lict of her mind was but too plainly
depicted in her countenance. However, that was the least of my troubles;
I soon restored her to comparative calmness; and before I quitted her,
made her promise she would come and see me.

She would gladly have evaded this request; but her son, the master of
requests, who sufficiently misjudged me to fear my resentment, and who
possessed great influence over her, induced her to present herself at my
house. She accordingly came to call upon me, with a mind bursting with
spite and jealousy; yet she choked down her angry passions, and so far
humbled herself, as to entreat my pardon for her own sake and that of
her family, for all her unkindness towards me. I would not allow her to
finish; "Madame," said I, "I only allow agreeable recollections to find
a place in my memory; had I entertained the slightest resentment against
either you or yours, you may be quite certain I should not have again
entered your dwelling; and I again repeat the offer I made the other
day, of gladly seizing the first opportunity of being useful to you."

Each of these words expressive of the kindest feelings towards her was
like the stab of a poniard. She, however, extolled them with the most
exaggerated praise, imploring me to believe how deeply she regretted her
behavior, and talked so long and so much about it, that when she quitted
me, it was with the most certain impression on my mind, that in her I
possessed a most violent and implacable enemy, and in this conclusion I
was quite correct. M. Dudelay, her son, had the effrontery to request
to be presented to me, and charged the excellent M. de Laborde to make
known his wishes to me. I begged he would inform M. Dudelay, that I
admitted into the circle of my acquaintance only such as were known
to the king; and that if he thought proper to apply to his majesty,
I should obey his royal will on the subject, whatever it might be. He
justly considered this repulse as a biting raillery, for which he never
forgave me. I entertained no ill will against him for his past perfidy,
but I considered it strange that he should presume to approach me with
familiarity. I should not have adopted the same line of conduct towards
the farmer-general, his brother, who, less assuming, contented himself
with assuring me of his devotion, and the sincere regret with which he
contemplated the past, without ever seeking to introduce himself into my
presence.

CHAPTER XXII