after all my friends, soon introduced himself in my name to the
house of Madam de Verdelin, and, unknown to me, shortly became there more
familiar than myself. This Coindet was an extraordinary man. He
presented himself in my name in the houses of all my acquaintance, gained
a footing in them, and eat there without ceremony. Transported with zeal
to do me service, he never mentioned my name without his eyes being
suffused with tears; but, when he came to see me, he kept the most
profound silence on the subject of all these connections, and especially
on that in which he knew I must be interested. Instead of telling me
what he had heard, said, or seen, relative to my affairs, he waited for
my speaking to him, and even interrogated me. He never knew anything of
what passed in Paris, except that which I told him: finally, although
everybody spoke to me of him, he never once spoke to me of any person; he
was secret and mysterious with his friend only; but I will for the
present leave Coindet and Madam de Verdelin, and return to them at a
proper time.

Sometime after my return to Mont Louis, La Tour, the painter, came to see
me, and brought with him my portrait in crayons, which a few years before
he had exhibited at the salon. He wished to give me this portrait, which
I did not choose to accept. But Madam d'Epinay, who had given me hers,
and would have had this, prevailed upon me to ask him for it. He had
taken some time to retouch the features. In the interval happened my
rupture with Madam d'Epinay; I returned her her portrait; and giving her
mine being no longer in question, I put it into my chamber, in the
castle. M. de Luxembourg saw it there, and found it a good one; I
offered it him, he accepted it, and I sent it to the castle. He and his
lady comprehended I should be very glad to have theirs. They had them
taken in miniature by a very skilful hand, set in a box of rock crystal,
mounted with gold, and in a very handsome manner, with which I was
delighted, made me a present of both. Madam de Luxenbourg would never
consent that her portrait should be on the upper part of the box. She
had reproached me several times with loving M. de Luxembourg better than
I did her; I had not denied it because it was true. By this manner of
placing her portrait she showed very politely, but very clearly, she had
not forgotten the preference.

Much about this time I was guilty of a folly which did not contribute to
prese