ow, and the alliance will be formed."

The marechale and I had scarcely separated when madame de Bearn was
announced. This lady besieged me night and day. Gifted with a subtle and
penetrating spirit--that talent which procures advancement at court,
she saw, with pain, that I sought to attract other females about me:
she would fain have remained my only friend, that she might, unopposed,
influence me in all I did. She saw, therefore, the appearance of madame
de Mirepoix in my drawing-room with uneasiness: her bad humor was
sufficiently apparent to attract the notice of the marechale, who
laughed at it: her social position as a titled woman, and the king's
friendship, giving her confidence that her credit would always exceed
that of my godmother.

Madame de Bearn was compelled to submit to the ascendancy of the
marechale, but yet did not the less relax in her efforts to keep from
me all other female society, she hoped that at last the king would
distinguish her, and call her into his intimacy as my friend; she was
not more fond of the comtesse d'Aloigny, altho' the nullity of this
lady need not have alarmed her much. For me, I began to resent the
irksomeness of having incessantly at my side a person who manifested too
openly her desire to compel me to submit to her wishes, and I waited, to
secure my freedom, only until the circle of females I could admit to my
society should be extended.

Such were our reciprocal feelings during our stay at Marly. The madame
de Bearn watched me with more care than at Versailles, fearing, no
doubt, that the freedom of the country might facilitate connections
prejudicial to her interests. Little did she anticipate on this day the
stroke which was in preparation for her. I asked her spitefully to
take a turn with me into the park, and I took care not to announce the
meeting which we had arranged.

Behold us then walking this way and that, quite by chance, without
however going any distance from the pavilion. Madame de Bearn, not
liking the vicinity of the chateau, was desirous to go into the wood. I
declined this under vain excuses, when suddenly madame de Mirepoix and
madame de Flaracourt appeared at the end of a very short walk.

"Let us turn this way," said the countess to me, "here comes one of our
enemies, whom it would be as well to avoid."

"Why turn away?" I replied; "she is alone, we are two, and then the
marechale de Mirepoix is not opposed to us."

Saying this, I advanced