see the King sup in public, and
to-morrow she is to be taken to the hunt. You are surprised to find me
so well informed, but I know a great deal more about her. She was
brought here by a Gascon, named Dubarre or Dubarri, who is the greatest
scoundrel in France. He founds all his hopes of advancement on
Mademoiselle Dorothee's charms, which he thinks the King cannot resist.
She is, really, very beautiful.. She was pointed out to me in my little
garden, whither she was taken to walk on purpose. She is the daughter
of a water-carrier, at Strasbourg, and her charming lover demands to be
sent Minister to Cologne, as a beginning."--"Is it possible, Madame,
that you can have been rendered uneasy by such a creature as
that?"--"Nothing is impossible," replied she; "though I think the King
would scarcely dare to give such a scandal. Besides, happily, Lebel, to
quiet his conscience, told the King that the beautiful Dorothee's lover
is infected with a horrid disease;" and, added he, "Your Majesty would
not get rid of that as you have done of the scrofula." This was quite
enough to keep the young lady at a distance.

"I pity you sincerely, Madame," said I, "while everybody else envies
you." "Ah!" replied she, "my life is that of the Christian, a perpetual
warfare. This was not the case with the woman who enjoyed the favour of
Louis XIV. Madame de La Valliere suffered herself to be deceived by
Madame de Montespan, but it was her own fault, or, rather, the effect of
her extreme good nature. She was entirely devoid of suspicion at first,
because she could not believe her friend perfidious. Madame de
Montespan's empire was shaken by Madame de Fontanges, and overthrown by
Madame de Maintenon; but her haughtiness, her caprices, had already
alienated the King. He had not, however, such rivals as mine; it is
true, their baseness is my security. I have, in general, little to fear
but casual infidelities, and the chance that they may not all be
sufficiently transitory for my safety. The King likes variety, but he is
also bound by habit; he fears eclats, and detests manoeuvring women. The
little Marechale (de Mirepoig) one day said to me, 'It is your staircase
that the King loves; he is accustomed to go up and down it. But, if he
found another woman to whom he could talk of hunting and business as he
does to you, it would be just the same to him in three days.'"

I write without plan, order, or date, just as things come into my