equesting her to sit down, he took a seat himself, and
began as follows:--

"'Madam, you are about to lose the favor of the king; a party is at work
to give a new mistress to the king; the lady is young, beautiful, witty,
and possessed of an insatiable ambition; for the last six months she has
been in the daily habit of seeing the king, unknown to you and all
the court, and this has been accomplished in the following manner:
her father is _valet de chambre_ to his majesty, and she has an only
brother, two years younger than herself, whose astonishing resemblance
to her has created continual mistakes; this brother is promised the
inheritance of his father's office; and, under pretext of acquiring
the due initiation for future post, has been permitted every morning to
attend the king's rising.

"'However, this embryo page is the sister, who comes each morning
disguised in her brother's clothes. The king has had many private
conversations with the designing beauty; and, seduced by her many charms
of mind and person, as well as dazzled by the hidden and concealed
nature of their intrigue, finds his passion for her increases from day
to day. Many are the designing persons ready to profit by the transfer
of the king's affections from you to this fresh favorite; and they
flatter themselves the desired event is close at hand. You are to be
confined by a _lettre de cachet_ to the isle of St. Margaret, for the
place of your exile is already chosen. The principal conspirators are
two powerful noblemen, one of whom is reputed your most intimate friend.
I learned all these particulars,' continued the Jacobite, 'from a young
penitent, but not under the seal of confession. This penitent is the
particular friend of the female in question, who confided the secret
to her, from whom I received it, accompanied by the most flattering
promises of future protection and advancement. These splendid prospects
excited her jealous envy, and she came here to confess the whole to me,
requesting I would seek you out and inform you of the whole affair.
Here is a letter she obtained unknown to her aspiring friend, which she
wishes you to see, as a pledge of the veracity of her statement.'
The marchioness cast her eyes over the paper held out to her by the
Jacobite. It was a letter addressed by the king to his new mistress.

"You may imagine the terror of madame de Pompadour, her anxiety and
impatience to return to Versailles. However, ere she quitted