d his mistress, whilst the head _valet
de chambre_ was acting the part of Mercury to the lovers. This indeed
required some speedy remedy, and I lost no time in summoning my privy
counsellor, Comte Jean, whom I acquainted with what had occurred, and
begged his advice as to the best measures to be pursued. "Indeed,"
replied my brother-in-law, "what others would do in our place would be
to throw M. Chamilly from one of the windows of the chateau, and treat
this his friend Marin with a lodging in the Bastille; but, as we are
persons of temper and moderation, we will go more gently to work. I
will, in the first place, gain every information relative to the affair,
that I may satisfy myself Marin is not seeking to show his honest claims
to your gold, by imposing a forged tale upon your credulity; when that
is ascertained we will decide upon our next best step."

Comte Jean departed to seek the assistance of M. de Sartines, who was at
that time entirely devoted to my interests; and, after having diligently
searched the whole rue du Temple, he succeeded in discovering madame de
Rumas. He learnt that this lady had recently married a person of her own
rank, to whom she professed to be violently attached; that they lived
together with great tranquillity, and had the reputation of conducting
themselves as persons of extreme propriety and regularity; paid their
debts, and avoided, by their air of neatness, order, and modest reserve,
the scandal of even their most ill-natured neighbors. The husband was
said to be a great religionist, which increased the suspicions of Comte
Jean. With regard to the epistolary correspondence carried on by the
lady, no information could be gleaned in in that quarter.

Marin was again sent for by my brother-in-law, who questioned and
cross-questioned with so much address, that Marin found it impossible
to conceal any longer the remaining part of the affair, of which he
had before communicated but so much as his policy deemed advisable.
He confessed that he had originally mentioned madame de Rumas (whom
he himself had long known) to Chamilly, had shown him several of her
letters; and, as he expected, the style of these epistles so pleased
the head valet, that he expressed a wish to see the fair writer. Marin
accordingly introduced him to the rue du Temple, where he was most
graciously received, and returned home enchanted with the lady: he
spoke of her to the king, strongly recommending his majesty to jud