other, I accepted this _mezzo termine_.

CHAPTER XII

The comtesse de Bearn--The supper--Louis XV--Intrigues
against my presentation--M. de Roquelaure--The scalded foot--
The comtesse d'Aloigny--The duc d'Aiguillon and madame de
Bearn--Anger of the king's daughters--Madame Adelaide and
the comtesse du Barry--Dissatisfaction of the king

M. Morand was again put in requisition, and went from me to ask madame
de Bearn to come and sup at my apartments. We were in committee--my
sisters-in-law, myself, and comte Jean. The comtesse made some
difficulties at first, under pretence that she was afraid to refuse me
a second time. Our messenger assured her by saying, that a supper would
not bind her to any thing, and that she should still be at liberty
to give any reply she pleased. Madame de Bearn allowed herself to be
persuaded, and sent me word that she would accept my invitation. She
would have reflected twice before she so far committed herself, had
she at all suspected the turn we meant to serve her. But I saw by the
wording of her note, that she still hoped that the king would be induced
to grant me the written promise which I asked for her.

She came. I received her with all possible courtesy, and yet not with
much heartiness. I could not help remembering the vexatious terms she
set upon her complaisance. However, the supper was gay enough, comte
Jean and my sisters-in-law, who knew very well how to dissemble, did
the honors in a most agreeable way. On leaving table we went into the
drawing-room, and then began to discuss the serious question which had
brought us together. At the first words which comte Jean uttered, madame
de Bearn, taking my hands with a respectful familiarity, said to me:--"I
hope, madame, that you will not have a bad opinion of me, if I put such
conditions to my desire of obliging you. The situation of my family
requires it, but it is only a trifle for the king to grant."

"Much more than you imagine, madame," I replied. "The king does not care
to involve himself in such engagements. He does not like, moreover, that
his sacred word should be doubted."

"Ah?" replied the cunning creature, "heaven forbid that I should not
blindly trust to the king's word, but his memory may fail, or he, like
other men, may forget."

"Madame," replied comte Jean, with the utmost gravity, "madame is a
lady as full of prudence as of kindness, but yet a little too exacting.
Madame wishes