Iproceededtoacquainthimwiththedistressinghistoryofhis
　　unfortunatemistress。
　　Heappearedperfectlywelltorecollect
　　thefemaletowhomIalluded；andwhenIceasedspeaking，he
　　said，withahalf-suppressedsigh，
　　“Poorcreature！
　　shehasindeedbeenunfortunate；seventeenyears
　　andfivemonthsinprison！
　　Theducdela
　　Vrilliereisgreatlyto
　　blameintheaffair；butwhenoncehehasplacedpersonsbetween
　　fourwalls，hethinkshehasfulfilledthewholeofhisduty。
　　He
　　shouldrecollect，thatagoodmemoryisanecessaryqualification
　　forsituationheholds；itisindeedanimperativedutyinhimto
　　thinkofthepoorwretcheshedeprivesoftheirliberty。“
　　“Andinyoutoo，sire，“interruptedI；“anditappearstomethat
　　youhavelostsightofit，inthepresentaffair，asculpablyas
　　yourminister。“
　　“Iconfessit，indeed，“answeredLouisXV；“buttheunfortunate
　　suffererherselfwasnotwithoutadueshareofblameinthe
　　matter。
　　HerpresumptionhadgreatlyirritatedmadamedePompadour，
　　whopunishedherasshethoughtfit:ofcourseIcouldnot，
　　consistentlywiththeregardIprofessedforthemarchioness，
　　interfereintheexecutionofhervengeance。“
　　“Idonotagreewithyou，“saidI。
　　“Why，whatelsecouldIdo？“
　　askedLouisXV，withthemost
　　imperturbablecalmness；“shehadsuperiorclaims，wasacknowledged
　　aschieffavorite，andIcouldnotrefuseherthesacrificeofa
　　meretemporarycaprice。“
　　“Verywellsaid，“answeredI，“andfoundeduponexcellent
　　principles；butsurelyitwasnotnecessarytoshutuptheobject
　　ofyourcapriceinastateprison，and，aboveall，toleaveher
　　thereforsuchalengthoftime。
　　However，themischiefisdone；
　　andallwehavetothinkofistorepairit。
　　Youhavenow，sire，
　　afineopportunityofdisplayingyourroyalmunificence。“
　　“Youthink，then，“returnedLouisXV，“thatIamboundtomake
　　thisunhappygirlsomepresent？
　　Well，Iwill；to-morrowIwill
　　sendher10，000louis。“
　　“Athousandlouis！“
　　exclaimedI，claspingmyhands；“what，asa
　　recompenseforseventeenyears’imprisonment？
　　No，no，sire，you
　　shallnotgetoffsoeasily；youmustsettleonherapension
　　of12，000livres，andpresentherwithanorderfor100，000more
　　asanimmediatesupply。“
　　“Blessme！“
　　ejaculatedtheking，“whyall，thegirlsinmy
　　kingdomwouldgotoprisonforsuchadowry:however，sheshall
　　havethepension；but，intruth，mytreasuryisexhausted。“
　　“Then，sire，“returnedI，“borrowofyourfriends。“
　　“Come，come，letusfinishthisbusiness；Iwillgiveyour
　　4000louis。“
　　“No，Icannotagree，“answeredI，“tolessthan5000。“
　　ThekingpromisedmeIshouldhavethem；and，onthefollowing
　　day，hisvaletTurpignybroughtmetheorderforthepension，and
　　abag，inwhichIfoundonly4000louis。
　　Thispieceofmeanness
　　didnotsurpriseme，butitmademeshrugupmyshoulders，and
　　sentmetomycabinettotakethesumdeficientfrommyownfunds。
　　Withthisdowrymypoorsoonfoundasuitablehusband
　　inthepersonofoneofhercousins，forwhomIprocureda
　　lucrativepostundergovernment。
　　Theseworthypeoplehavesince
　　wellrepaidmebytheirgratefulanddevotedattachmentforthe
　　serviceIwasenabledtorenderthem。
　　Oneindividualoftheir
　　familywas，however，farfromresemblingthemeitheringoodness
　　ofheartorgenerosityofsentiment——Ialludetothebrotherofthe
　　lady；thatsamebrotherwhoformerlysuppliedhissisterwithhis
　　clothes，thatshemightvisitthekingunsuspected。
　　Uponthe
　　incarcerationofthefatherthesonsucceededhiminhisoffice
　　of，andacquiredconsiderablecreditatcourt；
　　yet，althoughinthedailyhabitofseeingtheking，heneither
　　bywordnordeedsoughttoobtainthedeliveranceofeitherhis
　　parentorsister。
　　Onthecontrary，hesufferedtheformerto
　　perishinadungeon，andallowedthelattertolanguishinone
　　duringmorethanseventeenyears，andinallprobabilityshe
　　wouldhaveendedherdayswithoutreceivingtheslightestmark
　　ofhisrecollectionofhisunfortunaterelative。
　　Iknownotrait
　　ofbaseselfishnessmoretrulyrevoltingthantheoneIhave
　　justrelated。
　　ButthisstoryhasledmefarfromthesubjectIwaspreviously
　　commencing:thisnarrative，whichInevercalltomindwithouta
　　feelingofpleasure，hasledmeawayinspiteofmyself。
　　StillI
　　trustthatmynarrativehasbeensufficientlyinterestingtoinduce
　　youtopardonthedigressionithasoccasioned，andnowIwill
　　resumethethreadofmydiscourse。
　　CHAPTERXXXVII
