"
"I assure you," replied the king, "that it will be an unpleasant
quarter of an hour for me to pass."
"Well, sire, then charge one of us with the mission: the bishop
of Senlis, for instance, or M. de la Vauguyon. I feel assured
that either of them will acquit himself admirably in the business,
with the previous understanding that your majesty will support
him with your authority."
"I will do so most assuredly; but it will be best not to use it
but at the last extremity. I have no wish to be made a bugbear
to my family."
"As to the selection of an ambassador," I interrupted, "I beg it
may not fall on M. de Roquelaure; he has been working against
me for some time."
"Why not send M. de Jarente?" inquired the king.
"Ah, sire," replied the duke, "because we cannot trust him; he
is a gay* fellow. Madame Sophie might tell him, that he only
took the part of madame du Barry, because he passes his life
amongst petticoats."
Flippant, light-minded, unreliable. At the time this book
was written "gay" did not carry its present connotation of
homosexuality, nor did it always carry the connotation of
cheerful and happy that preceded the present connotation.
--Gutenberg ed.
"True enough," said the king, "I prefer the duc de la Vauguyon:
he has a good reputation--"
"And well deserved," said the old marechal, sneering.
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