ready;--stayed there about a week.] ["9th (or 10th) July, 1780"
(Rodenbeck, iii. 233): "Stayed till 16th."]

"While waiting for the hour of 12, with my Son Charles and M. de Lille
[Abbe de Lille, prose-writer of something now forgotten; by no means
lyrical DE LISLE, of LES JARDINS], to be presented to the King, I went
to look at the Parade;--and, on its breaking up, was surrounded, and
escorted to the Palace, by Austrian deserters, and particularly from
my own regiment, who almost caressed me, and asked my pardon for having
left me.

"The hour of presentation struck. The King received me with an
unspeakable charm. The military coldness of a General's Head-quarters
changed into a soft and kindly welcome. He said to me, 'He did not think
I had so big a Son.'

EGO. "'He is even married, Sire; has been so these twelve months.'

KING. "'May I (OSERAIS-JE) ask you to whom?' He often used this
expression, 'OSERAIS-JE;' and also this: 'If you permit me to have the
honor to tell you, SI VOUS ME PERMETTES D'AVOIR L'HONNEUR DE VOUS DIRE.'

EGO. "'To a Polish-Lady, a Massalska.'

KING (to my Son). "'What, a Massalska? Do you know what her Grandmother
did?'

"'No, Sire,' said Charles.

KING. "'She put the match to the cannon at the Siege of Dantzig with her
own hand; [February, 1734, in poor Stanislaus Leczinski's SECOND fit of
Royalty: supra vi. 465.] she fired, and made others fire, and
defended herself, when her party, who had lost head, thought only of
surrendering.'

EGO. "'Women are indeed undefinable; strong and weak by turns,
indiscreet, dissembling, they are capable of anything.' 'Without doubt,'
said M. de Lille, distressed that nothing had yet been said to him,
and with a familiarity which was not likely to succeed; 'Without doubt.
Look--' said he. The King interrupted him. I cited some traits in
support of my opinion,--as that of the woman Hachette at the Siege
of Beauvais. [A.D. 1472; Burgundians storming the wall had their flag
planted; flag and flag-bearer are hurled into the ditch by Hachette and
other inspired women,--with the finest results.] The King made a little
excursion to Rome and to Sparta: he liked to promenade there. After
half a second of silence, to please De Lille, I told the King that M. de
Voltaire died in De Lille's arms. That caused the King to address some
questions to him; he answered in rather too long-drawn a manner, and
went away. Charles and I stayed dinner." This is day first in P