barondeGonesserelatedtousacircumstancewhichhadjust
　　beencommunicatedtohimbyacountymagistrate。
　　Imusthere
　　apprizethereaderthattheseadministratorsofjusticewere
　　directedtocollectallthefacts，scandalous，horrible，ridiculous，
　　orpiquant，whichoccurredwithintheirjurisdiction，inorderthat，
　　beingforwardedtotheking，theymightaidindistractinghis
　　mindfromtheheavycaresofgovernment。
　　Alas！howmanystrange
　　andeventfulthingshaveIsincelearnedbysimilarchannels。
　　Thesupperterminated，theking’sfriendsremainedsometime
　　conversingwithus。
　　Whilstthesenoblemenwerebusilycelebrating
　　mypraisesinwordssufficientlyloudtoreachtheking’sear，the
　　barondeGonesse，standingbymyside，wasprosecutinghissuit
　　inthemostardentterms。
　　Ireceivedhisovertureswithbecoming
　　graceandmodesty。
　　AsIhavebeforesaid，theexterioroftheking
　　wasveryprepossessing，andwhathewantedinyouth，hemadeup
　　byallthematuregracesofdignifiedroyalty。
　　AtlastLebel
　　appeared，andmademeasigntorisefrommyseat。
　　Uptothis
　　periodnothinghadarisentobetraytheincognitooftheaugust
　　monarch，andinordertokeepupmypretendedignoranceofhis
　　grandeur，Iquittedtheapartmentwithlittleceremony。
　　Lebel
　　conductedmetoanadjoiningchamber，furnishedwiththeutmost
　　magnificence。
　　Whenwewereseated，heturnedtothecomteJean，
　　whohadfollowedus，andsaid，“Itrestswithyourselfwhetheryou
　　willreturntoParis，orremainatVersailles。
　　Butasfor，
　　whoseemsmuchfatigued，shewill，wetrust，honorusbyaccepting
　　abedatthecastle。“
　　Myself-createdbrother-in-lawunderstoodaswellasIdidthe
　　significanceofthesewords，andclearlyreadintheirimporthow
　　farIhadattractedthefavoroftheking。
　　Inordertohave
　　renderedtheimpressionmorelasting，wecouldhavewishedthat
　　mattershadbeenlessprecipitated，butwewereunderaroof
　　whereeverythingyieldedtothecapricesofitsmaster，and
　　resignationtohiswillbecameamatterofcourse。
　　AndhereI
　　trustImaybepardonedifIpassovercertaindetailswhich
　　couldnot，atthislapseoftime，interestoramuseanyone；
　　besides，altho’Ihavefoundnodifficultyinrecitingformer
　　eventsofmylife，Ifindmypenmoreprudishandcoythanwere
　　myearsormouth。
　　AllIshallsayis，thatthefollowingday，as
　　soonasIwasleftaloneinmychamber，Lebelentered，and
　　prostratinghimselfatthesideofmybed，——
　　“Madamelacomtesse，“saidhe，“isqueenandmistresshere。
　　Not
　　onlyhasyournobleloverfailedtocommunicatetometheusual
　　signalofdisgustordislike，buthehasspokenofyoutomeinthe
　　mostfavorablelight，declaring，that，forthefirsttimeinhislife，
　　hefelttheinfluenceofatrueandsincereaffection；forthis
　　reasonhedesiredIwouldnotconveytoyouthecontentsof
　　thiscasket，asoriginallyintended。“
　　“Andwhatdoesitcontain？“
　　askedI，withchildisheagerness。
　　“Oh，atrifleunworthyofherwhoisnowthemistressofhis
　　warmestlove；onlyapursecontainingahundredlouis，anda
　　suitofemeraldsworthasimilarsum。
　　Hebademesayitmight
　　haveservedtorecompenseamerefleetingfancy，butthatitis
　　unworthyofyourcharms，norcanheinsultyoubytheofferofit。“
　　“Willhethenseemeagain？“inquiredI。
　　“To-morrowevening，ifagreeabletoyou。“
　　“Onlysaythathiswishesaremine。“
　　“WouldyouwishtoseethecomteJeanbeforeyourise？
　　Hehas
　　beenwaitingwiththeutmostimpatiencetoseeyousinceseven
　　o’clockthismorning。“
　　“Lethimcomein。“
　　Thecomteentered，andIsawbythetriumphantjoypaintedon
　　hisface，thatLebelhadtoldhimofpropitiousstateofthings。
　　Heranuptomewithoutstretchedarms，congratulatingmeupon
　　mysuccess，andputtingatthesametimeseveralquestions，to
　　which，eitherfrommerewomanlycaprice，orpresumingupon
　　myrecentelevationtothecharacterofprimefavorite，Irefused
　　toreply。
　　Myfollydrewdownonmehissevereanger，andseveraloaths
　　escapedhislips，which，echoedbackbywallssounusedtosimilar
　　violence，struckLebelwithterror。
　　Thatfaithfulallyplacedhis
　　handoverhismouth，imploringofhimtorecollecthimself，and
　　theplacehewasin。
　　Asforme，dreadingsomefoolishburstof
　　hisimpetuosity，Itriedsomeofmysweetestsmiles，andinviting
　　himtositbesideme，relatedtohimandLebelthoseparticulars
　　whichmypenrefusestoretrace。
　　Amongstotherthings，Itold
　　themIhadsaidtotheking，thatIhadperfectlyknownwhohe
　　wasalltheprecedingeveningwhensuppingwithhim，andthathe
　　hadthesimplicitytosay，“hewassurprisedIhadnotappeared
　　moreembarrassedinhispresence。“
