第42章

Iamcommissionedtoentreatyouracceptanceofthe

accompanyingcasket；itisthegiftofonewhosefavorsarenever

refused；youwilleasilyguess，towhomIallude，andIdoubtnot

bringyourselftoconformtotheusualcustom。“

Thejewelssentwereapairofear-ringsandanofemeralds

encircledwithdiamonds。

Thekingwasdesirousofbestowingupon

madamedeBearnthisparticularmarkofhisrecollectionofher

servicestowardsme，butitdidnotallaytheindignationwith

whichsheexpressedhersenseofmybitteringratitude，asshe

termedit，astho’herinterestedcooperationhadnotbeen

sufficientlyrepaid。

Nevertheless，sheforboretocometoa

decidedquarrelwithme，butsatisfiedherselfwithloadingme

witheveryreproachinprivate，whilstshewrotetothankmefor

allthefavorsIhadbestoweduponher，andentreatedIwouldkeep

herremembrancealiveinthemindofmyroyalprotector。

AstherewasnothingoffensiveinthestyleoftheletterI

showedittotheking；whenhecametothepartwheremadamede

Bearnrecommendedherselftohiskindrecollection，andexpressed

herdesiretobepermittedtothrowherselfoncemoreathisfeet，

“Heavenpreserveme，“criedhe，“fromreceivingthismarkofthe

lady’srespect。

No，no，sheisbadenoughatadistance；Ishould

beboredtodeathwereshesoneartomeasshepraysfor。

Thank

Godwehavegotridofher，andnowtrusttoyourownguidance；

trythepowersofyourownwingstobearyouinsafety，Ifeel

persuadedyouwillneverbeataloss。“

AboutthistimetheprincedeSoubise，anxioustoevincethathe

nolongerretainedanyfeelingsofcoolnesstowardsme，requested

hismistress，madamedel’Hopital，tocalluponme。

Thislady，

withoutbeingaregularbeauty，wasyetveryattractive。

Shewas

pastthemeridianofhercharms，butwhatshewantedinyouth

sheamplycompensatedforbythevivacityandbrilliancyofher

conversation，aswellasthefreedomofherideas，whichmade

hertheidolofalltheoldlibertinesofthecourt。

Theprince

deSoubisewasgreatlyattachedtoher，andpreferredherin

reality，tomademoiselleGuimard，whomheonlyretainedforform’s

sake，andbecausehethoughtitsuitabletohisdignitytohave

anoperadancerinhispay；thisnobleman(asyouwillfind)had

rathersingularideasofthedutiesattachedtohisstation。

Madamedel’Hopitalhadhadavastnumberofgallantadventures，

whichshewasveryfondofrelating。

Ishallmentiontwoofthe

mostamusing，whichwillservetoconveyanideaoftheskilfulness

andreadywitwithwhichsheextricatedherselffromthemost

embarrassingcircumstances。

Ayoungman，whoseloveshepermitted，whosenamewasthechevalier

deCressy，wasobliged，inordertovisither，toscaleaterrace

uponwhichawindowopened，whichconductedtothesleeping-room

ofhismistress。

Hewasgenerallyaccompaniedbyhisvalet，a

good-lookingyouth，who，dislikingastateofidleness，had

contrivedtoinsinuatehimselfintothegoodgracesofthelady’s

maid。

Thevalet，duringhismaster’sstaywithmadame，had

likewiseascendedtheterrace，andpenetrated，bytheaidofanother

window，intothechamberwherereposedtheobjectofhistender

love。

Allthiswasaccomplishedwithaslittlenoiseaspossible，

inordertopreventthemischanceofawakeningthemarquisde

l’Hopital，whowasquietlyasleepinanadjoiningroom。

Oneclearmoonlightnight，attheveryinstantwhenM。deCressy

wa