timeinsummoningmyprivycounsellor，ComteJean，whomIacquainted
　　withwhathadoccurred，andbeggedhisadviceastothebest
　　measurestobepursued。
　　“Indeed，“repliedmybrother-in-law，“what
　　otherswoulddoinourplacewouldbetothrowM。Chamillyfrom
　　oneofthewindowsofthechateau，andtreatthishisfriendMarin
　　withalodgingintheBastille；but，aswearepersonsoftemper
　　andmoderation，wewillgomoregentlytowork。
　　Iwill，inthe
　　firstplace，gaineveryinformationrelativetotheaffair，that
　　ImaysatisfymyselfMarinisnotseekingtoshowhishonest
　　claimstoyourgold，byimposingaforgedtaleuponyourcredulity；
　　whenthatisascertainedwewilldecideuponournextbeststep。“
　　ComteJeandepartedtoseektheassistanceofM。deSartines，
　　whowasatthattimeentirelydevotedtomyinterests；and，after
　　havingdiligentlysearchedthewholerueduTemple，hesucceeded
　　indiscoveringmadamedeRumas。
　　Helearntthatthisladyhad
　　recentlymarriedapersonofherownrank，towhomsheprofessed
　　tobeviolentlyattached；thattheylivedtogetherwithgreat
　　tranquillity，andhadthereputationofconductingthemselvesas
　　personsofextremeproprietyandregularity；paidtheirdebts，
　　andavoided，bytheirairofneatness，order，andmodestreserve，
　　thescandalofeventheirmostill-naturedneighbors。
　　Thehusband
　　wassaidtobeagreatreligionist，whichincreasedthesuspicions
　　ofComteJean。
　　Withregardtotheepistolarycorrespondence
　　carriedonbythelady，noinformationcouldbegleanedinin
　　thatquarter。
　　Marinwasagainsentforbymybrother-in-law，whoquestioned
　　andcross-questionedwithsomuchaddress，thatMarinfoundit
　　impossibletoconcealanylongertheremainingpartoftheaffair，
　　ofwhichhehadbeforecommunicatedbutsomuchashispolicy
　　deemedadvisable。
　　Heconfessedthathehadoriginallymentioned
　　madamedeRumaswhomhehimselfhadlongknowntoChamilly，
　　hadshownhimseveralofherletters；and，asheexpected，the
　　styleoftheseepistlessopleasedtheheadvalet，thatheexpressed
　　awishtoseethefairwriter。
　　Marinaccordinglyintroducedhim
　　totherueduTemple，wherehewasmostgraciouslyreceived，and
　　returnedhomeenchantedwiththelady:hespokeofhertothe
　　king，stronglyrecommendinghismajestytojudgeforhimself。
　　AccordinglyhismajestywrotetomadamedeRumas，whoreceived
　　theletterfromthehandsofherfriendChamillywithallpompand
　　state，talkedfirstofherownvirtueandhonor，andafterwards
　　ofherdutifulrespectforhismajesty。
　　Sherepliedtotheroyal
　　noteinsoprudentyetobligingamanner，thatthekingwas
　　enchanted。
　　Thiseffectivebilletwasansweredbyasecondletter
　　fromtheking，whichobtainedareplyevenmoretenderlycharming
　　thantheonewhichprecededit。
　　Aninterviewwasnextsolicited
　　andgranted；foravisitwassuchatrifletorefuse。
　　Theroyal
　　guestbecamepressingandtheladymorereserved，tillthetime
　　waslostinattemptsatconvincingeachother。
　　Atthenext
　　interviewmadamedeRumasfreelyconfessedhersincereattachment
　　forhismajesty，butadded，thatsuchwasherdesiretopossess
　　hiswholeandundividedregard，thatshecouldnevergiveherself
　　uptothehopeofkeepinghimexclusivelyherswhilstIinterposed
　　betweenherandtheking’sheart——inafewwordsthenshedemanded
　　mydismissal。
　　Thiswasgoingtoofar；andLouisXV，whothought
　　itnoscandaltohaveahundredmistresses，wasalarmedatthe
　　thoughtsofoccasioningthebustleandconfusionattendantupon
　　disgracinghisacknowledgedfavoriteandrecognisedmistress；he
　　thereforeassuredher，herrequestwasbeyondhispowertogrant。
　　MadamedeRumasnowsoughttocompromisetheaffair，bytalking
　　ofashareinhisfavor。
　　Sheasked，shesaid，buttheheartofher
　　belovedmonarch，andwouldfreelyleavemeinpossessionofall
　　powerandinfluence。
　　Thekingwhoseheartwasregularlypromised
　　onceaday，didnothesitatetoassureherofhisfidelity，and
　　hiswilyenslaverflatteredherself，thatwithtimeandclever
　　management，sheshouldsucceedininducinghimtobreakoff
　　thosetieswhichhenowrefusedtobreak。
　　ThingswereinthisstatewhenMarindivulgedtoustheintrigue
　　conductedbyChamilly，anddirected，thoughinacovertmanner，
　　bythemarechalducdeRichelieu。
　　Thisspitefuloldmanpossessed
　　noshareofthetalentofhisfamily；and，notcontentedwiththe
　　favorbestowedonhisnephew，thoughtonlyofhispersonalcredit
　　andinfluence，whichhefanciedheshouldbestsecurebyintroducing
　　anewmistresstotheking。
　　Thiswell-concoctedschemethrew
　　bothComteJeanandmyselfintoaperfectfury。
　　Wedismissed
