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〃But； madam〃
〃Nay； sir； answer without hesitation； I wish you to be candid； otherwise my exceeding frankness may displease you。〃
〃I know； madam；〃 replied the hypocrite； 〃that his majesty finds great pleasure in your charming society。〃
〃And yet； sir；〃 answered I； 〃his majesty experiences equal delight in the company of your wife。 How answer you that； M。 de Rumas？〃
〃My wife； madam！〃
〃Yes； sir； in the company of madame de Rumas； he pays her many private visits； secretly corresponds with her〃
〃The confidence of his majesty must ever honor his subjects。〃
〃But；〃 replied I； quickly； 〃may dishonor a husband。〃
〃How； madam！ What is it you would insinuate？〃
〃That your wife would fain supplant me； and that she is now the mistress of the king； although compelled to be such in secret。〃
〃Impossible；〃 exclaimed M。 de Rumas； 〃and some enemy to my wife has thus aspersed her to you。〃
〃And do you treat it as a mere calumny？〃 said I。 〃No； sir； nothing can be more true； and if you would wish further confirmation； behold the letter which madame de Rumas wrote to the king only the day before yesterday； take it and read it。〃
〃Heaven preserve me； madam；〃 exclaimed the time…serving wretch； 〃from。 presuming to cast my eyes over what is meant only for his majesty's gracious perusal； it would be an act of treason I am not capable of committing。〃
〃Then； sir；〃 returned I； 〃I may reasonably conclude that it is with your sanction and concurrence your wife intrigues with the king？〃
〃Ah； madam；〃 answered the wily de Rumas； in a soft and expostulating tone； 〃trouble not； I pray you； the repose of my family。 I know too well the virtue of madame de Rumas； her delicacy； and the severity of her principles； I know too well likewise the sentiments in which her excellent parents educated her； and I defy the blackest malice to injure her in my estimation。〃
〃Wonderfully； sir！〃 cried I； 〃so you determine to believe your wife's virtue incorruptible； all the while you are profiting by her intrigues。 However； I am too certain of what I assert to look on with the culpable indifference you are pleased to assume； whilst your wife is seeking to supplant me at the chateau； you shall hear of me before long。 Adieu； sir。〃
So saying； I quitted the room in search of the marechale； to whom I related what had passed。
〃And now； what think you of so base a hypocrite？〃 asked I； when I had finished my account。
〃He well deserves having the mask torn from his face；〃 replied she； 〃 but give yourself no further concern； return home； and depend upon it； that； one way or other； I will force him into the path of honor。〃
I accordingly ordered my carriage and returned to Versailles； where； on the same evening； I received the following letter from the marechale：
〃MY DEAR COUNTESS； My efforts have been attended with no better success than yours。 Well may the proverb say； 'There is none so deaf as he who will not hear；' and M。 de Rumas perseveres in treating all I advanced respecting his wife as calumnious falsehoods。 According to his version of the tale； madame de Rumas has no other motive in seeing Louis XV so frequently； but to implore his aid in favor of the poor in her neighborhood。 I really lost all patience when I heard him attempting to veil his infamous conduct under the mask of charity； I therefore proceeded at once to menaces； telling him that you bad so many advantages over his wife； that you scorned to consider her your rival： but that； nevertheless； you did not choose that any upstart pretender should dare ask to share his majesty's heart。 To all this he made no reply； and as the sight of him only increased my indignation； I at length desired him to quit me。 I trust you will pardon me for having spoken in as queenlike a manner as you could have done yourself。
〃Adieu； my sweet friend。〃
This letter was far from satisfying me； and I determined upon striking a decisive blow。 I sent for Chamilly； and treating him with all the contempt he deserved； I told him； that if the king did not immediately give up this woman he might prepare for his own immediate dismissal。 At first Chamilly sought to appease my anger by eager protestations of innocence； but when he found I already knew the whole affair； and was firmly fixed in my determination； he became alarmed； threw himself at my knees； and promised to do all I would have him。 We then agreed to tell Louis XV some tale of madame de Rumas that should effectually deter him from thinking further of her。
