told him in what manner his friend had treated her the very
second day of their acquaintance.

The Chevalier could not forbear laughing at it: he told her Matta was
rather too unceremonious, but yet she would like him better as their
intimacy more improved, and for her consolation he assured her that
he would have spoken in the same manner to her Royal Highness herself;
however, he would not fail to give him a severe reprimand. He went the
next morning into his room for that purpose; but Matta had gone out
early in the morning on a shooting party, in which he had been engaged
by his supper companions in the preceding evening. At his return he took
a brace of partridges and went to his mistress. Being asked whether he
wished to see the Marquis, he said no; and the Swiss telling him his
lady was not at home, he left his partridges, and desired him to present
them to his mistress from him.

The Marchioness was at her toilet, and was decorating her head with
all the grace she could devise to captivate Matta, at the moment he was
denied admittance: she knew nothing of the matter; but her husband knew
every particular. He had taken it in dudgeon that the first visit was
not paid to him, and as he was resolved that it should not be paid to
his wife, the Swiss had received his orders, and had almost been beaten
for receiving the present which had been left. The partridges, however,
were immediately sent back, and Matta, without examining into the cause,
was glad to have them again. He went to court without ever changing
his clothes, or in the least considering he ought not to appear there
without his lady's colours. He found her becomingly dressed; her eyes
appeared to him more than usually sparkling, and her whole person
altogether divine. He began from that day to be much pleased with
himself for his complaisance to the Chevalier de Grammont; however,
he could not help remarking that she looked but coldly upon him. This
appeared to him a very extraordinary return for his services, and,
imagining that she was unmindful of her weighty obligations to him, he
entered into conversation with her, and severely reprimanded her for
having sent back his partridges with so much indifference.

She did not understand what he meant; and highly offended that he did
not apologize, after the reprimand which she concluded him to have
received, told him that he certainly had met with ladies of very
complying dispositions in his travels, as he