ofherpupils，shecouldcommandboththecourtandcity；her
　　censuresweredreaded，becausepronouncedinlanguagesostrong
　　andsevere，astofillthosewhoincurredthemwithnohopeof
　　evershininginpublicopinionwhilstsoformidableawas
　　utteredagainstthem；andherdecrees，fromwhichtherewasno
　　appeal，eitherstampedamanwithdishonour，orintroducedhimas
　　afirst-ratecandidateforuniversaladmirationandesteem，and
　　herhatredwasasmuchdreadedaseverhersmileshadbeencourted:
　　formyownpart，Ialwaysfeltafraidofher，andneverwillingly
　　foundmyselfinherpresence。
　　AfterIhadobtainedformadamedeValentinoistheboonIsolicited，
　　IwasconversingwiththekingrespectingmadamedeLuxembourg，
　　whenthechancellorenteredtheroom；hecametorelatetohis
　　majestyanaffairwhichhadoccasionedvariousreports，andmuch
　　scandal。
　　TheviscountdeBombelles，anofficerinanhussar
　　regiment，hadmarriedamademoiselleCamp，Reasons，unnecessary
　　formetoseektodiscover，inducedhim，allatonce，toannulhis
　　marriage，andprofitingbyaregulationwhichforbadeallgood
　　Catholicsfromintermarryingwiththoseofthereformedreligion，
　　HedemandedthedissolutionofhisunionwithmademoiselleCamp。
　　Thisattemptonhisparttoviolate，uponsuchgrounds，the
　　sanctityofthenuptialvow，whilstitwascalculatedtorekindle
　　thespiritofreligiouspersecution，wasproductiveofvery
　　unfavourableconsequencestothecharacterofM。deBombelles；
　　thegreatcrywasagainsthim，hestoodaloneandunsupportedin
　　thecontest，foreventhegreatestbigotsthemselveswouldnot
　　intermeddleorappeartoapplaudamatterwhichattackedboth
　　honourandgoodfeeling:thecomradesofM。deBombellesrefused
　　toassociatewithhim；butthefinishingstrokecamefromhisold
　　companionsatthemilitaryschool，wherehehadbeenbroughtup。
　　Onthe27thofNovember，1771，thecouncilofthisestablishment
　　wrotehimthefollowingletter:——
　　“Themilitaryschoolhaveperusedwithequal
　　indignationandgriefthememorialswhichhave
　　appearedrespectingyouinthepublicprints。
　　Had
　　younotbeeneducatedinthisestablishment，we
　　shouldmerelyhavelookeduponyouraffairwith
　　mademoiselleCampasascenetoodistressingfor
　　humanityanditwouldhavebeenburiedinour
　　peacefulwallsbeneaththeveilofmodestyand
　　silence；butweoweittotheyouthsenttousby
　　hismajesty，fortheinculcationofthoseprinciples
　　whichbecomethesoldierastheman，nottopass
　　overthepresentopportunityofinspiringthemwith
　　ajusthorrorofyourmisguidedconduct，aswell
　　asfeelingitanimperativedutytoourselvesnot
　　toappearindifferenttothescandalanddisgraceful
　　confusionyourproceedingshaveoccasionedin
　　thecapital。
　　Weleavetotheministersofour
　　religion，andthemagistrateswhoareappointed
　　toguardourlaws。
　　todecideuponthelegalityof
　　thebondsbetweenyourselfandmademoiselleCamp，
　　butbyonetribunalyouaredistinctlypronounced
　　guiltytowardsher，andthatisthetribunalof
　　honour，beforethattribunalwhichexistsinthe
　　heartofeverygoodman。
　　Youhavebeenuniversally
　　citedandcondemned。
　　Therearesomeerrorswhich
　　alltheimpetuosityofyouthisunabletoexcuse，
　　andyoursareunhappilyofthatsort。
　　Thedifferent
　　personscomposingthisestablishment，therefore，
