e
Sartines, my brother-in-law, etc. The duc de la Vauguyon alone was
absent. I knew beforehand that he would not come, and that it was a
sacrifice which he thought himself compelled to make to the cabal. The
ladies were mesdames de Bearn and d'Aloigny, with my sisters-in-law.
Amongst the ladies presented they were the only ones with whom I
had formed any intimacy; as for the rest I was always the "horrible
creature," of whom they would not hear on any account.

The king, on entering, embraced me before the whole party. "You are a
charming creature," said he to me, "and the brilliancy of your beauty
has to-day reminded me of the device of my glorious ancestor."

This was a flattering commencement; the rest of the company chimed in
with their master, and each tried to take the first part in the chorus.
The duc d'Ayen even talked of my grace of manner. "Ah, sir," said I to
him, "I have had time to learn it from Pharamond to the reigning king."

This allusion was bitter, and did not escape the duke, who turned pale
in spite of his presence of mind, on finding that I was aware of the
malicious repartee which he had made to the king when talking of me, and
which I have already mentioned to you. The chancellor said to me,

"You have produced a great effect, but especially have you triumphed
over the cabal by the nobility of your manners and the dignity of your
mien; and thus you have deprived it of one of its greatest engines of
mischief, that of calumniating your person."

"They imagined then," said I to him, "that I could neither speak nor be
silent, neither walk nor sit still."

"As they wished to find you ignorant and awkward they have set you down
as such. This is human nature: when we hate any one, we say they are
capable of any thing; then, that they have become guilty of every thing;
and, to wind up all, they adopt for truth to-day what they invented last
night."

"Were you not fearful?" inquired the king.

"Forgive me, sire," I answered, "when I say that I feared lest I should
not please your majesty; and I was excessively desirous of convincing
mesdames of my respectful attachment."

This reply was pronounced to be fitting and elegant, altho' I had not in
any way prepared it. The fact is, that I was in great apprehension lest
I should displease the king's daughters; and I dreaded lest they should
manifest too openly the little friendship which they had towards me.
Fortunately all passed off to a miracle, an