The prelate, not doubting but the mission
related to affairs of importance, took his leave; de la Vrilliere
then presented the
, accompanying it with some
remarks of his own upon the talents of the minister, and his regret
at being selected for so unpleasant an office. "A truce to your
feigned regrets, my lord duke," replied the disgraced minister,
sarcastically, "I am well assured my dismissal could not have been
brought me by hands more ready to discharge the trust than yours."
Saying this, M. de Choiseul placed his credentials in the hands
of the duke, and slightly bowing, turned his back upon him, as
though he had forgotten his presence. M. de Choiseul then retired
to summon his sister, to communicate to her and his wife the
misfortune which had befallen him: he then set out for Paris, to
make the necessary preparations for removing to Chanteloup.
There an officer from the king, charged to accompany him to his
place of exile, gave him his majesty's orders that he should see
no person, and receive no visits.
This order did not proceed from me, but was the work of the duc
de la Vrilliere, who sought, by this paltry action, to avenge himself
upon M. de Choiseul for the reception he had given him. It was
wholly useless, however, for in the exile of the duke was seen a
thing unheard of, perhaps, before, and, in all probability, unlikely
ever to occur again--the sight of a whole court espousing the part
of an exiled minister, and openly censuring the monarch who could
thus reward his services.
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