was at its height, when it became generally known that I
had triumphed over all obstacles, and that my presentation was certainly
to take place. In the midst of all this the desperate odium fell upon
the duc de la Vauguyon, and a general attack was made upon him: his
virtues, reputation, talents, qualities, were made the subject of blame
and scandal--in a word, he was run down by public opinion. But the
leaders of the cabal were not the less struck by the news of my success,
which sounded in their ears like the falling of a thunder-bolt.

The silly princess de Guemene, who, with her husband, has since become a
bankrupt to so enormous and scandalous an amount, flew without delay to
convey the tidings of my victory to the duchesse de Grammont, to whom
it was a death-blow. All her courage forsook her; she shed bitter tears,
and displayed a weakness so much the more ridiculous, as it seemed to
arise from the utmost despair. She repaired to madame Adelaide, before
whom she conducted herself in the most absurd and extravagant manner.
The poor princess, intimidated by the weakness she herself evinced,
in drawing back after she had in a manner espoused the opposite party,
durst not irritate her, but, on the contrary, strove to justify her own
change of conduct towards me, by urging the impossibility of refusing
obedience to the express command of the king.

The other princesses did not evince greater firmness when overwhelmed by
the complaints of the cabal, and in a manner bent their knee before the
wives of the French nobility, asking their pardon for their father's
error in selecting a mistress from any rank but theirs. About this
period a song, which I admired greatly, was circulated abroad. My
enemies interpreted it to my disadvantage, but I was far from being of
the same opinion. It was successively attributed to the most clever men
in Paris, and I have myself met with four who each asserted himself to
be the author; in justice it should be ascribed to him who appeared the
most calculated to have written it, and who indeed claimed it for his
own--the chevalier de Boufflers. I do not know whether you recollect the
lines in question. I will transcribe them from memory, adding another
couplet, which was only known amongst our own particular circle, but
which proves most incontestably the spirit of kindness with which the
stanzas were composed.

Lise, ta beaute seduit,
Et charme tout le monde.
En vain la du