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Fully occupied by my quarrel with the ladies of the court； I imagined that he had brought me a message of peace from some great lady； and； full of this idea； I asked him in haste the name of her whose friendship I had acquired。
〃Good；〃 said he； 〃it is about a lady； is it？ It is from a personage fully as important； a giant in power； whose words resound from one extremity of Europe to another； and whom the Choiseuls believe their own entirely。〃
〃It is M。 de Voltaire；〃 I said。
〃Exactly so： your perspicacity has made you guess it。〃
〃But what does he want with me？〃
〃To be at peace with you； to range himself under your banner； secretly at first； but afterwards openly。〃
〃Is he then afraid openly to evince himself my friend？〃 I replied； in a tone of some pique。
〃Rather so； and yet you must not feel offended at that。 The situation of this sarcastic and talented old man is very peculiar； his unquiet petulance incessantly gives birth to fresh perils。 He； of necessity； must make friends in every quarter； left and right； in France and foreign countries。 The necessary consequence is； that he cannot follow a straight path。 The Choiseuls have served him with perfect zeal： do not be astonished if he abandon them when they can no longer serve him。 If they fall； he will bid them good evening； and will sport your cockade openly。〃
〃But；〃 I replied； 〃this is a villainous character。〃
〃Ah； I do not pretend to introduce to you an Aristides or an Epaminondas； or any other soul of similar stamp。 He is a man of letters； full of wit； a deep thinker； a superior genius； and our reputations are in his hands。 If he flatters us； posterity will know it； if he laugh at us； it will know it also。 I counsel you therefore to use him well； if you would have him behave so towards you。〃
〃I will act conformably to your advice；〃 said I to the marechal； 〃at the same time I own to you that I fear him like a firebrand。〃
〃I； like you； think that there is in him something of the infernal stone： he burns you on the slightest touch。 But now； to this letter； you will see what he says to you。 He begs me most particularly to conceal from every body the step he has taken with you。 What he most dreads is； lest you should proclaim from the housetops that he is in correspondence with you。 I conjure you； on his behalf； to exercise the greatest discretion； and I think that you are interested in doing so； for； if what he has done should be made public； he will not fail to exercise upon you the virulence of his biting wit。〃
Our conversation was interrupted by a stir which we heard in the chateau； and which announced to us the king。 The marechal hastily desired me not to show Voltaire's letter to the king until I had read it previously to myself。 〃He does not like this extraordinary man；〃 he added； 〃and accuses him of having failed in respect； and perhaps you will find in this paper some expression which may displease him。〃
Scarcely had I put the epistle in my pocket； when the king entered。
〃What are you talking about；〃 said he； 〃you seem agitated？〃
〃Of M。 de Voltaire； sire；〃 I replied； with so much presence of mind as to please the duc de Richelieu。
〃What； is he at his tricks again？ Have you any cause of complaint against him？〃
〃Quite the reverse； he has charged M。 d'Argental to say to M。 de Richelieu； that he was sorry that he could not come and prostrate himself at my feet。〃
〃Ah；〃 said the king； remembering the letter to the duc d'Aiguillon； 〃he persists in his coquetries towards you： that is better than being lampooned by him。 But do not place too much confidence in this gentleman of the chamber： he weighs every thing in two scales； and I doubt much whether he will spare you when he evinces but little consideration for me。〃
Certainly Richelieu had a good opportunity of undertaking the defence of his illustrious friend。 He did no such thing； and I have always thought that Voltaire was the person whom the duke detested more heartily than any other person in the world。 He did； in fact； dread him too much to esteem him as a real friend。
〃M。 d'Argental；〃 said the king； 〃unites then at my court the double function of minister of Parma and steward of Ferney。* Are these two offices compatible？〃
*The name of Voltaire's residence… TRANS
〃Yes； sire；〃 replied the duke； laughing； 〃since he has not presented officially to your majesty the letters of his creation as comte de Tournay。〃
The king began to laugh。 This was the name of an estate which Voltaire had； and which he sometimes assumed。
CHAPTER XVI
Unpublished letter of Voltaire to madame du BarryReply of the countessThe marechale de MirepoixHer first interview with madame du BarryAnecdote of the diamonds of madame de Mirepoix The king pays for themSingular gratitude of the marechaleThe portfolio； and an unpublished letter of the marquise de Pompadour
By the way in which the king continued to speak to me of M。 de Voltaire； I clearly saw how right the duke was in advising me to read the letter myself before I showed it to my august protector。 I could not read it until the next day； and found it conceived in the following terms：
〃MADAME LA COMTESSE：I feel myself urged by an extreme desire to have an explanation with you； after the receipt of a letter which M。 the duc d'Aiguillon wrote to me last year。 This nobleman； nephew of a gentleman； as celebrated for the name he bears as by his own reputation； and who has been my friend for more than sixty years； has communicated to me the pain which had been caused you by a certain piece of poetry； of my writing as was stated； and in which my style was recognised。 Alas！ madame； ever since the most foolish desire in the world has excited me to commit a great deal of idle trash to paper； not a month； a week； nay； even a day passes in which I am not accused and convicted of some great enormity； that is to say； the malicious author of all sorts of turpitudes and extravagancies。 Eh！ ； the entire life…time of ten men would not be sufficient to write all with which I am charged； to my unutterable despair in this world； and to my eternal damnation in that which is to come。
〃It is no doubt； much to die in final impenitence； altho' hell may contain all the honest men of antiquity and a great portion of those of our times； and paradise would not be much to hope for if we must find ourselves face to face with messieurs Freron； Nonatte； Patouillet； Abraham Chauneix； and other saints cut out of the same cloth。 But how much more severe would it be to sustain your anger！ The hatred of the Graces brings down misfortune on men of letters； and when he embroils himself with Venus and the Muses he is a lost being； as； for instance； M。 Dorat； who incessantly slanders his mistresses； and writes nothing but puerilities。
〃I have been very cautious； in my long career； how I committed such a fault。 If perchance I have lightly assailed the common cry of scribblers or pendants who were worthless； I have never ceased to burn incense on the altars of the ladies； them I have always sung when Icould not do otherwise。 Independently； madame； of the profound respect I bear all your sex I profess a particular