The extreme scandal of this nomination caused a strange, stir.  Impudent as was the Abbe Dubois, he was extremely embarrassed; and M. le Duc d’Orleans so much ashamed, that it was soon remarked he was humbled if you spoke to him upon the subject.  The next question was, from whom Dubois was to receive holy orders?  The Cardinal de Noailles was applied to, but he stoutly refused to assist in any way.  It may be imagined what an affront this was to Dubois.  He never in his life pardoned the Cardinal, who was nevertheless universally applauded for his refusal.  But the Abbe Dubois was not a man to be daunted by an ordinary obstacle; he turned his glances elsewhere, and soon went through all the formalities necessary.

The very day he took orders there was a Regency Council at the old Louvre, because the measles, which were then very prevalent, even in the Palais Royal, hindered us from meeting as usual in the Tuileries.  A Regency Council without the Abbe Dubois present was a thing to marvel at, and yet his arrival to-day caused even more surprise than his absence would have caused.  But he was not a man to waste his time in thanksgiving for what had just happened to him.  This was a new scandal, which revived and aggravated the first.  Everybody had arrived in the cabinet of the council, M. le Duc d’Orleans also; we were scattered about and standing.  I was in a corner of the lower end, when I saw Dubois enter in a stout coat, with his ordinary bearing.  We did not expect him on such a day, and naturally enough cried out surprised.  M. le Prince de Conti, with his father’s sneering manner, spoke to the Abbe Dubois, on his appearance among us on the very day of taking orders, and expressed his surprise at it with the most pathetic malignity imaginable.

Dubois, who had not had time to reply one word, let him say to the end; then coldly observed, that if he had been a little more familiar with ancient history, he would not have found what astonished him very strange, since he (the Abbe) had only followed the example of Saint-Ambrose, whose ordination he began to relate.  I did not wait for his recital; at the mere mention of Saint-Ambrose I flew to the other end of the cabinet, horror-struck at the comparison Dubois had just made, and fearing lest I should be tempted to say to him, that the ordination of Saint-Ambrose had been forced upon him in spite of his resistance.  This impious citation of Saint-Ambrose ran all over the town with the effect that may be imagined.  The nomination and this ordination took place towards the end of February.

I will finish at once all that relates to this matter, so as not to separate it, or have to return to it.  Dubois had his bulls at the commencement of May, and the consecration was fixed for Sunday the 9th of June.  All Paris and the Court were invited to it, myself excepted.  I was on bad terms with Dubois, because I in no way spared him when with M. le Duc d’Orleans.  He on his side, fearing the power I had over the Regent, the liberty I enjoyed with him, and the freedom with which I spoke to him, did as much as he could to injure me, and to weaken the confidence of M. le Duc d’Orleans in me.  Dubois and I continued, nevertheless, to be on good terms with each other in appearance, but it was in appearance only.