very violent, but can be softened
upon occasion. It costs me a few abbeys, and a few secret pensions, to
accomplish this. There is a certain V--- who serves me very well, while
he appears to be furious on the other side."--"I can tell you some news
of him, Sire," said Madame de Pompadour. "He wrote to me yesterday,
pretending that he is related to me, and begging for an
interview."--"Well," said the King, "let him come. See him; and if he
behaves well, we shall have a pretext for giving him something." M. de
Gontaut came in, and seeing that they were talking seriously, said
nothing. The King walked about in an agitated manner, and suddenly
exclaimed, "The Regent was very wrong in restoring to them the right of
remonstrating; they will end in ruining the State."--"All, Sire," said M.
de Gontaut, "it is too strong to be shaken by a set of petty justices."
"You don't know what they do, nor what they think. They are an assembly
of republicans; however, here is enough of the subject. Things will last
as they are as long as I shall. Talk about this on Sunday, Madame, with
M. Berrien." Madame d'Amblimont and Madame d'Esparbes came in. "Ah! here
come my kittens," said Madame de Pompadour; "all that we are about is
Greek to them; but their gaiety restores my tranquility, and enables me
to attend again to serious affairs. You, Sire, have the chase to divert
you--they answer the same purpose to me." The King then began to talk
about his morning's sport, and Lansmatte.

[See the "Memoirs of Madame Campan," vol. iii., p. 24. Many traits of
original and amusing bluntness are related of Lansmatte, one of the
King's grooms.]

It was necessary to let the King go on upon these subjects, and even,
sometimes, to hear the same story three or four times over, if new
persons came into the room. Madame de Pompadour never betrayed the least
ennui. She even sometimes persuaded him to begin his story anew.

I one day said to her, "It appears to me, Madame, that you are fonder
than ever of the Comtesse d'Amblimont."--"I have reason to be so," said
she. "She is unique, I think, for her fidelity to her friends, and for
her honour. Listen, but tell nobody--four days ago, the King, passing
her to go to supper, approached her, under the pretence of tickling her,
and tried to slip a note into her hand. D'Amblimont, in her madcap way,
put her hands behind her back, and the King was obliged to pick up the
note, which had fallen on the ground. Gontaut w