In pursuance with this resolution； Chamilly informed the king； that he had just been informed that madame de Rumas had a lover； who boasted of being able to turn his majesty which way he pleased； through the intervention of his mistress。 Louis XV wrote off instantly to M。 de Sartines； to have a watchful eye over the proceedings of the Rumas family。 The lieutenant of police； who had some regard for me； and a still greater portion of fear； was faithful to my interests； and rendered to Louis XV the most horrible particulars of the profligate mode of life pursued by madame de Rumas； assuring him； that from every consideration of personal safety； his majesty should shun the acquaintance。 The king； incensed at the trick put upon him by these seemingly virtuous people； was at first for confining both husband and wife in prison； but this measure I opposed with all my power； for； satisfied with the victory I had gained； I cared for no further hurt to my adversaries。 I contrived； to insinuate to the worthy pair the propriety of their avoiding the impending storm by a timely retreat into the country； a hint they were wise enough to follow up； so that I was entirely freed from all further dread of their machinations。
All those who had served me in this affair I liberally rewarded； Marin received for his share 500 louis。 It is true he lost the confidence of Chamilly； but he gained mine instead； so that it will easily be believed he was no sufferer by the exchange。 I caused the marechale to receive from the king a superb Turkey carpet； to which I added a complete service of Sevres porcelain； with a beautiful breakfast set； on which were landscapes most delicately and skilfully drawn in blue and gold： I gave her also two large blue porcelain cots； as finely executed as those you have so frequently admired in my small saloon。 These trifles cost me no less a sum than 2800 livres。 I did not forget my good friend M。 de Sartines； who received a cane； headed with gold； around which was a small band of diamonds。 As for Chamilly； I granted him his pardon； and I think you will admit that was being sufficiently generous。
After having thus recompensed the zeal of my friends； I had leisure to think of taking vengeance upon the duc de Richelieu for the part he had acted。 He came of his own accord to throw himself into the very heat of my anger。 He had been calling on the marechale de Mirepoix； where he had seen with envious eyes the magnificent carpet I had presented her with； the cupidity of the duke induced him； after continually recurring to the subject； to say； that where my friends were concerned； no one could accuse me of want of liberality。 〃No； sir；〃 answered I； 〃I consider that no price can sufficiently repay the kind and faithful services of a true friend； nor can baseness and treachery be too generally exposed and punished。〃 From the tone in which I spoke the old marechal easily perceived to what I was alluding。 He was wise enough to be silent； whilst I followed up this first burst of my indignation； by adding；
〃For instance； monsieur le duc； how can I sufficiently repay your friendly zeal to supply the king with a new mistress？〃
〃I； madam？〃
〃Yes； sir； you； I am aware of all your kind offices； and only
lament my inability to reward them in a suitable manner。〃
〃In that case I shall not attempt to deny my share in the business。〃
〃You have then sufficient honor to avow your enmity towards me？〃
〃By no means enmity； madam。 I merely admit my desire to contribute to the amusement of the king； and surely； when I see all around anxious to promote the gratification of their sovereign； I need not be withheld from following so loyal an example。 The duc de Duras was willing to present his own relation for his majesty's acceptance； the abbe Terray offers his own daughter； Comte Jean his sister…in…law； whilst I simply threw a humble and modest female in his majesty's path。 I cannot see in what my fault exceeds that of the gentlemen I have just mentioned。〃
〃You really are the most audacious of men；〃 replied I； laughing； 〃I shall be obliged to solicit a to hold you a prisoner in Guienne。 Upon my word； your nephew and myself have a valuable and trustworthy friend in you。〃
〃Hark ye； madam；〃 rejoined the marechal。 〃I know not； in the first place； whether his majesty would very easily grant you this ； which most certainly I do not deserve。 You have served my nephew and neglected me； I wished to try the strength of my poor wings； and I find； like many others； that I must not hope to soar to any height。〃
While we were thus talking the marechale de Mirepoix was announced。 I was still much agitated； and she im