on--Reply of madame du Barry--Mademoiselle Guimard--
The prince de Soubise--Explanation--The Rohans--Madame de
Marsan--Court friendships

The duc de Richelieu, who was in haste to go to Guienne, lost no time in
presenting to me the duc d'Aiguillon. He was not young, but handsome and
well made, with much amiability and great courage. A sincere friend, no
consideration could weaken his regard; an adversary to be dreaded, no
obstacle could repress his boldness. His enemies--and amongst them
he included the whole magistracy--his enemies, I say, have used him
shamefully, but he treated them too ill for them to be believed in
any thing they say of him. If he were ambitious, he had the excuse of
superior merit, and if he showed himself too severe in one particular,
it proceeded from an energy of mind which did not allow him to have more
pity for others than they had for him. Do not, my friend, think that the
attachment I had for him can transport me beyond just limits. Since he
is in his grave, my illusions, if I had any, have dissipated. I only
give to my deceased friends the tribute due to them--truth and tears.
But really, without thinking of it, I am attributing to myself these
virtues without necessity, forgetting that you are not one of those who
would fain render me as black as possible in the eyes of posterity.

In proportion as the first sight of the uncle had prejudiced me against
him, so much more did it propitiate me towards the nephew. I saw in him
a generous heart, and a genius capable of lofty actions which you would
vainly have sought for in the marechal de Richelieu. No doubt at the
beginning of our _liaison_ the duc d'Aiguillon only saw in me a woman
who could be useful to his projects and plans; but soon his heart joined
the alliance, and a devotion of calculation was succeeded by a vehement
passion, of which I was justly proud, as it subdued to my chains the
most accomplished of courtiers.

Our first interview was lively. The marechal and he supported the
conversation with much gaiety. M. de Richelieu, as I have already told
you, had neither wit nor information, but possessed that ease of the
first circles, those manners of high breeding, those courtly graces,
which often surpass wit and information.

"My nephew," said he to the duke, "madame can do much for us, but we
must first do something for her. Without support, without friends, she
will be lost at Versailles; let us be her partisans if s