concealedbehindthecurtain，andapparentlynotonthebestterms
　　withme，mybrother-in-lawneverthelessdirectedmyactions，and
　　gavememostexcellentadvice。
　　Itwasnotlongeretheduc
　　d’Aiguillonarrived；hehadseenM。deMaupeouduringthenight，
　　andlearnedfromhimtheexileofthelateminister，butbeyond
　　thatfactheknewnothing。
　　Heinquiredofme，withmuchuneasiness，
　　whetheranythinghadbeendecidedinhisbehalf。
　　Ireplied，that
　　thekingwasasyetundecidedinhischoiceofministers，but
　　that，iftheducd’Aiguilloncameintooffice，hewould，inall
　　probability，benominatedtotheadministrationofforeignaffairs:
　　thedirectionofthewar-officehadbeenmynoblefriend’s
　　ardentdesire。
　　Whilstwewerethusconversingtogetheronthe24thofDecember，
　　1770，eleveno’clockstruck；andwecould，fromthewindows，
　　perceiveM。delaVrillieretakinghiswaytowardsthatpartof
　　thebuildingoccupiedbyM。deChoiseulwhenatthecastle。
　　This
　　latterwasinconversationwithM。Conzie，bishopofArras，when
　　thearrivaloftheducdelaVrilliere，bearingtheking’scommands，
　　wassignifiedtohim。
　　Theprelate，notdoubtingbutthemission
　　relatedtoaffairsofimportance，tookhisleave；delaVrilliere
　　thenpresentedthe，accompanyingitwithsome
　　remarksofhisownuponthetalentsoftheminister，andhisregret
　　atbeingselectedforsounpleasantanoffice。
　　“Atrucetoyour
　　feignedregrets，mylordduke，“repliedthedisgracedminister，
　　sarcastically，“Iamwellassuredmydismissalcouldnothavebeen
　　broughtmebyhandsmorereadytodischargethetrustthanyours。“
　　Sayingthis，M。deChoiseulplacedhiscredentialsinthehands
　　oftheduke，andslightlybowing，turnedhisbackuponhim，as
　　thoughhehadforgottenhispresence。
　　M。deChoiseulthenretired
　　tosummonhissister，tocommunicatetoherandhiswifethe
　　misfortunewhichhadbefallenhim:hethensetoutforParis，to
　　makethenecessarypreparationsforremovingtoChanteloup。
　　Thereanofficerfromtheking，chargedtoaccompanyhimtohis
　　placeofexile，gavehimhismajesty’sordersthatheshouldsee
　　noperson，andreceivenovisits。
　　Thisorderdidnotproceedfromme，butwastheworkoftheduc
　　delaVrilliere，whosought，bythispaltryaction，toavengehimself
　　uponM。deChoiseulforthereceptionhehadgivenhim。
　　Itwas
　　whollyuseless，however，forintheexileofthedukewasseena
　　thingunheardof，perhaps，before，and，inallprobability，unlikely
　　evertooccuragain——thesightofawholecourtespousingthepart
　　ofanexiledminister，andopenlycensuringthemonarchwhocould
　　thusrewardhisservices。
　　You，nodoubt，rememberequallywell
　　asmyselfthelongfileofcarriagesthatfortwodaysblockedup
　　theroadtoChanteloup。
　　InvaindidLouisXVexpresshisdissatisfaction；
　　hiscourtflockedincrowdstovisitM。deChoiseul。
　　Ontheotherhand，thecastlewasnotinamoretranquilstate。
　　AtthenewsofthedismissalandbanishmentofM。deChoiseul，a
　　generalhueandcrywasraisedagainstmeandmyfriends:one
　　mighthavesupposed，bytheclamoursitoccasioned，thatthe
　　ex-ministerhadbeentheatlasofthemonarchy；andthat，deprived
　　ofhissuccour，thestatemustfallintoruins。
　　Theprincesses
　　wereloudintheiranger，andaccusedmepubliclyofhaving
　　conspiredagainstvirtueitself！
