第97章

remainedwiththeking，engagedtowritemeatrueaccountof

allthattranspiredduringmyabsence，andIshallveryshortly

presentyouwithaspecimenofthefidelitywithwhichhe

performedhispromise。

TheduchessdidthehonoursofRuel。

“Here，“saidshe，“thegreatcardinalRichelieulovedtorepose

himselffromthebustleandturmoilofacourt。“

“Ithink，“answeredI，“itwouldhavebeenlessafavouritewith

hiseminencehaditbeenselectedforhisabodeontheeveof

hisdisgrace。“

ImmediatelyuponmyarrivalIretiredtobed，forfatiguehadso

completelyoverpoweredmethatIfellintoaheavyslumber，from

whichIdidnotawaketillthefollowingday；whenIfoundthe

duchessed’Aiguillon，mysister-in-law，GenevieveMathon，and

Henriette，seatedbymybed:thesightofthemwascheeringand

gratifyingproofofmynotbeingasyetabandonedbyalltheworld。

Iarose，andwewerejustabouttotakeourplacesattable，when

madamedeForcalquierarrived。

Imustconfessthatherpresence

wasanagreeablesurprisetome；Iwasfarfromreckoningonher

constancyinfriendship，andherpresentconductprovedherworthy

ofherexcellentfriend，madameBoncault，whosesteadyattachment

Ihadsofrequentlyheardextolled。

Thesightofherimparted

freshcouragetome，andIevenresumedmyusualhighspirits，and

inthesuddenturnmyideashadtaken，waschildishenoughto

expressmyregretsforthelossofmydownyandluxuriousbedat

Versailles，complainingofthewofuldifferencebetweenitand

theoneIhadsleptonatRuel。

Theduchessed’Aiguillon，whomusthavepitiedthepuerilityof

sucharemark，gentlyendeavouredtoreconcilemetoitbyreminding

methatboththemarquisedePompadourandthecardinalde

Richelieuhadreposeduponthatverycouch。

Iendeavouredtoreturnsomesportivereply，butmythoughtshad

flownbacktoVersailles，andmymomentaryexhilarationwasat

anend。

Tearsrosetomyeyesandchokedmyattemptsatconversation；

Ithereforebeggedtheduchesswouldexcuseme，andretiredtomy

apartmentuntilIcould

composemyself；butthekindandattentive

friendtowhosehospitalityIwasthenconfidedneedednofurther

mentionofmyhardcouch，butcausedthebestbedRuelcontained

tobepreparedformebythetimeIagainpressedmypillow。

ThissameeveningbroughtM。deCosse，whocouldnolongerrepress

hisimpatiencetoassuremeofhisentiredevotion。

Heappeared

onthisoccasion，ifpossible，moretenderandmorerespectful

inhismannerofevincingitthanever。

Wesuppedtogetherwithoutformorceremony，thepartyconsisting

ofmesdamesd’Aiguillon，deForcalquier，andmyself，mademoiselle

duBarry，andthevicomtesseAdolphe，theprincedeSoubiseand

theducdeCosse。

Butthemealpassedoffinsorrowfulsilence；

eachofusseemedtoabstainfromconversationasthoughthe

slightestremarkmightcomefraughtwithsomepainfulallusion。

OnthefollowingdayIreceivedthele