartednessinthehandsofherseducer。
　　“Sophie，“saidItoheratlast，“thisunfortunateaffairforbids
　　myretainingyouanylongerinmyservice；Iamcompelledto
　　sendyoufromme。
　　Itrustthisnobleloverofyourswillnever
　　forsakeyou；haveacareonlytoconcealfromhim，shouldyou
　　persistinencouraginghisaddresses，thathehasarivalinthe
　　personofhiscourier，l’Eclair。“
　　Sophiethrewherselfweepingatmyfeet。
　　Iraisedandencouraged
　　herbythekindestwordstopursuetherightpath，butIremained
　　steadyinmydeterminationofsendingherfromme。
　　Iwasnotmistaken。
　　TheducdeVilleroibecamethepossessorof
　　poorSophie，andpubliclyboastedofhavingherunderhisprotection。
　　Hedidnot，however，proceedtotheseextrememeasuresuntilhe
　　hadessayedeverypossiblemeansofeffectingareconciliation
　　withme，andheemployedmorethanahundredpersonsinthevain
　　attemptofinducingmetopardonhim。
　　Withthisviewthemarechale
　　deMirepoix，whosesuccourhehadimplored，observedtomethat
　　itwassometimesnecessarytofeigntooverlookaninsult；I
　　replied，thatdissimulationwasanartIknewnothingof，nordid
　　Iwishevertoacquireit。
　　“Really，mydearcountess，“criedshe，“youshouldnotliveat
　　court，youareabsolutelyunfitforit。“
　　“Itmaybeso，“repliedI；“butIwouldratherquitVersailles
　　altogetherthanbesurroundedbyfalseandperfidiousfriends。“
　　Alltheremonstrancesofthegood-naturedmarechalewerefruitless，
　　Icouldnotbringmyselftopardonamanwhohadsoopenly
　　outragedmyfriendship。
　　DirectlyIsawtheking，Irelatedthewholeaffairtohim。
　　“Itmustbeconfessed，“saidhe，“thatthedukehasbehavedvery
　　illtowardsyou，buthehascertainlyshownhistasteasfaras
　　regardsSophie。
　　Sheisasweetcreature。“
　　“Ah！
　　youareallalike，“criedI。
　　“Yougentlementhinkapretty
　　faceanexcuseforeveryfault；andheonlydeservesblamewho
　　canattachhimselfwherebeautyiswanting。“
　　“Becauseheisasimpletonforsodoing，“saidLouisXVwiththe
　　utmostgravity，givingmeatthesametimeanaffectionateembrace。
　　CHAPTERXXIV
　　TheprincedesDeuxPonts——PrinceMax——ThedauphinandMarie
　　Antoinette——ThecomtesseduBarryandBridgetRupert——Thecountess
　　andGenevieveMathon——Noel——Freshamours——Nocturnaladventure——
　　Conclusionofthisintrigue
　　AllmyfriendswerenottreacherousastheducdeVilleroi；andI
　　maygratefullyassertIhavepossessedmanytrueandsincereones
　　whohaveeverfaithfullyadheredtomyfortunes。
　　Oneinparticular
　　Ishallmentionhere，thatImayrecommendhimtoyourwarmest
　　esteem；for，althoughofhighanddistinguishedrank，hedidnot
　　despisethegoodopinionofthemeanestcitizen。
　　Ispeakofthe
　　princedeDeuxPonts，CharlesAugusteChristian。
　　Thisprince，who
　　chancedtovisitFranceduringthezenithofmycourtfavour，was
　　verydesirousofseeingme，andbothheandhisbrotherwere
　　presentedtomebythecomtedelaMarche，theirfriend，and
　　theyquicklyrequestedthehonorofmyfriendship。
　　Auguste
　　Christianpleasedmemostbyhisgentleandamiablemanners，
　　althoughmostpersonsgavethepreferencetohisbrother，Maximilian
　　Joseph，betterknownbythenameofprinceMax。
　　AugusteChristian，
　　inthefervourofhisattachment，speakingopenlytomeofthe
　　delicacyofthesituation，proposedtome，incaseofanyreverse，
　　thatIshouldseekanasyluminhisdominions；andImustdohim
　　thejusticetosay，thatatthedeathoftheking，farfrom
　　forgettinghisproffer，helostnotimeinremindingmeofit。
　　Fidelityandattachmentsuchashis，issufficientlyrareto
　　meritaplaceinmyjournal。
　　TheprincedesDeuxPontswas
　　presumptiveheirtoanimmenseinheritance，thatoftheelectorate
　　ofBavaria，andtheelectoratePalatine，tothelatterofwhich
　　hewasdirectheirafterthedeceaseofhiscousin，thepresent
　　elector。
　　Icouldalmostwishthathehadalreadysucceededto
　　thesepossessions:hecanneverreigntoosoonforthehappiness
　　ofhissubjects。
　　PrinceMaxhadservedinFrance；hewasextremelywelllooked
　　uponatcourtbothbythekingandtheprincesses。
　　Asforthe
　　dauphiness，prejudicedagainsthimasshewasbyhermother，
