of my sign-manual.
The rogue had no respect for the word of a relation of the Holy Virgin
and the daughter of the Beauvau. I was in want of thirty thousand
francs; and to procure it I have given up my ornaments, not wishing to
send to the Jew the old plate of my family, altho' the hunks wanted it."

We all laughed at her frankness, and the gaiety with which she gave this
statement, but we went no further; to her great regret, no doubt, for
I believe that the scene had been prepared between her and M. de Duras,
either to let her profit in time of need, or else that she wished to
pluck a feather from our wing. When I was alone with the king, he said,

"The poor marechale pains me; I should like to oblige her and think I
will give her five hundred louis."

"What will such a petty sum avail her? You know what she wants; either
send her the whole or none. A king should do nothing by halves."

Louis XV answered me nothing; he only made a face, and began to walk
up and down the room. "Ah," said I, "this excellent woman loves your
majesty so much, that you ought to show your gratitude to her, were it
only to recompense her for her intimacy with me."

"Well, you shall carry her the sum yourself, which Lebel shall bring
you from me. But thirty thousand francs, that makes a large pile of
crown-pieces."

"Then I must take it in gold."

"No, but in good notes. We must not, even by a look, intimate that she
has _sold_ her visits to us. There are such creatures in the world!"

The next morning Lebel brought me a very handsome rose-colored
portfolio, embroidered with silver and auburn hair: it contained the
thirty thousand francs in notes. I hastened to the marechale. We were
then at Marly.

"What good wind blows you hither?" said madame de Mirepoix.

"A royal gallantry," I replied; "you appeared unhappy, and our excellent
prince sends you the money necessary to redeem your jewels."

The eyes of the lady became animated, and she embraced me heartily. "It
is to you that I owe this bounty of the king."

"Yes, partly, to make the present entire; he would only have given you
half the sum."

"I recognize him well in that he does not like to empty his casket.
He would draw on the public treasury without hesitation for double the
revenue of France, and would not make a division of a single crown of
his own private _peculium_."

I give this speech _verbatim_; and this was all the gratitude which
madame de Mirepoix manifested