I think she
would have blushed for herself. When the poor girl entered my
apartment she looked wildly around her, and casting herself at
my feet, inquired with many tears to what motive she was indebted
for my generous interference in her behalf. The duc de la
Vrilliere contemplated with the utmost
the spectacle
of a misery he had so largely contributed to. I requested of him
to leave us to ourselves. I then raised my weeping ,
consoled her to the best of my ability, and then requested her
to give me the history of her captivity. Her story was soon
told: she had been an inhabitant of the same prison for seventeen
years and five months, without either seeing a human being, or
hearing the sound of a human voice. Her recital made me shudder,
and I promised her that henceforward her life should be rendered
as happy as it had hitherto been miserable.
The king supped with me that evening. By some singular chance he
was on this occasion in the happiest temper possible: he laughed,
sung, joked with such unusual spirits, that I hesitated ere I
disturbed a gaiety to which Louis XV was so little prone.
However, I took him aside, saying, "Sire, I have to ask atonement
and reparation for a most horrible piece of injustice." After which,
I proceeded to acquaint him with the distressing history of his
unfortunate mistress.
Pages:
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510