y was gone. How he had traced us,
how managed to come to the front so opportunely, whether without him the
star of Navarre would have risen so gloriously on that night of '80,
never to be forgotten, I cannot say. But when I hear men talk of Crillon
and courage--above all, when I hear them talk of the fops and ribboned
popinjays of to-day, with their loose breeches and their bell-mouthed
boots, I think of my comrade and rival who won Cahors for the King. And
I smile.

PART II

THE DIARY OF A STATESMAN

That which I am about to insert in this place may seem to some to be
trifling, and on a parity with the diverting story of M. Boisrose, which
I have set down in an earlier part of my memoirs. But among the
calumnies of those who have not since the death of the late King ceased
to attack me, the statement that I kept from his Majesty things which
should have reached his ears, has had a prominent place; though a
thousand times refuted by my friends. I take in hand, therefore, to show
by this episode, curious in itself, the full knowledge of affairs which
the King had, and to prove that in many matters, which were never
permitted to become public, he took a personal share, worthy as much of
Haroun as of Alexander.

It was my custom, before I entered upon those negotiations with the
Prince of Conde which terminated in the recovery of the estate of
Villebon, where I now reside, to spend a part of the autumn and winter
at Rosny. On these occasions, I was in the habit of moving from Paris
with a considerable train, including not only my Swiss, pages, and
grooms, but the maids of honour and waiting-women of the Duchess. We
halted to take dinner at Poissy, and generally contrived to reach Rosny
towards nightfall, so as to sup by the light of flambeaux, in a manner
enjoyable enough, though devoid of that state which I have ever
maintained, and enjoined upon my children, as at once the privilege and
burden of rank.

At the time of which I speak, I had for my favourite charger the sorrel
horse which the Duke of Mercoeur presented to me with a view to my good
offices at the time of the King's entry into Paris; and which I honestly
transferred to his Majesty in accordance with a principle laid down in
another place. The King insisted on returning it to me, and for several
years I rode it on these annual visits to Rosny. What was more
remarkable was, that on each of these occasions it cast a shoe about the
middle of