and that the King having, happily, stopped a moment to talk to some ladies, there was time to adjust matters, so that Madame came out of the closet with me and M. de Choiseul, as if we had been all three sitting together.  It is very true that I went in to carry something to Madame, without knowing that the King was come, and that she came out of the closet with M. de Choiseul, who had a paper in his hand, and that I followed her a few minutes after.  The King asked M. de Choiseul what that paper was which he had in his hand.  He replied that it contained the remonstrance from the Parliament.

Three or four ladies witnessed what I now relate, and as, with the exception of one, they were all excellent women, and greatly attached to Madame, my suspicions could fall on none but the one in question, whom I will not name, because her brother has always treated me with great kindness.  Madame de Pompadour had a lively imagination and great sensibility, but nothing could exceed the coldness of her temperament.  It would, besides, have been extremely difficult for her, surrounded as she was, to keep up an intercourse of that kind with any man.  It is true that this difficulty would have been diminished in the case of an all-powerful Minister, who had constant pretexts for seeing her in private.  But there was a much more decisive fact—­M. de Choiseul had a charming mistress--the Princess de R------, and Madame knew it, and often spoke of her.  He had, besides, some remains of liking for the Princess de Kinski, who followed him from Vienna.  It is true that he soon after discovered how ridiculous she was.  All these circumstances combined were, surely, sufficient to deter Madame from engaging in a love affair with the Duke; but his talents and agreeable qualities captivated her.  He was not handsome, but he had manners peculiar to himself, an agreeable vivacity, a delightful gaiety; this was the general opinion of his character.  He was much attached to Madame, and though this might, at first, be inspired by a consciousness of the importance of her friendship to his interest, yet, after he had acquired sufficient political strength to stand alone, he was not the less devoted to her, nor less assiduous in his attentions.  He knew her friendship for me, and he one day said to me, with great feeling, “I am afraid, my dear Madame du Hausset, that she will sink into a state of complete dejection, and die of melancholy.  Try to divert her.”  What a fate for the favourite of the greatest monarch in existence! thought I.

One day, Madame de Pompadour had retired to her closet with M. Berryer.  Madame d’Amblimont stayed with Madame de Gontaut, who called me to talk about my son.  A moment after, M. de Gontaut came in and said, “D’Amblimont, who shall have the Swiss guards?”—­“Stop a moment,” said she; “let me call my council——­, M. de Choiseul.”—­“That is not so very bad a thought,” said M. de Gontaut, “but I assure you, you are the first person