第69章

timeinsummoningmyprivycounsellor，ComteJean，whomIacquainted

withwhathadoccurred，andbeggedhisadviceastothebest

measurestobepursued。

“Indeed，“repliedmybrother-in-law，“what

otherswoulddoinourplacewouldbetothrowM。Chamillyfrom

oneofthewindowsofthechateau，andtreatthishisfriendMarin

withalodgingintheBastille；but，aswearepersonsoftemper

andmoderation，wewillgomoregentlytowork。

Iwill，inthe

firstplace，gaineveryinformationrelativetotheaffair，that

ImaysatisfymyselfMarinisnotseekingtoshowhishonest

claimstoyourgold，byimposingaforgedtaleuponyourcredulity；

whenthatisascertainedwewilldecideuponournextbeststep。“

ComteJeandepartedtoseektheassistanceofM。deSartines，

whowasatthattimeentirelydevotedtomyinterests；and，after

havingdiligentlysearchedthewholerueduTemple，hesucceeded

indiscoveringmadamedeRumas。

Helearntthatthisladyhad

recentlymarriedapersonofherownrank，towhomsheprofessed

tobeviolentlyattached；thattheylivedtogetherwithgreat

tranquillity，andhadthereputationofconductingthemselvesas

personsofextremeproprietyandregularity；paidtheirdebts，

andavoided，bytheirairofneatness，order，andmodestreserve，

thescandalofeventheirmostill-naturedneighbors。

Thehusband

wassaidtobeagreatreligionist，whichincreasedthesuspicions

ofComteJean。

Withregardtotheepistolarycorrespondence

carriedonbythelady，noinformationcouldbegleanedinin

thatquarter。

Marinwasagainsentforbymybrother-in-law，whoquestioned

andcross-questionedwithsomuchaddress，thatMarinfoundit

impossibletoconcealanylongertheremainingpartoftheaffair，

ofwhichhehadbeforecommunicatedbutsomuchashispolicy

deemedadvisable。

Heconfessedthathehadoriginallymentioned

madamedeRumas(whomhehimselfhadlongknown)toChamilly，

hadshownhimseveralofherletters；and，asheexpected，the

styleoftheseepistlessopleasedtheheadvalet，thatheexpressed

awishtoseethefairwriter。

Marinaccordinglyintroducedhim

totherueduTemple，wherehewasmostgraciouslyreceived，and

returnedhomeenchantedwiththelady:hespokeofhertothe

king，stronglyrecommendinghismajestytojudgeforhimself。

AccordinglyhismajestywrotetomadamedeRumas，whoreceived

theletterfromthehandsofherfriendChamillywithallpompand

state，talkedfirstofherownvirtueandhonor，andafterwards

ofherdutifulrespectforhismajesty。

Sherepliedtotheroyal

noteinsoprudentyetobligingamanner，thatthekingwas

enchanted。

Thiseffectivebilletwasansweredbyasecondletter

fromtheking，whichobtainedareplyevenmoretenderlycharming

thantheonewhichprecededit。

Aninterviewwasnextsolicited

andgranted；foravisitwassuchatrifletorefuse。

Theroyal

guestbecamepressingandtheladymorereserved，tillthetime

waslostinattemptsatconvincingeachother。

Atthenext

interviewmadamedeRumasfreelyconfessedhersincereattachment

forhismajesty，butadded，thatsuchwa