asked him in my confusion to dine with me,
which you cannot forget that he accepted. I wished above all things
to be lodged as far from a certain Lady(140) as I could, and I have
so contrived it, that for the present I am next door. I intend for
the future to describe her by that name, that is, La Dame, as Lord
Clarendon does the Duchess of Cleveland. I will for the rest of my
life mention her as little as possible; but when I am forced to
speak upon her subject I will take care not to call her by her name,
and I am the more authorised so to do, as she has called me by every
name but that by which I should be described, and that is your
friend.

The Barone servante is gone to England, as you perhaps know, and
perhaps she is now on his (sic) road back. However I shall be quit I
hope for a distant bow; for although honest Iago had taken as much
care as possible that he should cut my throat, a much better friend
took care that he should not; which is the Marechal B(iron).(141)

I went yesterday to the Marechal for the first time; he was in his
levee room; it was the day that the officers of the Gardes
francoises always dine with him. We dropt upon him once (again?) the
same day; but this was at noon, and he was giving audience. He took
me out immediately into another room, and after some civil
reproaches for not having been there before--for some English, who
dine with him on a Friday, had told him that I was come--he entered
into a very particular conversation upon that very disagreeable
subject, upon which he spoke with all the reason and good nature and
propriety imaginable.

I said for you everything which I could conceive it would be
agreeable to you that I should say. I found it very acceptable, and
his respect for you so great, and so much real kindness mixed with
it, that having in my coach a picture of Caroline, which I had
intended for the Duchesse de la Valiere, I desired him to accept of
it, and I think he received it as well as I could for her sake have
wished him to do. I believe he will think that Lady Dunmore's
daughters will not be the only beauties that we shall be able to
produce. He was delighted with it. I gave him also another of
Admiral Keppell,(142) which is an extraordinary good one. Caroline's
was not a good impression, which I am sorry for. I gave my other
where I dined, to Me de la Vaupaliere, to be a pendant to your own,
and you must send me one of Lady C(arlisle), ill as she is
represent