llor had a singular conversation concerning
me with the Choiseuls. He had been one morning to call on the duke, and
whilst they were discoursing, the duchesse de Grammont came into her
brother's apartment, and entered at once into conversation.

"Ah, my lord, I am glad to see you. Your new friends carry you off from
your old ones. You are wrong to adore the rising sun."

"That was the idolatry of a great number of persons: but I beg of you to
be so very kind as not to speak to me in figures, if you would wish me
to understand you."

"Oh, you play off the ignorant. You know as well as I do what I mean,
and your daily visits to this _fille_."

"Which, madame? There are so many at court!"

This sarcastic reply made the brother and sister smile; both of them
being fully competent to understand the merit of an epigram. The duke
fearing lest the duchess should go too far, judging by what she had
already said, thus addressed him:

"You are, then, one of the adorers of the comtesse du Barry?"

"Yes, monsieur le duc; and would to God that, for your own interest, you
would be so too!"

"My brother set foot in the house of this creature!"

"Why not, madame? We see good company there; the prince de Soubise, the
ducs de la Trimouille, de la Vauguyon, Duras, Richelieu, d'Aiguillon,
and many others, not to mention the king of France. A gentleman may be
seen in such company without any disgrace."

"Monsieur le chevalier," replied the duke, "to speak candidly to you,
allow me to ask, if any one who would have the friendship of our house
would be seen in that of the lady in question?"

"Pardon me, duke; that is not the question. Allow me, in turn, to ask
you, why those of your house should not go there? This, I think, is the
real question."

"You offer us a splendid alliance!" said the duchess with anger.

"I offer nothing, madame: I only inquire. For my part, I see no
legitimate motive for this proscription of madame du Barry."

"A woman without character!"

"Character! Why, madame, who has any in these days? M. de Crebillon the
younger would be at a loss to tell us where to find it."

This reply made the duke and his sister smile again. The chancellor went
on thus:

"It appears to me that persons were less difficult in the times of
madame de Pompadour."

"But a creature who has been so low in society!"

"Have you seen her so, madame? And supposing it has been the case, do we
interdict all ladies of conduct not l