aprivateaudienceisveryindulgentsolongastherepresentation
　　lasts，butnosoonerhasthecurtainfallenthantheyindulgein
　　agreaterseverityofcriticismthanapublicaudiencewoulddo。
　　Andsoithappenedontheeveninginquestion；onecouplethad
　　particularlyexcitedthediscontentofthespectators，maleand
　　female；Iknownotwhatpropheticspiritinspiredthelines。
　　Theunfortunatecoupletwasproductiveofmuchoffenceagainst
　　thehusbandandloverofmadameFavart，forthegreaterpartof
　　thepersonspresentperfectlydetestedmypoorcousin，whowas
　　“toclipthewingsofchicanery。“
　　Favartmanagedtoescapejust
　　intime，andtheabbedeVoisenon，whowasalreadynotinvery
　　highfavourwithhisjudges，wascompelledtoendurethefull
　　weightoftheircomplaintsandreproaches；everyvoicewas
　　againsthim，andevenhisbrethrenoftheFrenchacademy，departing
　　fromtheiraccustomedindulgenceuponsuchmatters，openly
　　reprimandedhimforthegrossnessofhisflattery；thepoorabbe
　　attemptedtojustifyhimselfbyprotestingthatheknewnothing
　　ofthehatefulcouplet，andthatFavartalonewastheguilty
　　personuponwhomtheyshouldexpendtheiranger。
　　“Iamalways，“criedhe，“doomedtosufferfortheoffencesof
　　others；everykindoffollyismadeapresenttome。“
　　“Haveacare，monsieurl’abbe，“exclaimedd’Alembert，whowas
　　amongtheguests，“haveacare！
　　menseldomlavishtheirgifts
　　butuponthosewhoarerichenoughtoreturntheoriginalpresent
　　inatenfolddegree。“
　　Thissomewhatsarcasticremarkwasmost
　　favourablyreceivedbyallwhoheardit，itquicklycirculated
　　throughtheroom，whilethepoor，oppressedabbeprotested，
　　withvehementaction。
　　Thefeteitselfwasmostsplendidlyandtastefullyconducted，
　　andmighthavesentthedifferentvisitorshomepleasedand
　　gratifiedinaneminentdegree，hadnotspiteandill-nature
　　suggestedtomadamedelaVauguyon，thatasthechancellorand
　　myselfwerepresent，itmustnecessarilyhavebeengivenwitha
　　viewofcomplimentingusratherthanmadamedeProvence。
　　She
　　evensoughttoirritatethedauphinessbyinsinuatingthesame
　　meanandcontemptibleobservations，andsofardidshesucceed，
　　thatwhenmadamedeValentinoisapproachedtoexpressherhopes
　　thattheentertainmentwhichshehadhonouredwithherpresence
　　hadbeentoherroyalhighness’ssatisfaction，thedauphiness
　　coollyreplied，“Donot，madame，affecttostylethisevening’s
　　feteonebestowedinhonourofmyself，oranypartofmyfamily；
　　’tistruewehavebeentheostensiblecauses，andhave，byour
　　presence，givenitalltheeffectyoudesired，butyouwillpardon
　　ouromittingtothankyouforanattention，whichwasinreality，
　　directedtothecomtesseduBarryandM。deMaupeou。“
　　photographoforiginalhandwrittennoteomitted
　　TRANSLATION
　　Heavens！
　　mydearfriend，howsadarethedays
　　whenIamdeprivedofthehappinessofpassingthetime
　　withyou，andwithwhatjoydoIwatchforthemoment
　　whichwillbringyoutome。
　　IshallnotgotoParis
　　to-day，becausethepersonIwasgoingtoseeis
　　comingThursday。
　　Asyouwillbegoingaway，Ishall
　　visitthebarracksinstead，forIbelieveyouapprove
　　oftheobject。
　　Adieu。
　　Iawaityouwithimpatience，
　　withaheartwhollyyours，which，inspiteofyour
　　injustice，couldneverbelongtoanyother，even
　　ifIhadthewish。
　　Ithinkofyouandthatwordof
　　yourswhichyouwillsurelyregret；andstillanother
　　regretisthatIamdeprivedofyou。
　　Thatisthe
　　watchwordofeachinstant。
　　THECOUNTESSDuBarry
　　AtLouvecienne，Noon。
　　MadamedeValentinoiscametomewithtearsinhereyestorepeat
　　thecruelremarkoftheprincess；themarechaledeMirepoix，
　　whoheardher，soughttoconsoleherbyassurances，thatitwould
　　innodegreeaffectherinterestatcourt。
　　“Nevermind，mygood
　　friend，“saidshe；“theprettybirdmerelywarblesthenotesit
　　learnsfromitskeeperlaVauguyon，andwillasquicklyforget
　　as
　　learnthem。
　　Nevertheless，thekingowesyourecompenseforthe
　　vexationithasoccasionedyou。“
　　ImmediatelythatIfoundmyselfalonewiththemarechale，Iinquired
　　ofherwhatwasthenatureofthereparationsheconsidered
　　madamedeValentinoisentitledtoexpectfromthehandsofhis
　　majesty。
　　Shereplied，“’Tisonyouraccountalonethatthepoor
　　countesshasreceivedherlatemortification；thekingistherefore
