think," he added, "of all the vanities,
all the interests I have to manage; all the intrigues that are
perpetually agitating, and all the opposition made to me? The court,
the city, the people, will rise against me: they will clamor,
groan, complain; verse, prose, epigram, and pamphlet will appear in
uninterrupted succession. You would be first attacked, and hatred will
perhaps extend to me. I shall see again the times when the Damiens,
in the name of the parliaments, as one party says, in the name of the
Jesuits, as the other party says, and, what is more true, in the name--"

The king suddenly paused; a deep shade of melancholy settled on his
features, his noble head dropped on his bosom. Louis XV remained for
some time motionless; at length,

"Well," he exclaimed, attempting to force a smile, "well! I will write
to the ladies de Grammont, to inform them that they need not give
themselves the trouble to remain near me at the chateau."

On his saying these words I darted towards the door, and went into my
chamber. The king followed, and finding there mademoiselle Chon, who was
working at some tapestry, said to her,

"Mademoiselle, I confide to your care, and by oral _lettre de cachet_,
the most amiable little devil in France. And now, mademoiselle du Barry,
having nothing further to add, I pray God to take you to His powerful
and holy keeping."

After this pleasantry the king, delighted at the gay termination of
a somewhat serious scene, went, or rather vanished; for to use a
proverbial expression, he ran like a thief.

As soon as I was alone with my sister-in-law, I told her all that had
passed.

"I see," said she, "that the king is fearful of offending the duc de
Choiseul, and giving annoyance to his daughters. But a step must
be determined on which will place you out of the reach of complete
disgrace. Would it not be best to get some nobleman, who can do so with
influence, to speak to him on the subject? If the duc de Richelieu were
here--"

"But," I instantly exclaimed, "have we not his nephew, the duc
d'Aiguillon? He is well with the king, and I am certain will take the
most lively interest in all that concerns me."

"I have no doubt of it," said Chon, with a sly look. "Write to him to
come, and you can arrange your ulterior proceedings."

On this advice, which was quite to my taste, I went instantly to my
writing-table, the last present which the king had made me. It was made
of silver gilt, and chin