　　Ourconversationterminated，IwishedtoreturntoParis，andI
　　was，withoutfurtherhindrance，allowedtodepart。
　　Scarcelyhad
　　Iarrivedthereanhour，thanIreceivedfromhismajestya
　　magnificentdiamondagraffe，worthatleast60，000francs，and
　　banknotestotheamountof200，000livres。
　　ComteJeanandmyselfwerewellnighstupefiedwithastonishment
　　atthesightofsuchtreasures；tous，whohadneverinourlives
　　possessedsuchsums，theyappearedinexhaustible。
　　Mybrother-in-law
　　dividedthemintotwoequalportions，oneofwhichheputinto
　　hispocket，andtheotherintomy。
　　Withthisarrangement
　　Ididnotinterfere；nothingseemedtomemoresimplethanthathe
　　shouldsatisfyhisneedoutofmysuperfluity。
　　Ibestowedtwo
　　thousandcrownsuponHenriette，andexpendedinthecourseof
　　thedayatleastaquarterofmyrichesintrifles，asunnecessary
　　asuseless；andallthiswithoutoncerememberingthatasIowed
　　mypresentabundancetoamomentaryinclinationonthepartof
　　theking，sotheturnofanhour，orafreshfancyonthepartof
　　mymunificentadorer，mightreducemetotheunprovidedstate
　　inwhichIhadbeensolately。
　　Thateveningwaspassed
　　tete-a-tetewithcomteJean；hethought，asIdid，thatthe
　　foundationofourtreasurewasfirmasarock，andhegaveme
　　manycounselsforthefuturewhichIpromisedtoobserve；for
　　indeeditwastomyowninteresttodoso。
　　Uponhowmanyfollies
　　didwethendebate，which，butafewdaysafterwardswefound
　　practicable。
　　Thedifferentministerspassedinreviewbeforeus；
　　somewedetermineduponretaining，whilstothersweredismissed，
　　andalreadyIbeganinideatoactwithsovereignpoweroverthese
　　illustriouspersonages，amongstwhomIanticipatedshortlyplaying
　　soimportantapart。
　　“Afterall，“saidI，“theworldisbutan
　　amusingtheatre，andIseenoreasonwhyaprettywomanshould
　　notplayaprincipalpartinit。“
　　Theking’smessage——Letterfromthecountess——Asecondsupperat
　　Versailles——Theducd’Ayen——AshortaccountofM。deFleury——The
　　ducdeDuras-Conversationwiththeking——Thenextday——Avisit
　　fromtheducdeRichelieu——VisitfromtheducdelaVauguyon——Visit
　　fromcomteJean——Visitfromtheking——Athirdsupper——Favor
　　EarlythefollowingdayIreceivedamessagefromtheking，
　　accompaniedwithabouquetofflowerstiedroundwithastring
　　ofdiamonds。
　　Ashortletterwasannexedtothissplendidgift，
　　whichIwouldtranscribehere，haditnotbeentakenfromme
　　withmanyothers。
　　Myreply，whichIwroteuponthespurofthe
　　moment，wasconcise，and，asIpreservedtheroughcopy，under
　　theimpressionofitsbeingonedayuseful，Icangivethereader
　　theexactwords。
　　“Thebillettracedbyyournoblehands，rendersme
　　thehappiestofwomen。
　　Myjoyisbeyonddescription。
　　Thanks，monsieurleBaron，foryourcharmingflowers。
　　Alas！
　　theywillbefadedandwitheredbyto-morrow，
　　butnotsofleetingandshort-livedarethesentiments
　　withwhichyouhaveinspiredme。
　　Believeme，the
　　desireyouexpresstoseemeagainisentirelymutual；
　　andintheimpatiencewithwhichyouawaitournext
　　interview，Ireadbutmyownsentiments。
　　Theardor
　　withwhichyoulongtoembraceme，isfullyequalled
　　bytheaffectionwhichleadsmetodesirenogratification
　　greaterthanthatofpassingmywholelifeinyour
　　society。
　　Adieu，monsieurlebaron；youhaveforbidden
　　myaddressingyouasyourrankandmyrespectwould
　　haveme，Iwillthereforecontentmyselfwithassuring
　　youoftheardentaffectionofthe
　　“COMTESSEDuBarry。“
　　ThesignatureIadoptedwasaboldpieceoffalsehood，butit
　　wastoolatetorecede；besides，Iwasaddressingmyselfinmy
　　letter，nottotheking，buttothebarondeGonesse；forLouis，
　　byIknownotwhatunaccountablecaprice，seemedtowishto
　　preservehisincognito。
　　IhavesincelearnedthatFrancisI
　　assumedthesamename，altho’uponaverydifferentoccasion。
　　ReplyingtoaletterfromCharlesV，inwhichthatemperorhad
　　givenhimselfalongstringofhighsoundingtitles，hecontented
　　himselfwithsimplysigninghisletter，““LouisXVwasveryfondofborrowedappellations。
　　Unlikethevanitysocommontomankind，ofseekingtosetoff
　　theirpretensionsbyassumedtitles，itisthepleasureofroyalty
　　todescendtoalowergradeinsocietywhenconcealmentbecomes
　　desirable，eitherfrompolicyorpleasure；andLouissoughtinthe
　　familiarityinwhichaplainbaronmightsafelyindulge，arelief
　　fromtheennuiattendantupontherigidetiquetteofaregal
　　state。
　　Ihadomittedinmylettertothebaron，toremindhim
　　thatweweretomeetthatveryevening，butthatdidnotprevent
　　myrepairingtoVersaillespunctuallyattheappointedhour。