friendship for me.  A rich man, who had a situation in the Revenue Department, called on me one day very secretly, and told me that he had something of importance to communicate to Madame la Marquise, but that he should find himself very much embarrassed in communicating it to her personally, and that he should prefer acquainting me with it.  He then told me, what I already knew, that he had a very beautiful wife, of whom he was passionately fond; that having on one occasion perceived her kissing a little ‘porte feuille’, he endeavoured to get possession of it, supposing there was some mystery attached to it.  One day that she suddenly left the room to go upstairs to see her sister, who had been brought to bed, he took the, opportunity of opening the porte feuille, and was very much surprised to find in it a portrait of the King, and a very tender letter written by His Majesty.  Of the latter he took a copy, as also of an unfinished letter of his wife, in which she vehemently entreated the King to allow her to have the pleasure of an interview—­the means she pointed out.  She was to go masked to the public ball at Versailles, where His Majesty could meet her under favour of a mask.  I assured M. de ------ that I should acquaint Madame with the affair, who would, no doubt, feel very grateful for the communication.  He then added, “Tell Madame la Marquise that my wife is very clever and very intriguing.  I adore her, and should run distracted were she to be taken from me.”  I lost not a moment in acquainting Madame with the affair, and gave her the letter.  She became serious and pensive, and I since learned that she consulted M. Berrier, Lieutenant of Police, who, by a very simple but ingeniously conceived plan, put an end to the designs of this lady.  He demanded an audience of the King, and told him that there was a lady in Paris who was making free with His Majesty’s name; that he had been given the copy of a letter, supposed to have been written by His Majesty to the lady in question.  The copy he put into the King’s hands, who read it in great confusion, and then tore it furiously to pieces.  M. Berrier added, that it was rumoured that this lady was to meet His Majesty at the public ball, and, at this very moment, it so happened that a letter was put into the King’s hand, which proved to be from the lady, appointing the meeting; at least, M. Berrier judged so, as the King appeared very much surprised on reading it, and said, “It must be allowed, M. le Lieutenant of Police, that you are well informed.”  M. Berrier added, “I think it my duty to tell Your Majesty that this lady passes for a very intriguing person.”  “I believe,” replied the King, “that it is not without deserving it that she has got that character.”