ment in the
establishment of the future _dauphine_. This was the point aimed at
by all the ambitious courtiers. Comte Jean thought these conditions
preposterous. He had a _carte blanche_ from me, and desired M. Morand to
offer the lady one hundred thousand livres, and to add an assurance that
the king should be importuned to place young Bearn advantageously, and
to station the mother to her wishes; and thereupon my brother-in-law
returned to Versailles.

The comte Jean had scarcely returned an hour, when we received a
letter from M. Morand, stating, that he had gone, in consequence of the
instructions of comte Jean, to the comtesse de Bearn; that he had found
the lady pliant enough on the first point, and disposed to content
herself with the half of the sum originally demanded; that on point the
second, I mean the appointments of herself and son, she would come to no
compromise, and stuck hard and fast to the written promise of the king;
that he, Morand, thought this an obstacle not to be overcome unless
we subscribed to her wishes. This letter put me in an excessively
ill-humor. I saw my presentation deferred till doom's day, or, at least,
adjourned _sine die_. I questioned my friends: the unanimous advice was
that I ought to mention it to the king at one of his evening visits; and
I determined to do so without loss of time.

When his majesty came I received him very graciously, and then said to
him,

"Congratulate me, sire; I have found my godmother."

"Ah, so much the better." (I know that, at the bottom of his heart, he
said "so much the _worse_.")

"And who," asked the king, with impatience, "may the lady be?"

"Madame de Bearn, a lady of quality in her own right, and of high
nobility on her husband's side."

"Yes, he was a _garde du corps_, and the son has just left the pages.
Ah! she will present you then. That's well; I shall feel favored by
her."

"Would it not be best, sire, to tell her so yourself?"

"Yes, yes, certainly; but after the ceremony."

"And why not previously?"

"Why? because I do not wish to appear to have forced your presentation."

"Well, then," I replied, striking the floor with my foot, "you will not
do for me what you would do for a woman who is a complete stranger to
you. Many thanks for your excessive kindness."

"Well, well, do not scold. Anger does not become you."

"No more than this indifference suits you; it is cruel. If you recede
from saying a word, what will you d