," replied comte Jean; "but you must decide at once
and for ever what party you will join. If you are with us they will use
you harshly; if you take the opposite party look to yourself. Choose."

After some turnings and twistings, accompanied with compliments, M. de
Sartines declared that he would range himself under our banner. Then
I extended to him my hand in token of reconciliation; he took it with
respect, and kissed it with gallantry. Up to this time we had conversed
with feelings of restraint and standing; but now we seated ourselves,
and begun a conference in form, as to the manner of preventing a
recurrence of the offensive outrages against me. As a proof of good
intention M. de Sartines told me the author of the two articles of which
I complained. He was a wretch, named Ledoux, who for twelve hundred
livres per annum wrote down all those who displeased the duchesse de
Grammont. This lady had no fear of doing all that was necessary to
remove every obstacle to the publication of such infamies.

After M. de Sartines had given us all the details which we desired,
and after I had promised to reconcile him to his master, he went away
delighted with having seen me. Believe me, my friend, it is necessary to
be as handsome as I am, that is to say, as I was, to seduce a lieutenant
of police.

CHAPTER VIII

The sieur Ledoux--The _lettre de cachet_--The duc de la
Vrilliere--Madame de Langeac--M. de Maupeou--Louis XV--The
comte Jean

On that very evening, the king having come to me, I said to him,

"Sire, I have made acquaintance with M. de Sartines."

"What! has he been to make friends with you?"

"Something like it: but he has appeared to me less culpable than I
thought. He had only yielded to the solicitation of my personal enemy."

"You cannot have one at my court, madame; the lieutenant of police would
have done well not to have named her to you."

"Thanks to him, however, I shall now know whom I ought to mistrust. I
know also who is the author of the two scurrilous paragraphs."

"Some scamp, no doubt; some beggarly scoundrel."

"A monsieur Ledoux."

"Ah, I know the fellow. His bad reputation has reached me. It must be
stopped at last."

So saying, Louis XV went to the chimney, and pulled the bell-rope with
so much vehemence that ten persons answered it at once.

"Send for the duc de la Vrilliere; if he be not suitably attired let him
come in his night-gown, no matter so that he