glory, and his eyes declared in a manner not to be misunderstood
by all around him the impetuous love which he felt for me. He had
threatened the previous evening to let me fall at his feet without the
least effort on his part to prevent it. I told him that I was sure his
gallantry would not allow him to act in this manner; and we had laid a
bet on the matter. As soon as I approached him, and he took my hand to
prevent me, as I began to stoop before him, "You have lost, sire," said
I to him.

"How is it possible to preserve my dignity in the presence of so many
graces?" was his reply.

These gracious words of his majesty were heard by all around him. My
enemies were wofully chagrined; but what perfected their annihilation
was the palpable lie which my appearance gave to their false assertions.
They had blazoned forth everywhere that my manners were those of a
housemaid; that I was absurd and unladylike in my conduct; and that
it was only requisite to have a glimpse of me to recognize both the
baseness of my extraction, and the class of society in which my life had
been hitherto spent.

But I showed manners so easy and so elegant that the people soon shook
off their preconceived prejudice against me. I heard my demeanor lauded
as greatly as my charms and the splendor of my attire. Nothing could
be more agreeable to me. In a word, I obtained complete success, and
thenceforward learnt experimentally how much the exterior and a noble
carriage add to the consideration in which a person is held. I have seen
individuals of high rank and proud behavior who carried no influence in
their looks, because their features were plain and common place; whilst
persons of low station, whose face was gifted with natural dignity, had
only to show themselves to attract the respect of the multitude.

Nothing about me bespoke that I was sprung from a vulgar stock, and thus
scandal of that kind ceased from the day of my presentation; and public
opinion having done me justice in this particular, slander was compelled
to seek for food elsewhere.

That evening I had a large circle at my house. The chancellor, the
bishop of Orleans, M. de Saint-Florentin, M. Bertin, the prince de
Soubise, the ducs de Richelieu, de la Trimouille, de Duras, d'Aiguillon,
and d'Ayen. This last did not hesitate to come to spy out all that
passed in my apartments, that he might go and spread it abroad,
augmented by a thousand malicious commentaries. I had also M. d