made her. As for the duchesse de la
Vauguyon, when she saw me, she turned alternately from red to white,
and was even weak enough to give public vent to her fury. The comte de
Provence, who had been told that I was not expected, began to laugh when
he perceived me, and taking the first opportunity of approaching me, he
said, "Ah, madame! so you too can mystify your friends, I see! Have a
care; the sight of charms like yours is sufficient to strike terror into
any adversaries, without having recourse to any expedient to heighten
their effect." Saying this he passed on without giving me the
opportunity of replying, as I could have wished to have done.

The marechale de Mirepoix, to whom I had confided my secret, and of
whose fidelity I was assured, was present at the fete. I availed myself
of the offer of a seat near her and directly we were seated, "You are a
clever creature," said she, "for you have completely bewildered all the
female part of this evening's society, and by way of a finishing stroke
will run away with the hearts of all the flutterers here, before the
fair ladies they were previously hovering around, have recovered their
first astonishment."

"Upon my word," said I, smiling, "I do not wonder at the kind looks with
which the ladies favour me, if my presence is capable of producing so
much mischief."

"Pray, my dear," answered the marechale, "be under no mistake: you might
be as much beloved as others are, if you did not monopolize the king's
affections; the consequence is, that every woman with even a passable
face looks upon you as the usurper of her right, and as the fickle
gentlemen who woo these gentle ladies are all ready to transfer their
homage to you directly you appear, you must admit that your presence is
calculated to produce no inconsiderable degree of confusion."

The commencement of a play which formed part of the evening's
entertainment obliged us to cease further conversation. The first piece
represented was "_Rose et Colas_," a charming pastoral, to which the
music of Monsigny gave a fresh charm; the actors were selected from
among the best of the Comedie Italienne--the divine Clairval, and the
fascinating mademoiselle Caroline. I was completely enchanted whilst the
play lasted; I forgot both my cabals and recent triumph, and for a while
believed myself actually transported to the rural scenes it represented,
surrounded by the honest villagers so well depicted; but this delightful
vis