　　Marinwithapresentoffiftylouis，andmybrother-in-law
　　besoughtofmetogranthimfourandtwentyhoursundisturbed
　　reflection，whilst，onmyside，IassuredhimIshouldnotrest
　　untilwehadcompletelydiscomfitedourenemies。
　　OnthefollowingdayComteJeanlaidbeforemeseveralprojects，
　　whichwerefarfrompleasinginmyeyes；toomuchtimewasrequired
　　intheirexecution。
　　Iknewthekingtoowelltobeblindtothe
　　dangerofallowingthismerewhimofthemomenttotakerootin
　　hismind。
　　Oneideacaughtmyfancy，andwithoutmentioningitto
　　ComteJean，Idetermineduponcarryingitintoexecution。
　　ThemarechaledeMirepoixhappenedatthismomentnottobeat
　　ParisatherhotelintherueBergere，butathercountryhouse，
　　situatedauPortal’Anglaise。
　　Isignifiedtothekingmyintention
　　ofpassingacoupleofdayswiththemarechale，andaccordingly
　　setoutforthatpurpose。
　　UponmyarrivalatParisImerely
　　changedhorses，andproceededonwardswithallpossibledespatch
　　torejointhemarechale，whowasquitetakenbysurpriseatmy
　　unexpectedarrival。
　　Aftermanymutualembracesandexchangeof
　　civilities，Iexplainedtoherthewholeaffairwhichhadbrought
　　mefromVersailles。
　　Thegood-naturedmarechalecouldnotbelieve
　　herears。
　　Shesoon，however，comprehendedthenatureofmyalarms；
　　andsofarfromseekingtodissipatethem，urgedmetoloseno
　　timeincrushinganaffair，whichgrewmorethreateningfromeach
　　day’sdelay。
　　Iwasfullyofheropinion，andonlyaskedher
　　assistanceandco-operationinmyplanofwritingtoM。deRumas，
　　andinvitinghimtocomeonthefollowingdaytothehouseof
　　madamedeMirepoix。
　　Thatladywoulddoubtlesshavepreferredmyaskinghertoassist
　　meinanyotherway，butstillshecouldnotrefusetoserveme
　　inthemannerdescribed:forIeitherbestowedonherallshe
　　desired，orcausedotherstogratifyherslightestrequest；and
　　howcouldshebesure，thatweremyreigntoend，shemightderive
　　thesameadvantagesfromanynewfavorite？
　　Self-interesttherefore
　　boundhertomyservice，andaccordinglyshewrotetoM。deRumas
　　averypressingletter，requestingtoseehimonthefollowingday
　　uponmattersofthehighestimportance。
　　Thislettersentoff，I
　　dinedwiththemarechale，andthenreturnedtosleepatParis。
　　Onthefollowingday。
　　atanearlyhour，IrepairedtothePort
　　al’Anglaise；M。deRumasarrivedthereafewminutesafter
　　myself。
　　Hehadtheairandlookofanhonestman，butperhaps
　　nospeciesofdeceitismoreeasilydetectedthanthatquiet，
　　subduedmanner，compressedlips，andupliftedeye。
　　Now-a-days
　　suchamodeofdissemblingwouldbetooflimsytoimposeevenon
　　children；andhypocritesareevergreaterproficientsintheir
　　artthanwasevenM。deRumas。
　　MadamedeMirepoixleftusalonetogether，inorderthatImight
　　conversemorefreelywithhim。
　　Iknewnothowtobegin，but
　　mademanyattemptstoconvey，inanindirectmanner，thereasons
　　forhisbeingsummonedtothatday’sconference。
　　However，hints
　　andinsinuationswerealikethrownawayupononewhohaddetermined
　　neithertouseeye’snorearsbutasinterestpointedoutthe
　　reasonablenessofsodoing；andaccordingly，unablelongerto
　　repressmyimpatience，Iexclaimedabruptly，
　　“Pray，sir，doyouknowwhoIam？“
　　“Yes，madam，“repliedhe，withaprofoundbow，andlookofthe
　　deepesthumility，“youarethecomtesseduBarry。“
　　“Well，sir，“addedI，“andyouareequallywellaware，nodoubt，
　　oftherelationinwhichIstandtotheking？“
　　“But，madam——“
　　“Nay，sir，answerwithouthesitation；Iwishyoutobecandid，
　　otherwisemyexceedingfranknessmaydispleaseyou。“
　　“Iknow，madam，“repliedthehypocrite，“thathismajestyfinds
　　greatpleasureinyourcharmingsociety。“
　　“Andyet，sir，“answeredI，“hismajestyexperiencesequaldelight
　　inthecompanyofyourwife。
　　Howansweryouthat，M。deRumas？“
　　“Mywife，madam！“
　　“Yes，sir，inthecompanyofmadamedeRumas；hepayshermany
　　privatevisits，secretlycorrespondswithher——“
　　“Theconfidenceofhismajestymusteverhonorhissubjects。“
　　“But，“repliedI，quickly，“maydishonorahusband。“
　　“How，madam！
　　Whatisityouwouldinsinuate？“
　　“Thatyourwifewouldfainsupplantme，andthatsheisnowthe
　　mistressoftheking，althoughcompelledtobesuchinsecret。“
　　“Impossible，“exclaimedM。deRumas，“andsomeenemytomywife
　　hasthusaspersedhertoyou。“
　　“Anddoyoutreatitasamerecalumny？“
　　saidI。
　　“No，sir，
　　nothingcanbemoretrue；andifyouwouldwishfurtherconfirmation，
　　beholdtheletterwhichmadamedeRumaswrotetothekingonly
　　thedaybeforeyesterday；takeitandreadit。“
　　“Heavenpreserveme，madam，“exclaimedthetime-servingwretch，