,
doubtless; but I have ever observed Lent with a most scrupulous
exactitude. I have caused more than a hundred thousand masses to be
said for the repose of unhappy souls; I have respected the clergy, and
punished the authors of all impious works, so that I flatter myself I
have not been a very bad Christian.'

"I listened to his discourse with a heavy heart, yet I still strove to
reassure the king respecting his health, of which, I assured him, there
was not the slightest doubt.

"'There is one sacrifice,' said the king, in a low and hurried tone,
'that my daughter Louise, her sisters, and the clergy, will not be long
in exacting from me in the name of etiquette. I recollect the scene of
Metz, and it would be highly disagreeable to me to have it repeated at
Versailles; let us, therefore, take our precautions in time to prevent
it. Tell the duchesse d'Aiguillon that she will oblige me by taking the
comtesse du Barry to pass two or three days with her at Ruel.'

"'How, sire!' exclaimed I, 'send your dearest friend from you at a time
when you most require her cares?'

"'I do not send her away,' answered the king, with mournful tenderness,
'I but yield to present necessity; let her submit as she values my
happiness, and say to her, that I hope and believe her absence will be
very short.'"

The duke here ceased his recital, which fully confirmed all my previous
anticipations. My female relatives sobbed aloud, while comte Jean,
compressing his lips, endeavoured to assume that firmness he did not
really possess. By a violent effort I forced myself to assume a sort of
resignation.

"Am I required to depart immediately?" inquired I.

"No," said the duke; "to leave the chateau in the middle of the night
would be to assume the air of a flight, we had better await the coming
day; it will, besides, afford time to apprize the duchess."

While the duc d'Aiguillon was thus gone to arrange for my departure, I
requested to be left alone. My heart was oppressed, and I felt the need
of venting my grief upon some friendly bosom. After a few moments, spent
in collecting my thoughts, I addressed two letters, one to the marechale
de Mirepoix, and the other to the duc de Cosse; to the former I wrote on
account of my retirement to Ruel, bewailed the sad turn my prospects
had assumed, expressed my deep concern for the severe illness of my
excellent friend and benefactor, begging of her to defend my character
from all unjust attacks, an