By way of a finish to all this, I learned
that two ladies, one of whom was a duchess, had openly boasted
at Versailles of their relationship to Julie. This was a more
decided corroborative than all the rest. Courtiers of either
sex are skilful judges of the shiftings of the wind of court
favour, and I deemed it high time to summon my brother-in-law
to my assistance, as well as to urge him to exert his utmost
energies to support my tottering power.
My communication tormented comte Jean as much as it did me; he
proposed several means of combating this rising inclination on the
part of Louis XV. I assented to whatever he suggested, and we set
to work with an eagerness, increased on my part by a species of
gloomy presentiment, which subsequent events but too fatally
confirmed. The marechale de Mirepoix, who, from being on good
terms with every person, was sure to be aware of all that was going
on, spoke to me also of this rival who was springing up in
obscurity and retirement; and it was from the same source I
learned what I have told you of the two ladies of the court. She
advised me not to abandon myself to a blind confidence, and this
opinion was strengthened when I related all I had gathered upon
the subject.
"You may justly apprehend," said she, "that Julie will instil some
of her bold and fearless nature into the king, and should she
presume to put herself in competition with you, victory would in
all probability incline to the side of the last comer"; and I felt
but too truly that the marechale spoke with truth.
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