t coolness--Situation of the archbishop of
Paris--Richelieu evades the project for confessing the king--
The friends of madame du Barry come forward--The English
physician--The abbe Terray--Interview with the prince de
Soubise--The prince and the courtiers--La Martiniere informs
the king of France the true nature of his complaint--
Consequences of this disclosure

The different members of this _concile impromptu_ declared themselves
in favour of this advice, much to the grief and chagrin of the princess
Adelaide. She easily perceived by this proposition that the court would
very shortly change masters, and could she hope to preserve the same
influence during the reign of her nephew she had managed to obtain
whilst her father held the sceptre? However, she made no opposition to
the resolution of the prelates, who forthwith proceeded to the dauphin,
who received them with considerable coolness. As yet, but ill-assured
in the new part he had to play, the prince showed himself fearful and
embarrassed. The dauphiness would willingly have advised him, but that
prudence would not permit her to do, so that the dauphin, left wholly to
himself, knew not on what to determine.

This was precisely what the grand almoner had hoped and expected, and
he laughed in his sleeve at the useless trouble taken by the archbishop;
and whilst he openly affected to promote his desires as much as was in
his power, he secretly took measures to prevent their success. M.
de Beaumont, who was of a most open and upright nature, was far from
suspecting these intrigues; indeed, his simple and pious character but
ill-qualified him for the corrupt and deceitful atmosphere of a court,
especially such a one as Versailles. His situation now became one of
difficulty; abandoned by the bishops and the grand almoner, disappointed
in his hopes of finding a supporter in the dauphin, what could he do
alone with the princesses, who, in their dread of causing an emotion,
which might be fatal to their parent, knew not what to resolve upon. As
a last resource, they summoned the abbe Mandaux, the king's confessor.
The prelate excited his zeal in all its fervour, and this simple and
obscure priest determined to undertake that which many more eminent
personages had shrunk from attempting.

He therefore sought admittance into the chamber of the king, where he
found the ducs de Duras and de Richelieu, to whom he communicated the
mission upon