第78章

Thisladyhadapeculiarskillinphysiognomy，and

thecloseattentionshealwayspaidtominewasfrequentlyextremely

embarrassinganddisagreeableSheseemed(asusual)onthepresent

occasiontoreadallthatwaspassinginmymind；however，less

penetratingeyesthanhersmighteasilyhaveperceived，bymy

suddenagitation，thatthepaperIheldinmyhandcontained

somethingmorethanusual。

“Whatailsyou？“

askedshe，withthefamiliarityourclose

intimacywarranted；“doesthatnotebringyouanybadnews？“

“No，“saidI；“ittellsmenothing；butitleavesmeampleroom

formuchuneasinessandalarm:but，afterall，itmaybemerely

somehoax，somefoolishjestplayedoffatmyexpense；butjudge

foryourself。“

Sosaying，Ihandedhertheletter:whenshehad

perusedit，shesaid，

“Uponmyword，ifIwereinyourplace，Iwouldclearupthis

mystery；goodadviceisnotsoeasilymetwithastomakeita

matterofdifficultytogoasfarastheBathsofApollotoseek

it。

Itisbynomeansimpossiblebutthat，asthispapertells

you，somegreatperilishangingoveryou。

Themarquisede

Pompadour，“continuedmadamedeMirepoix，“receivedmorethan

onceinvitationssimilartothis，whichsheneverfailedtoattend；

andIrecollectonecircumstance，inwhichshehadnocauseto

regrethavingdoneso:withoutthekindofficesofoneofthese

anonymouswritersitisverypossiblethatshemighthaveexpired

heartbroken，andperhapsforsakeninsomestateprison，instead

ofendingherdaysinthechateauofVersailles，honoredevento

thetombbythefriendshipandregardofthekingofFrance。“

Iaskedmyfriendtoexplainherlastobservation，andshereplied

asfollows:——

“Onedayananonymousbillet，similartothis，wasleftfor

madamedePompadour:itrequestedhertorepair，ataspecified

hour，tothechurchoftheJacobins，rueSaintHonore，inParis，

whereshewaspromisedsomehighlyimportantcommunications。

Themarchionesswaspunctualtotherendezvous；and，asshe

enteredthechurch，aJacobite，soentirelywrappedinhiscapuchin

astoconcealhisfeatures，approachedher，tookherbythehand，

andconductedhertoanobscurechapel；where，requestingherto

sitdown，hetookaseathimself，andbeganasfollows:——

“’Madam，youareabouttolosethefavoroftheking；apartyis

atworktogiveanewmistresstotheking；theladyisyoung，

beautiful，witty，andpossessedofaninsatiableambition；forthe

lastsixmonthsshehasbeeninthedailyhabitofseeingtheking，

unknowntoyouandallthecourt，andthishasbeenaccomplished

inthefollowingmanner:herfatheristohis

majesty，andshehasanonlybrother，twoyearsyoungerthan

herself，whoseastonishingresemblancetoherhascreatedcontinual

mistakes；thisbrotherispromisedtheinheritanceofhisfather’s

office；and，underpretextofacquiringthedueinitiationfor

futurepost，hasbeenpermittedeverymorningtoattendthe

king’srising。

“’However，thisembryopageisthesister，whocomeseachmorning

disguisedinherbrother’sclothes。

Thekinghashadmanyprivate

conversationswiththedesigningbeauty；and，seducedbyher

manycharmsofmindandperson，aswellasdazzledbythehidden

andcon