　　boundtoatoneforitintheformofapension。
　　Money，mydear，
　　moneyisasovereigncureatcourt；calmseverygriefandheals
　　everywound。“
　　Ifullyagreedwiththegood-naturedmarechale；and，whenIbade
　　thesorrowfulmadamedeValentinoisgoodnight，IassuredherI
　　wouldimplorehismajestytorepairthemischiefmypresencehad
　　caused。
　　Accordinglyonthefollowingday，whenthekingquestioned
　　meastohowfarIhadbeenamusedwiththefetegivenbymadame
　　deValentinois，Iavailedmyselfoftheopeningtostatemyentire
　　satisfaction，aswellastorelatethedisgraceintowhichshehad
　　fallen，andtoprayhismajestytobestowuponherapensionof
　　15，000livres。
　　“Uponmyword，“exclaimedLouisXV，hastilytraversingthechamber，
　　“thisfeteseemslikelytoproveacostlyonetome。“
　　“Nay，sire，“saidI，“itwasamostdelightfulevening；andyou
　　willnot，Ihope，refusemesuchatrifleforthosewholavished
　　somuchformyamusement。“
　　“Well，“criedhe，“beitso；thecountessshallhavethesumsherequires，butupon
　　conditionthatshedoesnotapplytomeagain。“
　　“Reallyyourmajestytalks，“repliedI，“asthoughthistrifling
　　pensionweretobedrawnfromyourownpurse。“
　　Thekingbegantosmileatmyremark，likeamanwhoknowshimself
　　foundout。
　　Iknewhimwellenoughtobecertainthat，hadhe
　　intendedthepensionawardedmadamedeValentinoistocomefrom
　　hisownprivypurse，hewouldscarcelyhaveconsentedtobestowing
　　onhermorethanashabbypittanceofathousandlivresperannum。
　　Itisscarcelypossibletoconceiveanideaoftheexcessive
　　economyofthisprince。
　　Iremember，thatuponsomegreatoccasion，
　　whenitwasrequisitetosupportthepublictreasury，whichwas
　　failing，byatimelycontribution，theducdeChoiseulofferedthe
　　loanof250，000livres，whilsttheking，totheastonishmentof
　　allwhoheardhim，confinedhisaidto2，000louis！
　　Themarechale
　　deMirepoixusedtoassertthatLouisXVwastheonlyprinceof
　　hislinewhoeverknewthevalueofacrown。
　　Shehad，
　　nevertheless，managedtoreceiveplentyfromhim，although，I
　　mustown，thatshehadhadnosmalldifficultyinobtainingthem；
　　nordidthekingpartwithhisbelovedgoldwithoutmanyasigh
　　ofregret。
　　AtthehouseofmadamedeValentinoisImetthemarechalede
　　Luxembourg，whohadrecentlyreturnedfromChanteloup。
　　There
　　reallywassomethingofinfatuationinthegeneralmaniawhich
　　seemedtoprevailoftreatingtheking’ssentimentswith
　　indifference，andconsideringhisdispleasureasanaffairofno
　　consequence。
　　BeforethedisgraceoftheChoiseulstheywere
　　equallytheobjectsofmadamedeLuxembourg’smostbitterhatred，
　　norwasmadamedeGrammontbackwardinreturningheranimosity；
　　yet，strangeasitmayseem，nosoonerwastheChoiseulparty
　　exiled，thanthemarechaleneverrestedtillshesawhername
　　engravedonthefamouspillarerectedtoperpetuatetheremembrance
　　ofallthosewhohadvisitedtheexiles。
　　Sheemployedtheir
　　mutualfriendstoeffectareconciliation，whichwasatlength
　　effectedbyletter，andafriendlyembraceexchangedbyproxy。
　　Thesepreliminariesover，themarechalecametothekingtomake
　　therequesttowhichhehadnowbecomeaccustomed，butwhichdid
　　notthelessamusehim。
　　OfcourseLouisXVmadenohesitationin
　　grantinghertherequestshesolicited。
　　Speakingtomeofthe
　　subject，hesaid，“ThemeetingofmadamedeGrammont
　　andthemarechaldeLuxembourgmustindeedbeanoverpowering
　　sight；Ionlytrustthesetwoladiesmaynotdropthemasktoo
　　soon，andbiteeachother’searwhiletheyareembracing。“
　　MadamedeLuxembourg，daughteroftheducdeVilleroi，hadbeen
　　firstmarriedtotheducdeBoufflers，whosebrowsshehelpedto
　　adornwithotherornamentsthantheducalcoronet；norwhilsther
　　youthandbeautylastedwasshelessgeneroustohersecond
　　husband:shewasgenerallyconsideredamostfascinatingwoman，
　　fromthelovelinessofherpersonandthevivacityofhermanners；
　　butbehindaneverreadywit，lurkedthemostimplacablemalice
　　andhatredagainstallwhocrossedherpathorpurpose。
　　Asshe
　　advancedinlifeshebecamemoreguardedandcircumspect，until
　　atlastshesetherselfupasthearbitressofhighlife，andthe
　　youthfulpartofthenobilitycrowdedaroundher，tohearthe
　　lessonsofherpastexperience。
　　Bythenumberandbythepower