account: I met him not far from this place, and God knows that I have so
managed the affair as to prevent his visiting you soon.' Having spoken
these words in a tone somewhat tragical, she appeared concerned at
first, and, looking upon me with surprise: 'What do you mean about the
Duke de Brissac?' said she. 'I mean,' replied I, 'that he is at the end
of the street, walking my horse about; but, if you will not believe me,
send one of your own servants thither, or look at his cloak which I left
in your ante-chamber.' Upon this she burst into a fit of laughter, in
the midst of her astonishment, and, throwing her arms around my neck,
'My dear Chevalier,' said she, 'I can hold out no longer; you are too
amiable and too eccentric not to be pardoned.' I then told her the
whole story: she was ready to die with laughing; and, parting very good
friends, she assured me my rival might exercise horses as long as he
pleased, but that he should not set his foot within her doors that
night.

"I found the duke exactly in the place where I had left him: I asked him
a thousand pardons for having made him wait so long, and thanked him
a thousand times for his complaisance. He told me I jested, that such
compliments were unusual among friends; and to convince me that he had
cordially rendered me this piece of service, he would, by all means,
hold my horse while I was mounting. I returned him his cloak, bade him
good night, and went back to my lodgings, equally satisfied with my
mistress and my rival. This," continued he, "proves that a little
patience and address are sufficient to disarm the anger of the fair, to
turn even their tricks to a man's advantage."

It was in vain that the Chevalier de Grammont diverted the court with
his stories, instructed by his example, and never appeared there but
to inspire universal joy; for a long time he was the only foreigner in
fashion. Fortune, jealous of the justice which is done to merit, and
desirous of seeing all human happiness depend on her caprice, raised
up against him two competitors for the pleasure he had long enjoyed of
entertaining the English court; and these competitors were so much the
more dangerous, as the reputation of their several merits had preceded
their arrival, in order to dispose the suffrages of the court in their
favour.

They came to display, in their own persons, whatever was the most
accomplished either among the men of the sword, or of the gown. The one
was the Marq