y, and condoled handsomely on the
loss of my husband, and likewise the manner of it. He told me he
understood he was coming to Versailles to himself, to show him some
jewels; that it was true that he had discoursed with him about jewels,
but could not imagine how any villains should hear of his coming at that
time with them; that he had not ordered him to attend with them at
Versailles, but told him that he would come to Paris by such a day, so
that he was no way accessory to the disaster. I told him gravely I knew
very well that all his Highness had said of that part was true; that
these villains knew his profession, and knew, no doubt, that he always
carried a casket of jewels about him, and that he always wore a diamond
ring on his finger worth a hundred pistoles, which report had magnified
to five hundred; and that, if he had been going to any other place, it
would have been the same thing. After this his Highness rose up to go,
and told me he had resolved, however, to make me some reparation; and
with these words put a silk purse into my hand with a hundred pistoles,
and told me he would make me a farther compliment of a small pension,
which his gentleman would inform me of.

You may be sure I behaved with a due sense of so much goodness, and
offered to kneel to kiss his hand; but he took me up and saluted me, and
sat down again (though before he made as if he was going away), making
me sit down by him.

He then began to talk with me more familiarly; told me he hoped I was
not left in bad circumstances; that Mr. ---- was reputed to be very rich,
and that he had gained lately great sums by some jewels, and he hoped,
he said, that I had still a fortune agreeable to the condition I had
lived in before.

I replied, with some tears, which, I confess, were a little forced, that
I believed, if Mr. ---- had lived, we should have been out of danger of
want, but that it was impossible to estimate the loss which I had
sustained, besides that of the life of my husband; that, by the opinion
of those that knew something of his affairs, and of what value the
jewels were which he intended to have shown to his Highness, he could
not have less about him than the value of a hundred thousand livres;
that it was a fatal blow to me, and to his whole family, especially that
they should be lost in such a manner.

His Highness returned, with an air of concern, that he was very sorry
for it; but he hoped, if I settled in Paris, I might