　　shenaturallyregardedhimwithaneyeofcoolmistrust，and
　　manifestedheropendislikebyneverinvitinghimtoanyofher
　　parties。
　　PrinceMaxspokeofthispointedneglecttotheking，
　　whoimmediatelysummonedthedauphin。
　　“Myson，“saidheto
　　him，“IseewithregretthatprinceMaxisneveraninvitedguest
　　atanyofyourballsandfetes。
　　Remember，hebelongstoafamily
　　whichhasbeenourmostancientally，anddonottakeupthe
　　quarrelsofahousewhich，untilyourmarriage，haseverbeen
　　disposedindeadlyhatredtous。“
　　Ifthedauphinwasnotgiftedwithaveryextensivecapacity，he
　　waspossessedofsufficientplainsensetocomprehend，andto
　　enterintotheviewsofhisgrandfather，towhomhepledgedhis
　　word，thathenceforwardprinceMaxshouldbetreatedwithmore
　　respect；andhekepthisword，fortheinstanthereturnedtohis
　　apartments，hecommandedtheducdelaVauguyontoaddthename
　　ofprinceMaxtothelistofinvitedpersons。
　　Whenthepaperwas
　　drawnoutitwascarriedtothedauphiness，whowaswithher
　　husband。
　　ShereadontillshecametothenameofprinceMax，
　　whichshedesiredmightbeerased；butthedauphininterfered。
　　“Obligeme，“criedhe，“bysufferingthisnametoremain；his
　　ancestorshaveforagesbeenthefriendsofourfamily，andhis
　　alliancemayonedaybeusefultousinGermany。“
　　Thedauphinesscomprehendedthesignificationofthesewords，
　　andherfineeyeswerefilledwithtears。
　　However，shenolonger
　　insistedupontheerasure，whenherhusband，whomosttenderly
　　lovedher，furtherdeclaredittobetheking’sdesirethat
　　nothingshouldbedonewhichcouldinanywaydispleasethe
　　princedesDeuxPonts。
　　Hewas，therefore，fromthatperiod
　　invitedtothehouseofMarieAntoinette，whoindemnifiedherself
　　forthiscompulsorycivility，byrefusingtobestowuponhimone
　　singlesmileorgraciousword。
　　Itmustindeedbeagreedthatthe
　　dauphinesshadbroughtwithherintoFrancetoomanyAustrian
　　notions，whichshewaslonginlosingforthoseofawifeand
　　mother；butnowatthemomentofmywritingthis，sheismuch
　　changed，andisastrueaFrenchwomanasthoughshehadbeen
　　bornandbredinParis。
　　Unfortunately，thepeopleappearslowin
　　givinghercreditforheralteredopinions，andtothismistake
　　willsheowethelossofthatgeneralloveandpopularityto
　　whichshehassuchjustclaims。
　　PrinceAugusteChristianentertainedformeasincereregard，
　　whichIreturnedwiththetruestfriendship。
　　Myfeelingswere
　　aspureandsimpleashisown，spiteoftheodiouscalumnies
　　withwhichmyenemieshaveattackedthisharmlessacquaintance；
　　buttheirslanderinthismatterwasnoworsethanthemannerin
　　whichtheyspokeofeverypersonwhovisitedme。
　　Accordingto
　　theirreport，Iwasthemistressofallwhopresentedthemselves。
　　’Tiswellforyou，yecourtlydames，thatyoumayconvertfriends
　　intoloverswithimpunity；bethenumbereversolargenonedares
　　arraignyourconduct；butforthoseofmorehumblepretensionsit
　　isindeedconsideredatrocioustonumbermorethantwoadmirers；
　　shouldweasktoswellthelisttoathird——whatcomments，what
　　scandal，whatvilifyingreportsareincirculation！
　　Inthis
　　letter，myfriend，Ishallspeaktoyouexclusivelyofmyself。
　　Youwillfindlittleinmyconducttopraise，andIfear，
　　much
　　toblame。
　　Youwilleasilyperceivemyheartwasbetterthanmy
　　head；anddearasyouropinionistome，Iwriteoninthehope，
　　thatshouldmycandidavowallosemeanyportionofyouresteem，
　　itwillyetobtainmealargershareofyourfriendship。
　　The
　　dismissalofSophiefrommyserviceoccasionedavacancyinmy
　　household。
　　Immediatelyherdeparturewasknown，Ireceived
　　numberlesssolicitationsfromallwhoheardofit。
　　Threedays
　　afterwards，Henriettecametoinformmethatthewifeofan
　　attorneyofChateletsolicitedthetaskofservingmeinSophie’s
　　stead；thatshewasawell-lookingandrespectableperson，and
　　mightveryprobablysuitme。
　　“Willyouseeher，madam？“
　　continuedHenriette。
　　“Sheis
　　recommendedbythemarchionessdeMontmorency。“
　　“Willingly，“answeredI；“desirehertocomein。“