re
against his sister's conduct, whose ascendancy over him, her brother,
the king well knew. He replied that the good behavior of his wife was
the safeguard of his family, and he greatly regretted that the duchesse
de Grammont had not a right to the same eulogium.

"I beg you," said the prince, "to engage her to change her language, and
to conduct herself with less boldness, if she would not have me force
her to repent."

"That, sire, is a mission painful to fulfil, and words very hard to
convey to her."

"So much the worse for her," replied the king, elevating his voice, "if
she bear any friendship for you, let her prove it in this particular:
your interests should keep her mouth shut."

The duke had no difficulty to comprehend the indirect menace implied: he
instantly renewed his regrets for the _disagreeable_ disturbances that
had occurred.

"Add _insulting_," said Louis XV. "I am content with you and your
services, duke. I have just proved this to you, by giving your brother
more than he could expect from me; but have not I the right to have my
intimacies respected? It appears to me that if you spoke more decidedly
in your family you would command more attention."

"This makes me fear, sire, that your majesty does not believe me sincere
in my expression of the regret which I just took the liberty to utter to
your majesty."

"_Mon Dieu_, monsieur le duc, you certainly do not like madame du
Barry."

"I neither like nor hate her, sire; but I see with trouble that she
receives at her house all my enemies."

"Whose fault is that if it be so? Your own; you, who would never visit
her; she would have received you with pleasure, and I have not concealed
from you the satisfaction I should have experienced."

These last words made the duke start, his eyes became animated. After a
moment's reflection he said to the king,

"Sire, is it indispensably necessary for the service of the state that I
endeavor to attain the good-will of madame la comtesse du Barry?"

"No."

"Well, then, sire, allow matters to remain as they are. It would cost me
much to quarrel with my whole family, the more so as this sacrifice
is not useful to you, and would in no wise alter my position with your
majesty."

However painful to the king such a determination might be, he did not
allow the duke to perceive it; he dissembled the resentment he felt, and
contented himself with saying,

"Duc de Choiseul, I do not pretend to impose chains