hastily.

"Yes, madame, his majesty has been pleased to appoint me for that
purpose."

"Let me see the letter," said Marietta, extending her hand.

The marquis drew back. "Pardon me," said he, "I never allow the king's
letters to pass out of my own hands, and no one but myself can see them.
But I will read you what the king says in relation to this affair, and
you will surely believe my word of honor. Listen, then: 'Soyez, marquis,
le depositaire de mes secrets, le confidant des mysteres de Madame
Taliazuchi, l'oreille du trone, et le sanctuaire ou s'annonceront les
complots de mes ennemis.' [Footnote: "I will give the conclusion of this
letter which the polite marquis did not read aloud: 'Pour quitter le
style oriental, je vous avertis que vous aurez l'oreille rebattue
de miseres et de petites intrigues de prisonniers obscurs et qui ne
vaudront pas genre de Madame Taliazuchi--elles envisagent les petites
choses comme tres-importantes; elles sont charmees de figurer en
politique, de jouer un role, de faire les capables d'etaler avec faste
le zele de leur fidelite. J'ai vu souvent que ces beaux secrets reveles
n'ont ete que des intrigues pour auirs au tiers ou an quart a des gens
auxquelles ces sortes de personnes veulet du mal. Ainsi, quoique cette
femme vous puisse dire, gardez-vous bien d'y ajouter foi, et que
votre cervelle provencal ne s'echauffe pas an premier bruit de ces
recits'"--CEuvres, vol xix., p.92.] Madame, you see that I am fully
empowered by the king to receive your confidence, and I am ready to hear
what you will have the goodness to relate." He led her to a divan, and
seated himself opposite to her.

"Tell the king to be on his guard!" said Marietta, solemnly. "A great
and wide-spread conspiracy threatens him. I have been made a tool by
false pretences; by lies and treachery my confidence was surreptitiously
obtained. Oh, my God!" cried she, suddenly springing up; "now all is
clear. I was nothing but an instrument of his intrigues; only the weak
means made use of to attain his object. He stole my love, and made of it
a comfortable, convenient robe with which to conceal his politics. Alas!
alas! I have been his postillion de politique." With a loud, wild cry,
she sank back upon the divan, and a torrent of tears gushed from her
eyes.

The marquis sprang up in terror, and drew near the door; he was now
fully convinced that the woman was mad.

"Madame," said he, "allow me to call for assistance. Yo