t M. de Choiseul was a minister _par excellence_, and the
support of monarchy, they had contrived to persuade themselves of the
truth of their assertion. In fact, if France found herself freed from
the Jesuits, it was to the duc de Choiseul that this was owing, and this
paramount benefit assured to him universal gratitude.

The king was fully aware of this unanimity of public opinion in favor of
his minister. He was, besides, persuaded, that in arranging the _pacte
de famille_, and concluding the alliance with the imperial house, the
duc de Choiseul had evinced admirable diplomatic talents, and rendered
France real, and important, service. His attachment to him was
incumbent, and rested on solid foundations. If, at a subsequent period,
he dismissed him, it was because he was deceived by a shameful intrigue
which it will cost me pain to develop to you, because I took by far too
much a leading part in it, which now causes me the deepest regret.

Now, by the act of my presentation, the duc de Choiseul would be
compelled to meet me often, which would render our mutual situation very
disagreeable. On this account the king sought to reconcile us, and
would have had no difficulty in effecting his wishes had he only had the
resistance of the minister and his wife to encounter. The lady had not
much influence over her husband, and besides she had too much good sense
to struggle against the wishes of the king: but the duchesse de
Grammont was there, and this haughty and imperious dame had so great an
ascendancy with her brother, and behaved with so little caution, that
the most odious reports were in circulation about their intimacy.

It could scarcely be hoped that we could tame this towering spirit,
which saw in me an odious rival. Louis XV did not flatter himself that
he could effect this prodigy, but he hoped to have a greater ascendancy
over his minister. It was to the duc de Choiseul, therefore, that he
first addressed himself, desirous of securing the husband and wife
before he attacked the redoubtable sister. The next morning, after my
warm assault on the prince de Soubise, he profited by an audience which
the duke requested at an unusual hour to introduce this negotiation of
a new kind, and the details I give you of this scene are the more
faithful, as the king gave them to me still warm immediately after the
conversation had terminated.

The state affairs having been concluded, the king, seeking to disguise
his volun