n to a step, which otherwise I should wish to avoid."

Whilst the hatred which M. de Maupeou bore towards the parliaments
served me in this way, the love of M. de la Vauguyon for the Jesuits
turned to even more advantage. The good duke incessantly talked to me of
his dear Jesuits; and I as constantly replied, that my influence would
not be salutary until after my presentation, M. de la Vauguyon had
sense enough to perceive the embarrassment of my situation, and saw
that before I could think of others I must think of myself. Having taken
"sweet counsel" with the powerful heads of his company, he freely gave
me all his influence with the king.

Fortune sent me an auxiliary not less influential than these two
gentlemen; I mean the marechal duc de Richelieu. In the month of
January, 1769, he returned from his government of Guienne to enter on
service. He had much credit with the king, and this (would you believe
it?) resulted from his reputation as a man of intrigue. He told the
king every thing that came into his head: he told him one day, that the
Choiseuls boasted that he, the king of France, never dared introduce his
mistress into the state apartments at Versailles.

"Yes," added the duke, "they boast so loudly, that nothing else is
talked of in the province; and at Bordeaux, for instance, there is one
merchant who, on the strength of the enemies of the comtesse, has made a
bet that she will never be presented."

"And why do you not imprison these persons?" inquired the king, angrily.

"Because, sire, it appears to me injustice to punish the echo of the
fooleries of Paris."

"I will conduct myself as regards the presentation of madame du Barry
in the manner which I think best. But is it not an inconceivable
contrariety, that one party should wish it with the utmost desire,
and another place every obstacle in the way? In truth, I am very
unfortunate, and a cruel tyranny is exercised over me."

The duc de Richelieu, not wishing to appear as one of the tyrants of the
king, gave a different turn to the conversation.

My presentation was, however, a matter of first-rate importance to me
and to my partizans, and the duc de la Vrilliere was gained over to my
side, by making him believe that the king would yield to my desires, and
that then I should remember all those who opposed my elevation. The duc
d'Aiguillon also drew over to my party M. Bertin, who bore no love to
the Choiseuls, and who saw that the preponderance