e would not grant, promising to
arrange affairs in a few days. In the interval, Mademoiselle, seeing
me sorrowful and dejected, perceived the plan I had in view. One day,
she swooned away in the garden, and the consequence was, a promise
from me, 'that I would not leave her of my own free will.' I then
wrote a long explanatory letter to the duchess, using all possible
arguments to induce her to restore me to her confidence. This she
did not do, but consented to meet me as usual, and to allow her
family to suppose the 'difference' between us adjusted: at the same
time, she desired that not a word should pass between us relative
to our misunderstanding.

"I was meditating, one morning, upon this painful position of affairs,
when the door opened, and the duchess appeared. She rushed in, bid me
be quiet, drew a paper from her pocket, which she read in a loud voice
and with great rapidity. The purport of this was, that I must withdraw
immediately, and that in a private manner, to prevent unnecessary
affliction to Mademoiselle; if I did not do so, there was no public
exposure I might not dread, and she would never see me again in the
course of her life. After some expostulations with the duchess, who, I
saw, was influenced by my enemies, I promised to do as she required.
Before I left, I wrote three letters to Mademoiselle d'Orleans, to be
given to her at different periods of the day. The duke felt the most
profound chagrin, and, attributing all these troubles to the counsels
of Madame de Chastelleux, desired her to seek some other abode. The
consequence was, the duchess made a demand to be separated from her
husband.

"After my departure, I received letters from the duke, begging me to
return to his daughter, as he felt assured that her death would be the
consequence of my continued absence. I accordingly returned, and found
my dear pupil in a state that pierced me to the heart. My solicitude
soon restored her to health, but my tranquillity was forever lost. The
cause of the sudden dislike of the duchess was evidently the
difference of our political opinions. I never in my life interfered in
political affairs, but I have at all times been monarchical, as all my
works demonstrate. It is also true that I have always detested
despotism, _lettres de cachets_, and arbitrary imprisonment.

"After the flight of the king to Varennes, and his forced return to
Paris, I was burning with a desire to leave France, and the duke at
las