ying
on the war, and mistaking the peruke of M. de Maupeou for an impregnable
fortress, flew to take refuge there. What did Zamor do, but run to the
chancellor, snatch off his wig, and carry it in triumph to a corner of
the room with its colony of cockchafers, leaving us all to admire the
bald head of the chief magistrate. I could willingly have enjoyed a
hearty laugh at this scene, but, out of respect for M. de Maupeou, I
feigned to be much displeased with Zamor, whom I desired one of the
attendants to flog for his rudeness. However, the guests and the
chancellor uniting in entreaties that I would pardon him, I was obliged
to allow my assumed anger to give way to their request, and the culprit
received a pardon.

There was but one person in the world whom Zamor really feared; he
was however on good terms with all my friends, and did not disdain
the society of the king. You have heard that the latter, by way of
amusement, bestowed on my little negro the title of governor of the
Pavillon de Lucienne, with a revenue arising therefrom of a thousand
crowns, and that the chancellor caused the necessary papers to be
prepared and delivered to him sealed with the state seal.

But of all the persons who visited me, the one most beloved by Zamor was
madame de Mirepoix, who never came without bringing him amusing presents
or some sweetmeats. The sight of her threw him into ecstasies of
delight; and the moment he caught sight of her, he would clap his hands,
leap with joy, dance around her, and kiss her hand, exclaiming, "_Ah!
mame la chale!_" ("Ah! Madame la marechale "). The poor marechale
always dreaded meeting the king when she came to visit me and Zamor; for
the great delight of his majesty was to make my little negro repeat a
name of Israelitish origin, which he did in so ridiculous a manner, that
the modesty of my fair friend was most shockingly put to the blush.

One person alone never vouchsafed to bestow the slightest glance of
encouragement upon my little imp of Africa, and this was comte Jean,
who even went so far as to awe him into silence either by a frown or a
gesture of impatience; his most lively tricks could not win a smile from
the count, who was either thoughtful or preoccupied with some ambitious
scheme of fortune. Zamor soon felt a species of instinctive dread of
this overpowering and awe-inspiring genius, whose sudden appearance
would chill him in his wildest fits of mirthful mischief, and send
him cowerin