this particular he was very near doing me great
wrong. M. de Roquelaure having called on madame de Bearn, told her that
he well knew the nature of her communications with me.

"Do not flatter yourself," said he, "that you will obtain thro' the
influence of the comtesse du Barry, all that has been promised you. You
will have opposed to you the most powerful adversaries and most august
personages. It cannot be concealed from you, that mesdames contemplate
the presentation of this creature with the utmost displeasure. They will
not fail to obtain great influence over the future dauphin, and will do
you mischief with him; so that, whether in the actual state of things,
or in that which the age and health of the king must lead us to
anticipate, you will be in a most unfortunate situation at court."

The old bishop, with his mischievous frankness, catechised madame de
Bearn so closely, that at length she replied, that so much respect and
deference did she entertain towards the princesses, that she would not
present me until they should accord their permission for me to appear.
M. de Roquelaure took this reply to the Choiseuls. Madame de Grammont,
enchanted, thinking the point already gained, sent madame de Bearn an
invitation to supper the next day, but this was not the countess's game.
She was compelled to decide promptly, and she thought to preserve a
strict neutrality until fresh orders should issue. What do you suppose
she did? She wrote to us, madame de Grammont and myself, that she had
scalded her foot, and that it was impossible for her to go from home.

On receiving her note I believed myself betrayed, forsaken. Comte Jean
and I suspected that this was a feint, and went with all speed to call
on the comtesse de Bearn. She received us with her usual courtesy,
complained that we had arrived at the very moment of the dressing of her
wound, and told us she would defer it; but I would not agree to this.
My brother-in-law went into another room, and madame de Bearn began to
unswathe her foot in my presence with the utmost caution and tenderness.
I awaited the evidence of her falsehood, when, to my astonishment, I
saw a horrible burn! I did not for a moment doubt, what was afterwards
confirmed, namely, that madame de Bearn had actually perpetrated this,
and maimed herself with her own free will. I mentally cursed her Roman
courage, and would have sent my heroic godmother to the devil with all
my heart.

Thus then was my p