　　Thevirtueofsuchasisterand
　　brother！
　　Iaskyou，myfriend，isnottheideatrulyludicrous？
　　Thedauphinessbewailedhisfallwithmanytears；atleast，soI
　　wasinformedbyaladyofhersuite，madamedeCampan。
　　This
　　ladywasamostloquaciousperson；shefrequentlyvisitedmy
　　sister-in-law；and，thankstoherloveoftalking，wewerealways
　　well-informedofallthatwaspassinginthehouseholdofMarie
　　Antoinette。
　　However，thedauphinwasfarfromsharingthegrief
　　Ofhisillustriousspouse。
　　Wheninformedofthedismissalofthe
　　duke，hecriedout，“Well，madameduBarryhassavedmeaninfinity
　　oftrouble——thatofgettingridofsodangerousaman，intheevent
　　ofmyeverascendingthethrone。“
　　Theprincedidnotusually
　　speakofmeinthemostflatteringterms，butIforgavehimon
　　thepresentoccasion，somuchwasIcharmedwithhisexpression
　　relativetothelateminister；itaffordedmethecertaintythat
　　IshouldnothavetodreadthepossibilityofhisrecallingdeChoiseul。
　　WhilstmanywerebewailingthedownfallofthedesChoiseuls，
　　others，whohadaneyemoretoself-interest，presentedthemselves
　　toshareinthespoilsofhisfortune。
　　Thereweretheprinces
　　deSoubiseanddeConde，theducdelaVauguyon，thecomtesde
　　Broglie，deMaillebois，anddeCastries，themarquisdeMonteynard
　　andmanyothers，equallyanxiousforatemptingsliceofthe
　　ministry，andwhowouldhavemadebutonemouthfulofthefinest
　　andbest。
　　Themarquisede1’Hopitalcametosolicitmyinterestforthe
　　princedeSoubise，herlover。
　　Ireplied，thathismajestywould
　　ratherhavethemarechalforhisfriendthanhisminister；that，
　　infact，thedifferentappointmentshadtakenplace；andthat，if
　　thenamesofthepartieswerenotimmediatelydivulged，itwas
　　tosparethefeelingsofcertainaspirantstotheministry:madame
　　de1’Hopitalwithdrew，evidentlymuchdisconcertedatmyreply。
　　CertainlyM。deSoubisemusthavelosthisreason，whenhesupposed
　　thatthesuccessorofM。deChoiseulwouldbehimself，themost
　　insignificantprinceofFrance；heonlycouldsupposethathewas
　　equaltosuchanelevation。
　　Howeverthismaybe，hetookupon
　　himselftobehaveverymuchlikeanoffendedpersonforsomedays；
　　but，findingsuchalineofconductproducednogood，hecame
　　roundagain，andpresentedhimselfasusualatmyparties，whilst
　　Ireceivedhimasthoughnothinghadoccurred。
　　Ihadmoredifficultyinfreeingmyselffromtheimportunities
　　ofMessieursdeBroglieanddeMaillebois。
　　Ihadgiventoeach
　　ofthemasortofpromise；Ihadallowedthemtohope，andyet，
　　whenthetimecametorealizethesehopes，Itoldthem，thatI
　　possessedmuchlessinfluencethanwasgenerallyimagined；to
　　whichtheyreplied，thattheyknewmypowertoservethemwas
　　muchgreaterthanIappearedtobelieve。
　　Afterawhile，I
　　succeededindeadeningtheexpectationsofM。deBroglie，but
　　M。deMailleboiswaslongerehewouldabandonhispursuit。
　　When
　　everychanceofsuccesshadlefthim，hegavewaytosomuch
　　violenceandbitternessagainstM。d’Aiguillon，thatthedukewas
　　compelledtopunishhimforhisimpudentrage。
　　Iwillmention
　　theothercandidatesfortheministryatanotheropportunity。
　　ThecomtedelaMarcheandthecomtesseduBarry——Thecountessand
　　theprincedeConde——TheducdelaVauguyonandthecountess——
