"This is no time for indolent repose; we must
at once courageously and unanimously defeat
the guilty schemes of our enemies. So long as
my brother retains his present post he will
support you with his best interest; but, should
he be dismissed, your business will soon be finished.
"I beg my best remembrances, first, to your
excellent lady, and after her, to madame B.
and madame L., not forgetting the marquise de
Chalret, whose wit is truly Attic; nor the marquise
de P--s, who conceals beneath the graceful exterior
of a Languedocian the soul of one of Corneille's
Roman matrons. For yourself rely upon my warmest
friendship and endeavours to serve you. My brother
is most anxious to know you, after the flattering
manner in which I have mentioned you to him.
When will you gratify us both by visiting Paris?
"Ever yours,"
Nothing could have arrived more
for our purpose than
this letter. I was still engaged in its perusal when the king was
announced; I wished to hurry it back into the hands of M. de
Maupeou; but he, more crafty than I, requested I would keep it.
"It is fitting," said he, "that it should be seen by the right person."
Louis XV, astonished at the strange scene, inquired what it meant.
"A most shameful piece of scandal, sire," replied I.
"An infamous epistle," added the chancellor, "which one of my
friends managed to abstract from the post-office, and forwarded
to me: I brought it to madame la comtesse, that she might admire
the determined malice of our enemies.
Pages:
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363