seized this opportunity.  She got into the barge, and, on their return, as it was dark, she followed the King into a private closet, where he was believed to be sleeping on a couch, and there went somewhat beyond any ordinary advances to him.  Her account of the matter to Madame was, that she had gone into the closet upon her own affairs, and that the King, had followed her, and had tried to ravish her.  She was at full liberty to make what story she pleased, for the King knew neither what he had said, nor what he had done.  I shall finish this subject by a short history concerning a young lady.  I had been, one day, to the theatre at Compiegne.  When I returned, Madame asked me several questions about the play; whether there was much company, and whether I did not see a very beautiful girl.  I replied, “That there was, indeed, a girl in a box near mine, who was surrounded by all the young men about the Court.”  She smiled, and said, “That is Mademoiselle Dorothee; she went, this evening, to see the King sup in public, and to-morrow she is to be taken to the hunt.  You are surprised to find me so well informed, but I know a great deal more about her.  She was brought here by a Gascon, named Dubarre or Dubarri, who is the greatest scoundrel in France.  He founds all his hopes of advancement on Mademoiselle Dorothee’s charms, which he thinks the King cannot resist.  She is, really, very beautiful..  She was pointed out to me in my little garden, whither she was taken to walk on purpose.  She is the daughter of a water-carrier, at Strasbourg, and her charming lover demands to be sent Minister to Cologne, as a beginning.”—­“Is it possible, Madame, that you can have been rendered uneasy by such a creature as that?”—­“Nothing is impossible,” replied she; “though I think the King would scarcely dare to give such a scandal.  Besides, happily, Lebel, to quiet his conscience, told the King that the beautiful Dorothee’s lover is infected with a horrid disease;” and, added he, “Your Majesty would not get rid of that as you have done of the scrofula.”  This was quite enough to keep the young lady at a distance.

“I pity you sincerely, Madame,” said I, “while everybody else envies you.”  “Ah!” replied she, “my life is that of the Christian, a perpetual warfare.  This was not the case with the woman who enjoyed the favour of Louis XIV.  Madame de La Valliere suffered herself to be deceived by Madame de Montespan, but it was her own fault, or, rather, the effect of her extreme good nature.  She was entirely devoid of suspicion at first, because she could not believe her friend perfidious.  Madame de Montespan’s empire was shaken by Madame de Fontanges, and overthrown by Madame de Maintenon; but her haughtiness, her caprices, had already alienated the King.  He had not, however, such rivals as mine; it is true, their baseness is my security.  I have, in general, little to fear but casual infidelities, and the chance that they may not all be sufficiently transitory for my safety.  The King likes variety, but he is also bound by habit; he fears eclats, and detests manoeuvring women.  The little Marechale (de Mirepoig) one day said to me, ’It is your staircase that the King loves; he is accustomed to go up and down it.  But, if he found another woman to whom he could talk of hunting and business as he does to you, it would be just the same to him in three days.’”