lusion of
this intrigue

CHAPTER XXV

Madame du Barry succeeds in alienating Louis XV from the duc de
Choiseul--Letter from madame de Grammont--Louis XV--The chancellor
and the countess--Louis XV and the abbe de la Ville--The marechale de
Mirepoix and madame du Barry

CHAPTER XXVI

Baron d'Oigny, general post-master--The king and the countess read the
opened letters--The disgrace of de Choiseul resolved upon--_Lettre de
cachet _--Anecdote--Spectre of Philip II, king of Spain--The duc de
Choiseul banished--Visits to Chanteloup--The princesses--The dauphin and
dauphiness--Candidates for the ministry

CHAPTER XXVII

The comte de la Marche and the comtesse du Barry--The countess and the
prince de Conde--The duc de la Vauguyon and the countess--Provisional
minister--Refusal of the secretaryship of war--Displeasure of the
king--The marechale de Mirepoix--Unpublished letter from Voltaire to
Madame du Barry--Her reply

CHAPTER XXVIII

A few words respecting Jean Jacques Rousseau--The comtesse du Barry
is desirous of his acquaintance--The countess visits Jean Jacques
Rousseau--His household furniture--His portrait--Therese--A second visit
from madame du Barry to Jean Jacques Rousseau--The countess relates her
visit to the king--Billet from J. J. Rousseau to madame du Barry--The
two duchesses d'Aiguillon

CHAPTER XXIX

The king's friends--The duc de Fronsac--The duc d'Ayen's remark--Manner
of living at court--The marquis de Dreux--Breze--Education of
Louis XV--The _Parc-aux-Cerfs_--Its household--Its inmates--Mere
Bompart--Livres expended on the _Parc-aur-Cerfs_--Good advice--Madame

CHAPTER XXX

Fete given by the comtesse de Valentinois--The comtesse du Barry feigns
an indisposition--Her dress--The duc de Cosse--The comte and comtesse
de Provence--Dramatic entertainment--Favart and Voisenon--A few
observations--A pension--The marechale de Luxembourg--Adventure of M.
de Bombelles--Copy of a letter addressed to him--Louis XV--M. de Maupeou
and madame du Barry

CHAPTER XXXI

Madame du Barry purchases the services of Marin the gazetteer--Louis
XV and madame de Rumas--M. de Rumas and the comtesse du Barry--An
intrigue--_Denouement_--A present upon the occasion--The duc de
Richelieu in disgrace--100,000 livres

CHAPTER XXXII

A prefatory remark--Madame Brillant--The marechale de Luxembourg's
cat--Despair of the marechale--The ambassador, Beaumarchais, and the duc
de Chaulnes--the comte d'Aranda--Louis XV and h