the intrigues of court.
The baron de Gonesse related to us a circumstance which had just been
communicated to him by a county magistrate. I must here apprize the
reader that these administrators of justice were directed to collect all
the facts, scandalous, horrible, ridiculous, or piquant, which occurred
within their jurisdiction, in order that, being forwarded to the
king, they might aid in distracting his mind from the heavy cares of
government. Alas! how many strange and eventful things have I since
learned by similar channels.

The supper terminated, the king's friends remained some time conversing
with us. Whilst these noblemen were busily celebrating my praises in
words sufficiently loud to reach the king's ear, the baron de Gonesse,
standing by my side, was prosecuting his suit in the most ardent terms.
I received his overtures with becoming grace and modesty. As I have
before said, the exterior of the king was very prepossessing, and what
he wanted in youth, he made up by all the mature graces of dignified
royalty. At last Lebel appeared, and made me a sign to rise from my
seat. Up to this period nothing had arisen to betray the incognito of
the august monarch, and in order to keep up my pretended ignorance
of his grandeur, I quitted the apartment with little ceremony. Lebel
conducted me to an adjoining chamber, furnished with the utmost
magnificence. When we were seated, he turned to the comte Jean, who had
followed us, and said, "It rests with yourself whether you will return
to Paris, or remain at Versailles. But as for _milady_, who seems
much fatigued, she will, we trust, honor us by accepting a bed at the
castle."

My self-created brother-in-law understood as well as I did the
significance of these words, and clearly read in their import how far
I had attracted the favor of the king. In order to have rendered the
impression more lasting, we could have wished that matters had been less
precipitated, but we were under a roof where everything yielded to the
caprices of its master, and resignation to his will became a matter
of course. And here I trust I may be pardoned if I pass over certain
details which could not, at this lapse of time, interest or amuse any
one; besides, altho' I have found no difficulty in reciting former
events of my life, I find my pen more prudish and coy than were my ears
or mouth. All I shall say is, that the following day, as soon as I was
left alone in my chamber, Lebel entered