He had been married, as I have described in the early part of these memoirs, against his will, and with no sort of affection for the woman he was given to.  It was natural that he should look upon her with dislike ever since she had become his wife.  I did what I could to speak in praise of Madame la Duchesse d’Orleans, and Besons aided me; but we did little else than waste our breath for sometime.  Our praises in fact irritated M. d’Orleans, and to such a point, that no longer screening things or names, he told us what we should have wished not to hear, but what it was very lucky we did hear.  He had suspicions, in fact, of his wife’s honour; but fortunately I was able to prove clearly and decisively that those suspicions were unfounded, and I did so.  The joy of M. d’Orleans upon finding he had been deceived was great indeed; and when we separated from him after mid-day, in order to go to dinner, I saw that a point was gained.

A little before three o’clock I returned to M. d’Orleans, whom I found alone in his cabinet with Besons.  He received me with pleasure, and made me seat myself between him and the Marechal, whom he complimented upon his diligence.  Our conversation recommenced.  I returned to the attack with all the arguments I could muster, and the Marechal supported me; but I saw with affright that M. d’Orleans was less reduced than when we had quitted him in the morning, and that he had sadly taken breath during our short absence.  I saw that, if we were to succeed, we must make the best use we could of our time, and accordingly I brought all my powers into play in order to gain over M. d’Orleans.

Feeling that everything was now to be lost or gained, I spoke out with all the force of which I was capable, surprising and terrifying Marechal Besons to such a point, with my hardihood, that he had not a word to say in order to aid me.  When I had finished, M. d’Orleans thanked me in a piteous tone, by which I knew the profound impression I had made upon his mind.  I proposed, while he was still shaken, that he should at once send to Madame de Maintenon, to know when she, would grant him an audience; for he had determined to speak to her first of his intention to give up Madame d’Argenton.  Besons seconded me; and while we were talking together, not daring to push our point farther, M. d’Orleans much astonished us by rising, running with impetuosity to the door, and calling aloud for his servants.  One ran to him, whom he ordered in a whisper to go to Madame de Maintenon, to ask at what hour she would see him on the morrow.  He returned immediately, and threw himself into a chair like a man whose strength fails him and who is at his last gasp.  Uncertain as to what he had just done, I asked him if he had sent to Madame de Maintenon.  “Yes, Monsieur,” said he, in a tone of despair.  Instantly I started towards him, and thanked him with all the contentment and all the joy imaginable.  This terrible interview, for the struggle we had all gone through was very great, was soon after brought to a close, and Besons and myself went our way, congratulating each other on the success of this day’s labour.