　　Aconspiracy——AschemeforpoisoningmadameduBarry——Thefour
　　bottles——Lettertotheducd’Aiguillon——Adviceoftheministers——
　　Opinionofthephysicians——Thechancellorandlieutenantof
　　police——Resolutionofthecouncil
　　HaveyouanycuriositytolearnthedenouementofthestoryI
　　wastellingyouofmyanonymouscorrespondent？
　　Readwhatfollows，
　　then，andyourwishesshallbegratified:thatis，ifyouhave
　　patiencetoheararatherlongstory；forIcannotpromiseyou
　　thatminewillveryspeedilybecompleted。
　　Letmesee:where
　　didIleaveoff？
　　Oh，Irecollect。
　　IwastellingyouthatmadamedeMirepoixurgedmetorepair，as
　　Iwasrequested，totheBathsofApollo。
　　Ihadakeywhichopened
　　alltheparkgates；weenteredthepark，tookthepathwhichturns
　　offtotheleft，andafterhavingwalkedforaboutfiveminutes，
　　foundourselvesoppositethepersonwewereinsearchof。
　　It
　　wasafemaleoffromthirtytofortyyearsofage，ofdiminutive
　　stature，dressedafterthefashionoftheofthe
　　day，butstillanairofgoodtastewasevidentthroughthe
　　simplicityofherattire。
　　Hercountenancemustoncehavebeen
　　handsome，ifonemightjudgebythebeautyofhereyesandmouth，
　　butshewaspale，witheredandalreadyimpressedwiththetraces
　　ofaprematureoldage。
　　Butherbeauties，althoughfaded，were
　　stillanimatedbyaquickandever-varyingexpressionofakeen
　　andlivelywit。
　　WhilstImadethesehastyremarksthestrangersalutedme，and
　　afterwardsthemarechaledeMirepoix，withaeaseofmanner
　　whichperfectlysurprisedme。
　　Nordidsheinanyotherinstance
　　betraytheembarrassmentofapersonwhofindsherselfforthe
　　firsttimeinthepresenceofpersonsofaranksuperiortoherown。
　　“Madam，“shesaid，addressingherselftome，“Itrustyouwill
　　pardonmeforhavinggivenyouthetroubleofcominghither；I
　　mighthavesparedityou，hadyourpeoplepermittedmetosee
　　youwhenIcalledatyourhouseyesterday。“
　　“Yourinvitation，“repliedI，“wassopressinglyenforced，thatI
　　confessmycuriosityhasbeenmostkeenlyawakened。“
　　“Iwillimmediatelysatisfyit，“answeredshe，“butwhatIhave
　　tosaymustbetoldtoyourselfalone。“
　　“Well，then，“saidthemarechale，“Iwillleaveyouforthe
　　present:IamgoingtoadmirethatfinegroupofGirardon“；and
　　sosaying，shequittedthewalkinwhichIwasstanding。
　　Directlyshewasgonethestrangersaidtome，“Madam，Iwill
　　explainmyselfwithoutreserveorunnecessaryprolixity；Ibeseech
　　ofyoutolistenattentivelywhilstItellyou，inthefirstplace，
　　thatbothyourlifeandthatofthekingisinimminentdanger。“
　　“Heavens！“
　　criedI，“whatdoIhear？“
　　“ThatwhichIwellknowtobetrue，“answeredthefemale，with
　　a
　　firmvoice；“Irepeatthatyourlifeandthatofthekingis
　　indanger。“
　　Thesewords，pronouncedinalow，solemnvoice，frozemewith
　　terror；mylimbstotteredunderme，andIalmostsanktothe
　　ground。
　　Thestrangerassistedmetoabench，offeredmeherarm，
　　andwhenshesawmealittlerecovered，shecontinued，
　　“Yes，madam，aconspiracyisafootagainstyourselfandLouisXV。
　　Youaretobemadeawaywithoutofrevenge，andLouisXVisto
　　suffer，inthehopesofhisdeatheffectingachangeinthe
　　presentfaceofaffairs。“
　　“Andwho，“inquiredI，“aretheconspirators？“
　　’TheJesuitsandparliamentarians；theseancientrivals，equally
　　persecutedbytheroyalgovernment，havedeterminedtomake
　　commoncauseagainsttheirmutualfoe。
　　TheJesuitsflatter
　　themselvesthatthedauphininheritsthekindfeelingsentertained
　　byhisfatherfortheirorder，andtheparliamentariansjustly
　　reckonuponthefriendlydispositionoftheyoungprincetowards
　　theoldmagistracy。
　　Bothpartiesequallyflatterthemselvesthat
　　afreshreignwouldbringabouttheirre-establishment，andthey
　　areimpatienttoacceleratesodesirableanevent:theconspiracy
　　isdirectedbyfourJesuitsandthesamenumberoftheex-members
　　oftheparliamentofParis。
　　Theremainderofthetwocorporations
　　arenotinitiatedinthesecretoftheenterprise。
　　Iamnotable
　　atpresenttogiveyouthenamesoftheeightconspirators，the
　　personfromwhomIderivemyinformationnothavingasyet
　　confidedthemeventomyself，butItrusterelongtoobtainsuch
　　amarkofconfidence。“
　　Thefemaleceasedspeaking，andIremainedinastateofdoubt，
　　fear，andalarm，impossibletodescribe。
　　Stillonethingappeared
　　cleartome，thatinformationsomysteriouslyconveyedwasnot
　　deservingofbelief，unlesssupportedbymorecorroborating
　　testimony。