　　concurnotonlyinprayingofustosignifytheir
　　sentiments，butlikewisetoapprizeyou，thatyou
　　areunanimouslyforbiddentoappearwithinthese
　　wallsagain。“
　　Thechancellorbroughttothekingacopyofthissevereletter，
　　towhichIlistenedwithmuchemotion，nordidthekingseem
　　morecalmthanmyself。
　　’Thisis，indeed，“saidheatlength，“averysadaffair；weshall
　　haveallthequarrelsofProtestantismrenewed，asifIhadnot
　　hadalreadyenoughofthoseoftheJansenistsandJesuits。
　　As
　　farasIcanjudge，M。deBombellesisentitledtothereliefhe
　　seeks，andeverymarriagecontractedwithaProtestantisnull
　　andvoidbythelawsofFrance。“
　　“Oh，sire，“criedI，“wouldIhadmarriedaProtestant。“
　　Thekingsmiledforamomentatmyjest，thenresumed:
　　“Iblamethemilitaryschool。“
　　“Isityourmajesty’spleasure，“inquiredthechancellor，“thatI
　　shouldsignifyyourdispleasuretothem？“
　　“No，sir，“repliedLouis，“itdoesnotcomewithinyourlineof
　　duty，anddevolvesratherupontheministerofwar；andvery
　　possiblyhewouldobjecttoexecutingsuchacommission；forhow
　　couldIstepforwardastheprotectorofonewhowouldshakeoff
　　themoralobligationofanoathdirectlyitsuitshisinclinations
　　todoubtitslegality？
　　Thisaffairgivesmegreatuneasiness，
　　andinvolvesthemostseriousconsequences。
　　YouwillseethatI
　　shallbeoverwhelmedwithpetitionsandpamphlets，demandingof
　　metherevocationoftheedictofNantes。“
　　“Andwhat，sire，“askedthechancellorgravely，“couldyoudo，
　　thatwouldbetterconsolidatethegloryofyourreign？“
　　“Chancellor，“exclaimedLouisXV，steppingbackwithunfeigned
　　astonishment，“haveyoulostyoursenses？
　　Whatwouldtheclergy
　　sayordo？
　　Theverythoughtmakesmeshudder。
　　Doyouthenbelieve，
　　M。deMaupeou，thattheraceoftheClements，theRavaillacs，the
　　Damiens，areextinctinFrance？“
　　“Ah，sire，whatneedlessfears。“
　　“Notsoneedlessasyoumaydeemthem，“answeredtheking。
　　“I
　　havebeencaughtonce，Iamnotgoingtoexposemyselftodanger
　　asecondtime。
　　Youknowtheproverb，——no，no，letusleavethings
　　asmypredecessorsleftthem；besides，Ishallnotbesorryto
　　leavealittleemploymentformysuccessor；hemaygetthroughit
　　howhecan，andspiteofalltheclamouringofthephilosophers，
　　theProtestantsshallholdtheirpresentprivilegessolongasI
　　live。
　　Iwillhaveneithercivilnorreligiouswar，butlivein
　　peaceandeatmysupperwithagoodappetitewithyou，myfair
　　comtesse，formyconstantguest，andyou，M。deMaupeou，for
　　thisevening’svisitor。“
　　Theconversationhereterminated。
　　MadameduBarrypurchasestheservicesofMarinthegazetteer——
　　LouisXVandmadamedeRumas——M。deRumasandthecomtessedu
　　Barry——Anintrigue————Apresentupontheoccasion——The
　　ducdeRichelieuindisgrace——100，000livres
　　ThisMarin，aprovencalbybirth，inhischildhoodoneofthe
　　choristers，andafterwardsorganistofthevillagechurch，was，
　　attheperiodofwhichIamspeaking，oneofthemostusefulmen
　　possible。
　　NominatedbyM。deSt。Florentintothepostofcensor
　　royal，thisfriendtothephilosopherswasremarkableforthe
　　peculiartalent，withwhichhewouldalternatelyapplaudand
　　condemnthewritingsofthesegentlemen。
　　Affixinghissanction
　　totwolinesinatragedybyDorathadcosthimtwenty-fourhours’