　　Provisionalminister——Refusalofthesecretaryshipofwar——Displeasure
　　oftheking——ThemarechaledeMirepoix——Unpublishedletterfrom
　　VoltairetoMadameduBarry——Herreply
　　ThecomtedelaMarchehadalwaysevincedthewarmestregardfor
　　me，andhesought，onthepresentoccasion，toberepaidforhis
　　attachment。
　　BothheandtheprincedeCondehadtheirambitious
　　speculationsinthepresentchangeofministers；andbothfancied，
　　thatbecausetheirrelation，theduke，hadgovernedduringthe
　　king’sminority，therighttotheseveralappointmentsnowvacant，
　　belongedasamatterofcoursetotheirfamily。
　　Thecounthad
　　alreadysenttosolicitmyinterest，throughthemediationof
　　madamedeMonaco，mistresstotheprincedeConde；and，asI
　　shrewdlysuspect，theoccasionalofhimself。
　　Finding
　　thismeasuredidnotproduceallthegoodheexpected，hecame，
　　withoutfurtherpreface，tospeaktomehimselfaboutit。
　　Unwilling
　　tocometoanopenrupturewithhim，Iendeavouredtomakehim
　　comprehend，thatthepolicyofthesovereignwouldneverpermit
　　hisplacinganyoftheadministrativepowerinthehandsofthe
　　princesofhisfamily；thathehadconsented，mostreluctantly，to
　　investingthemwithmilitarycommand，andthatitwouldbefruitless
　　tourgemore。
　　ThecomtedelaMarcheappearedstruckbythejustnessofmy
　　arguments；hereplied，
　　“Well，madam，sinceIcannotbeaminister，Imuste’engiveup
　　mywishes；but，fortheloveofheavenintreatofthekingto
　　bestowhisfavoursintheshapeofalittlepecuniaryaid。
　　Things
　　lookillatpresent；theymaytakeaworseturn，buthemay
　　confidentlyrelyonmyloyaltyanddevotion:thesupremecourts，
　　driventothelastextremity，willmakeastand，andprincesand
　　peerswillrangethemselvesunderthebanners。
　　Wewellknow
　　howmuchthisresistancewilldispleasehismajesty；Ipledge
　　myselfnevertoforsakeyourcause，buttodefenditwithmylife；
　　thatis，ifmypresentpressingnecessityformoneybesatisfied。
　　Howsayyou，madam；canyouprocureitforme？“
　　“VeryprobablyImaybeenabledtoassistyou，“repliedI；“but
　　youmustfirstinformmehowmuchwillsatisfyyou。“
　　“Oh，“answeredhe，carelessly，“somethinglessthantheminesof
　　Peruwillsuffice；Iamnotextravagant，and
　　merelyaskforso
　　muchasisabsolutelynecessary。
　　Inthefirstplace60，000
　　livrespaiddown，andsecondly，ayearlypaymentof200，000more。“
　　Thisdemanddidnotappeartomeunreasonable，andIundertook
　　toarrangethemattertotheprince’ssatisfaction，wellpleased
　　onmyownsidetosecuresoillustriousanallyatsocheapa
　　rate，Iprocuredtheassentofthekingandthecomptroller-general；
　　the60，000livreswerebestowedonthecomtedelaMarcheintwo
　　separatepayments，thepensionsettledonhim，and，stillfurther，
　　anannuityof30，000livreswassecuredtomadamedeMonaco；and
　　Imustdothecountthejusticetosay，thatheremainedfaithful
　　toourcauseamidsteverydangeranddifficulty；bravingalike
　　insults，opprobrium，andthetorrentofpamphletsandepigrams
　　ofwhichhewastheobject；infact，wehadgoodreasonfor
　　congratulatingourselvesuponsecuringsuchdevotionandzealat
　　sopooraprice。
　　TheprincedeConde，surroundedbyagreaterdegreeofworldly
　　stateandconsideration，wasequallyimportanttous，although
　　inanotherway。