arance to you, and have excited in your mind various
conjectures not much to my advantage. I will now endeavor to make some
atonement by confessing the truth. I have been ashamed to write to you
on account of the strange variety of events that have taken place, and
detained me in port, from the 10th of February until this date.

I wish to pass over these events for the present in silence, choosing
rather to suffer a little ill-natured misconstruction, than to attempt
explanations before the matters are brought to a proper and final
decision. I hope it will then appear, that I have been not very fairly
treated, and that my conduct has been blameless. M. D. C. pursued his
resentment to such a length as obliged me in April to pay a visit to
the Minister, greatly against my will at that moment, for I then
thought myself neglected, and not very well used by him; but I was
most agreeably undeceived by the very friendly reception I met with.
My every demand was granted respecting the prizes; it became me
therefore to be very modest. I found that I had C. alone to thank for
the altercations at the Texel. I had the happiness to be feasted and
caressed by all the world at Paris and Versailles, except himself. He,
however, looked guilty; we did not speak together, not because I had
any determined objection, for I love his family, but he could not look
me in the face, and fled whenever chance brought us near each other.

Without studying it, I enjoyed over him a triumph, as great as I could
wish to experience over Jemmy Twitcher. His Majesty ordered a superb
sword to be made for me, which I have since received, and it is called
much more elegant than that presented to the Marquis de Lafayette. His
Majesty has also written, by his Minister, the strongest letter that
is possible in approbation of my conduct, to the President of
Congress, offering to invest me with the Cross, an institution of
military merit, which I carry with me for that purpose, to the
Chevalier de la Luzerne. The Minister of Marine has besides addressed
a very kind letter to myself, and I have also had the like honor shown
me by the other Ministers. I continue to receive constant marks of
esteem, and honorable attention from the Court, and the ship I now
command was lent to the United States in consequence of my
application. Nothing has detained me from sailing for this past month,
but that my officers and men are still without wages or prize money.
There is a st