　　meditationwithinthewallsoftheBastille；andforpermitting
　　therepresentationofsomeoperathenameofwhichIforgethe
　　hadbeendeprivedofapensionof2，000francs；but，weddedto
　　thedelightsofhissnugpost，Marinalwayscontrived，after
　　everystorm，tofindhiswaybacktoitssafeharbor。
　　Hehad
　　registeredavownevertoresigntheofficeofcensor，buttokeep
　　itindespiteofdangeranddifficulty。
　　Isoondiscoveredthat
　　hepassedfromthepatronageofLebeltothatofChamilly，andI
　　wasnotslowinconjecturingthathejoinedtohisavocationsof
　　censorandgazetteerthatofpurveyortohismajesty’s。
　　SpiteofmyindefatigableendeavorstorenderLouisXVhappyand
　　satisfiedwiththepleasuresofhisownhome，hewouldtake
　　occasionalwanderingfits，andgoupontheramble，sometimesin
　　pursuitofahigh-borndame，atotherseagertoobtainapoorand
　　simple；andsolongthattheobjectofhisfancywere
　　butnewtohim，itmatteredlittlewhatwereherclaimstoyouth，
　　beauty，orrankinlife。
　　ThemarechaledeMirepoixfrequently
　　saidtome，“Doyouknow，mydearcreature，thatyourroyal
　　admirerisbutaveryfickleswain，whoisplayingthegaygallant
　　whenheoughttobequietlyseatedathisownfireside。
　　Havea
　　care，heisgrowingold，andhisintellectbecomesmorefeeble
　　eachday；andwhathewouldneverhavegrantedsomefewyears
　　back，maybeeasilywrungfromhimnow。
　　Chamillyaspiresat
　　governinghismaster，andMarinsecondshiminhisproject。“
　　Atlength，rousedtoasenseofimpendingevil，bytheconstant
　　remindingofthemarechale，IsummonedMarintomypresence。
　　“Now，sir，“saidI，asheapproached，“Iwouldhaveyoutoknow
　　thatIamapprisedofallyourtricks:youandyourfriendChamilly
　　areengagedinaverycleverschemetoimproveyourownfortunes
　　attheexpenseofthekingyourmaster。“
　　Marinburstintoloudprotestationsofhisinnocence，declaring
　　thathewasasinnocentasthelambjustborn。
　　Irefusedto
　　believethis，anddesiredhewouldexplaintomewhyhewentso
　　frequentlytotheapartmentsofM。Chamilly。
　　“Alas，madam！“
　　repliedMarin，“Igothitherbuttosolicithis
　　aidincravingthebountyofhismajesty。“
　　“Youareforeverpleadingpoverty，miserlybeing，“criedI；“you
　　arefarricherthanIam；butsinceyouwantmoneyIwillsupply
　　youwithit，andinreturnyoushallbemysecretnewsman，and
　　royalcensorinmyservice。
　　Nowunderstandmeclearly；every
　　monththatyoufaithfullybringmeanaccountofcertaingoings
　　on，Iwillcountintoyourhandfiveandtwenty。“
　　ImustconfessthatMarinonlyacceptedmypropositionwithmuch
　　reluctance，butstillhedidacceptit，andwithdrew，meditating，
　　nodoubt，howheshouldbeenabledtosatisfybothChamilly
　　andmyself。
　　AlongtimeelapsedbeforeMarinbroughtmeanynewsofimportance，
　　andIbegantofeelconsiderabledoubtsofhisfidelity，whenhe
　　cametocommunicateaveryimportantpieceofintelligence。
　　He
　　hadjustlearnedthatChamillyfrequentlywenttoParis，the
　　beareroflettersfromthe’kingtoayoungandprettyfemale，
　　namedmadamedeRumas，whoresidedintheoldrueduTemple。
　　Herewasaprettydiscovery；thekingactuallyengagedinalove
　　affair，letterspassingbetweenhimandhismistress，whilstthe
　　headwasactingthepartofMercurytothe
　　lovers。
　　Thisindeedrequiredsomespeedyremedy，andIlostno