in spite of all cunning study of the sensuous nature of
the king, in spite of this perpetual enchantment of his senses,
this favorite was obliged to fight for her power every minute of her
existence. If hers were a conquest, it was a laborious one, held only
through ceaseless activity; continual brainwork, all the countermoves
and manoeuvres of the courtesan, were required to keep Mme. de
Pompadour seated in this position, which was surrounded by snares and
dangers.

To possess the time of the king, occupy his enemies, soothe his
fatigue, arouse his wearied body condemned to a milk diet, to preserve
her beauty--all these were the least of her tasks. She must be ever
watchful, see evil in every smile, danger in every success, divine
secret plots, be on guard to resist the court, the royal family,
the ministry. For her there was no moment of repose: even during
the effusions of love she must act the spy upon the king, and, with
presence of mind and calmness, must seek in the deceitful face of the
man the secrets of the master.

Every morning witnessed the opening of a new comedy: a gay smile,
a tranquil brow, a light song, must ever disguise the mind's
preoccupation and all the machinations of her fertile brain. At one
time the Comte d'Argenson, desiring to succeed Fleury as minister,
almost arrived at supplanting Mme. de Pompadour by young Mme. de
Choiseul, who, having charmed the king on one occasion, obtained
from him a promise that he would make her his mistress--which would
necessitate desertion of Mme. de Pompadour; but, by the natural
charms of which age had not robbed her and by bringing all her past
experience into play, Mme. de Pompadour once more scored a triumph and
remained the actual minister to the king. All this nervous strain was
gradually killing her, and, to overcome her physical weakness, her
weary senses, her frigid disposition, she resorted to artificial
stimulants to keep her blood at the boiling point and enable her to
satisfy the phlegmatic king.

Undoubtedly the most disgraceful act of this all-powerful woman
was the maintaining of a house of pleasure for the king, to which
establishment she allured some of the most beautiful girls of the
nobility, as well as of the _bourgeoisie_. These young women supposed
that they were being supported by a wealthy nobleman; their children
were given a pension of from three thousand to twelve thousand livres,
and the mother received one hundred thousand fr