hadrecentlygivenordersthatthethreeunclesandtwobrothers
　　ofJulieshouldberaisedbyrapidpromotiontothehighest
　　militaryrank；atthesametimethegrandalmonerinformedme
　　hehadreceivedhismajesty’sexpresscommandtoappointacousin
　　oftheyoungladytothefirstvacantbishopric。
　　Thesevariousreportsthrewmeintoatrainofpainfulanduneasy
　　reflections。
　　LouisXV。
　　hadneverbeforebestowedsuchmarksof
　　favouruponanyofthe。“
　　“Whatdoesyourmajestysay？“
　　inquiredI。
　　“Nay，letthecomteexplain，“criedLouisXV。
　　“Thekingobserved，mydearsister，“answeredcomteJean，“that
　　ladies——but，infact，Icanneitherexplaintheobservation，nor
　　wasitintendedforyou——soletitrest。“
　　HecontinuedforsometimetojestwithcomteJeanuponhis
　　supposedpassionforthefairdaughterofthecabinet-maker；and
　　theking，whilstaffectingtheutmostindifference，tookevery
　　painstoobtainthefullestparticularsastowherethispeerless
　　beautymightbefound。
　　Whenmybrother-in-lawandmyselfwerealone，hesaidtome，
　　“Iplayedmypartfamously，didInot？
　　Howeagerlythebait
　　wasswallowed！“
　　“Explainyourself，“saidI。
　　“Mygoodsister，whatIhavesaidrespectingthisperfectionof
　　lovelinessisnofiction，neitherhaveIatallexaggeratedeither
　　herperfectionsorherbeauty，andItrustbyheraidweshall
　　obliteratefromtheking’smindeveryrecollectionofthesyren
　　ofthe。“
　　“Heavengrantit，“exclaimedI。
　　“Mydearsister，“repliedcomteJean，“heavenhasnothingtodo
　　withsuchthings。“
　　Alas！
　　hewasmistaken，andProvidenceonlyemployedthepresent
　　occasionasameansofcausingustobeprecipitatedintothevery
　　abyssofruinwehaddugforothers。
　　Onthefollowingmorning，
　　Chamillycametometoinquirewhetheritwasmypleasurethat
　　thepresentschemeshouldbecarriedintoexecution。
　　“Yes，yes，’answeredIeagerly，“byallmeans，themorewedirect
　　theinclinationsofthekingforthepresent，thebetterforhim
　　andforuslikewise。“
　　Armedwithmyconsent，Chamillydispatchedtotheunhappygirl
　　that，whoseskillinsuchdelicatecommissionshadnever
　　beenknowntofail。
　　Notthatinthepresentinstanceanygreat
　　bribeswererequisite，butitwasnecessarytoemploysomeagent
　　whosespeciousreasoningandoilytongueshouldhavepowerto
　　vanquishthevirtuousreluctanceofthevictimherself，aswell
　　astoobtainapromiseofstrictsilencefromherfamily。
　　They
　　weresooninducedtolistentotheirartfultemptress；andthe
　　daughter，dazzledbytheglitteringprospectheldouttoher，was
　　inducedtoaccompanybacktoTrianon，wheretheking
　　wastosup，incompanywiththeducsd’AiguillonanddeRichelieu，
　　theprincedeSoubise，theducsdeCosse，deDuras，andde
　　Noailles，mesdamesdeMirepoix，deForcalquier，deFlaracourt，and
　　myself；mybrother-in-lawandChonwerealsooftheparty，although
　　notamongthenumberofthosewhosatdowntosupper。
　　Their
　　presencewasmerelytokeepupmyspirits，andwithaviewto
　　divertmefromdwellingonthepresumedinfidelityoftheking。
　　Wehadpromisedourselvesamostdelightfulevening，andhadall
　　comewiththeexpectationoffindingconsiderableamusementin
　　watchingthecountenancesandconductofthosewhowerenotaware
　　oftherealstateofthegame，whilstsuchaswereadmittedinto
　　myentireconfidence，weresanguineintheirhopesandexpectations
　　ofemployingthesimplebeautyofthemaidenofVersaillesto
　　crushtheaspiringviewsofmyhaughtyrivalofthe。
　　Thiswas，indeed，thepointatwhichIaimed，andmy
　　furtherintentionwastorequestthekingtoportionoff
　　mademoiselleJulie，sothatshemightbeeverremovedfromagain
　　crossingmypath。
　　Meanwhile，bywayofpassingthetedioushours，Iwenttosatisfy
　　mycuriosityrespectingthosecharmsofwhichcomteJeanhad
　　spokensohighly。
　　Ifoundtheobjectofsomanyconjectures
　　possessedofanuncommonshareofbeauty，setoff，onthepresent
　　occasion，byeveryaidthatasplendidandelaboratetoilette
　　couldimpart；herfeatureswereperfect，herformtalland
　　symmetrical，herhairwasinthericheststyleofluxuriance；but
　　bywayofdrawbacktosomanyadvantages，bothherhandsand
　　feetwerelargeandcoarse。
　　Ihadexpectedtohavefoundher
　　timid，yetexulting，butsheseemedlanguidanddejectedevento
　　indisposition。
　　Iattributedthelassitudeandheavinesswhich
　　hungoverhertosomenaturalregretsforsacrificingsome
　　youthfulpassionattheshrineofambition；butIwasfarfrom
　　guessingthetruth。
　　HadIbutsuspectedtherealcause！
　　butI
　　contentedmyselfwithasilentscrutiny，anddidnotasI
　　shouldhavedonequestionheronthesubject，butpassedonto
　　thesaloon，wheretheguestswerealreadyassembled。
　　Theevening
　　passedawaymostdelightfully；themarechaledeMirepoixexcelled
　　herselfinkeepingupacontinualflowoflivelyconversation。
　　NeverhadmessieursdeCosseanddeRichelieuappearedtoequal
　　advantage。
　　Thekinglaughedheartilyatthemanyhumoroustales
　　told，andhisgaietywasthemoreexcited，fromhisbelieving
　　thatIwasinutterignoranceofhisinfidelity。
　　Thechampagne
　　waspassedfreelyroundthetable，tillallwasoneburstof
　　hilariousmirth。
　　Athousanddifferenttopicswerestarted，and
　　dismissedonlytogivewaytofreshsubjectsmorepiquantthan
　　thepreceding。
　　Theking，inafitofgoodhumour，begantorelatehisadventures
　　withmadamedeGrammont；buthereyoumustpardonme，myfriend，
　　forsoentirelydidhismajestygivethereinstohisinclination
　　foraplainstyleoflanguage，that，althoughexcessofprudery
　　formednopartofthecharacterofanyoftheladiesassembled，
　　wewerecompelledtositwithoureyesfixeduponourplateor
　　glass，notdaringtomeettheglanceofthosenearus。
　　Ihave
　　littledoubtbutthatLouisXVindulgedhimselftothisextent
　　byakindofmentalvowtosettletheaffairwithhisconfessor
　　attheearliestopportunity。
　　Wewerestillattablewhentheclockstrucktwohourspastmidnight。
　　“Blessme！
　　solate？“
　　inquiredtheking。
　　“Indeed，sire，“repliedthemarechaledeMirepoix，“youragreeable
　　societydrivesallrecollectionoftimeaway。“
　　“Then’tisbutfitIshouldfurnishyouallwithmemoryenough
　　torecollectwhatisnecessaryforyourownhealth。
　　Come，my
　　friends，morningwillsooncallustoourdifferentcares，so
　　awaytoyourpillows。“