equential order in her own hand. To conclude, Madame said yesterday,
when the king was at dinner, that you would very soon be here; and the
king, as soon as dinner was over, commanded me to send you back as soon
as you arrived. Here you are; set off again immediately."

This order might have appeared severe to the Chevalier de Grammont at
any other time; but, in the present state of his heart, he soon resolved
upon obeying. Nothing gave him uneasiness but the officious advice
which had obliged him to leave the English court; and being entirely
unconcerned that he was not allowed to see the French court before his
departure, he only desired the Marechal to obtain leave for him to stay
a few days to collect in some play debts which were owing him. This
request was granted, on condition that he should not remain in Paris.

He chose Vaugirard for his retreat: it was there that he had several
adventures which he so often related in so humorous and diverting a
manner, that it would be tedious to repeat them; there it was that he
administered the sacrament in so solemn a manner, that, as there did not
remain a sufficient number of Swiss at Versailles to guard the chapel,
Vardes was obliged to acquaint the king that they were all gone to the
Chevalier de Grammont, who was administering the sacrament at Vaugirard:
there likewise happened that wonderful adventure which threw the
first slur upon the reputation of the great Saucourt, when, having a
tete-a-tete with the gardener's daughter, the horn, which was agreed
upon as the signal to prevent surprises, was sounded so often, that
the frequent alarms cooled the courage of the celebrated Saucourt, and
rendered useless the assignation that was procured for him with one of
the prettiest girls in the neighbourhood. It was, likewise, during his
stay at Vaugirard, that he paid a visit to Mademoiselle de l'Hopital at
Issy, to inquire into the truth of a report of an amour between her
and a man of the long robe; and it was there that, on his arriving
unexpectedly, the President de Maisons was forced to take refuge in a
closet, with so much precipitation, that half of his robe remained on
the outside when he shut the door; while the Chevalier de Grammont, who
observed it, made his visit excessively long, in order to keep the two
lovers upon the rack.

His business being settled, he set out for England on the wings of love.
Termes redoubled his vigilance upon the road. The post horses wer