Baron d'Oigny, general post-master--The king and the countess read the opened
letters--The disgrace of de Choiseul resolved upon--Lettre de cachet --Anecdote-
-Spectre of Philip II, king of Spain--The duc de Choiseul banished--Visits to
Chanteloup--The princesses--The dauphin and dauphiness--Candidates for the
ministry
The interference of madame de Mirepoix, originating, as it did, in the duc de
Choiseul, let me at once into the secret of his fears and the extent of my own
power. The knowledge of the weakness of my adversary redoubled my energy;
and from this moment, I allowed no day to pass without forwarding the great
work, till I succeeded in effecting the duke's ruin and securing my own triumph.
The pamphleteers in the pay of my enemies, and those who merely copied these
hirelings, assert that one evening after supper, when Louis was intoxicated with
wine and my seductions, I prevailed upon him to sign a lettre de cachet against
his minister, which he immediately revoked when the break of day had restored
to him his senses. This was a malicious falsehood. You shall hear the exact
manner in which the lettres de cachet were signed.
On the evening of the 23d of December, his majesty having engaged to sup with
me, I had invited M. de Maupeou, the duc de la Vrilliere, and the prince de
Soubise. It appears, that the king, previously to coming, had gone to visit the
dauphiness; he had not mentioned whither he was going, so that his attendants
believed him to be in my apartments, and directed M. d'Oigny, post-master
general, to seek him there. The baron brought with him a packet of opened
letters; when he saw me alone he wished to retire, for the servants, believing him
to be one of the expected guests, had ushered him in. However, I would not
permit him to go until the king's arrival; and, half sportively, half seriously, I took
from him his letters, protesting I would detain them as hostages for his obedience
to my desires. At this moment Louis XV entered the room; and M. d'Oigny,
having briefly stated his business, bowed and departed. The baron was a very
excellent man, possessing an extensive and intelligent mind; he wrote very
pleasing poetry, and had not his attention been occupied by the post he filled, he
might have made a conspicuous figure in literature.
When we were left to ourselves, I said to the king,
"Now, then, for this interesting and amusing budget; for such, I doubt not, it will
prove."
"Not so fast, madam, if you please," replied Louis XV; "perhaps these papers
may contain state secrets unfit for your eye."
"Great secrets they must be," said I, laughing, "confided thus to the carelessness
of the post." So saying, I broke the seal of the envelope so hastily, that the
greater part of the letters and notes were scattered over the carpet.
"Well done," cried the king.
"I entreat your majesty's pardon," said I, "but I will repair the mischief as far as I
can."
