It was in vain that, using all the eloquence I could command and all the liberty I dared employ, I protested against being employed for this duty.  I represented to the Regent what an ill-chosen messenger I should be to carry to Madame la Duchesse d’Orleans news of the disgrace of her brother the Duc du Maine; I, who had always been such an open and declared enemy to the bastards!  I represented to him that people would say I went on purpose to triumph over her at what had been done, and that she herself would look upon my presence as a kind of insult.  In vain! in vain! were my arguments, my entreaties, my instances.  M. le Duc d’Orleans had determined that I should go on this errand, and go I must.

As I left his house to execute my luckless commission, I found one of Madame la Duchesse d’Orleans’ pages, booted and spurred, who had just arrived from Saint-Cloud.  I begged him to return at once, at a gallop, and say, on arriving, to the Duchesse Sforze (one of Madame la Duchesse d’Orleans’ ladies) that I should be there soon with a message from M. le Duc d’Orleans, and to ask her to meet me as I descended from my coach.  My object was to charge her with the message I had to deliver, and not to see Madame la Duchesse d’Orleans at all.  But my poor prudence was confounded by that of the page, who had not less than I. He took good care not to be the bearer of such ill news as he had just learned at the Palais Royal, and which was now everywhere public.  He contented himself with saying that I was coming, sent by M. le Duc d’Orleans, spoke not a word to the Duchesse Sforze, and disappeared at once.  This is what I afterwards learned, and what I saw clearly enough on arriving at Saint-Cloud.

I went there at a gentle trot, in order to give time to the page to arrive before me, and to the Duchesse Sforze to receive me.  During the journey I applauded myself for my address, but feared lest I should be obliged to see Madame la Duchesse d’Orleans after Madame Sforze.  I could not imagine that Saint-Cloud was in ignorance of what had occurred, and, nevertheless, I was in an agony that cannot be expressed, and this increased as I approached the end of my journey.  If it is disagreeable to announce unpleasant news to the indifferent, how much more is it to announce them to the deeply interested!

Penetrated with this dolorous sentiment I arrived in the grand court of Saint-Cloud, and saw everybody at the windows, running from all parts.  I alighted, and asked the first comer to lead me to the Duchesse Sforze, the position of whose apartments I am unacquainted with.  I was told that Madame Sforze was in the chapel with Madame la Duchesse d’Orleans.  Then I asked for the Marechale de Rochefort, and after a time she arrived, hobbling along with her stick.  I disputed with her, wishing to see Madame Sforze, who was not to be found.  I was anxious at all events to go to her room and wait, but the inexorable Marechale pulled me by the arm, asking what news I brought.  Worn out at last, I said, “News? news that you are acquainted with.”