The comtesse de Bearn--The supper--Louis XV--Intrigues against my
presentation--M. de Roquelaure--The scalded foot--The comtesse d'Aloigny--The
duc d'Aiguillon and madame de Bearn--Anger of the king's daughters--Madame
Adelaide and the comtesse du Barry-- Dissatisfaction of the king
M. Morand was again put in requisition, and went from me to ask madame de
Bearn to come and sup at my apartments. We were in committee--my sisters-in-
law, myself, and comte Jean. The comtesse made some difficulties at first, under
pretence that she was afraid to refuse me a second time. Our messenger
assured her by saying, that a supper would not bind her to any thing, and that
she should still be at liberty to give any reply she pleased. Madame de Bearn
allowed herself to be persuaded, and sent me word that she would accept my
invitation. She would have reflected twice before she so far committed herself,
had she at all suspected the turn we meant to serve her. But I saw by the
wording of her note, that she still hoped that the king would be induced to grant
me the written promise which I asked for her.
She came. I received her with all possible courtesy, and yet not with much
heartiness. I could not help remembering the vexatious terms she set upon her
complaisance. However, the supper was gay enough, comte Jean and my
sisters-in-law, who knew very well how to dissemble, did the honors in a most
agreeable way. On leaving table we went into the drawing-room, and then began
to discuss the serious question which had brought us together. At the first words
which comte Jean uttered, madame de Bearn, taking my hands with a respectful
familiarity, said to me:-- "I hope, madame, that you will not have a bad opinion of
me, if I put such conditions to my desire of obliging you. The situation of my
family requires it, but it is only a trifle for the king to grant."
"Much more than you imagine, madame," I replied. "The king does not care to
involve himself in such engagements. He does not like, moreover, that his sacred
word should be doubted."
"Ah?" replied the cunning creature, "heaven forbid that I should not blindly trust to
the king's word, but his memory may fail, or he, like other men, may forget."
"Madame," replied comte Jean, with the utmost gravity, "madame is a lady as full
of prudence as of kindness, but yet a little too exacting. Madame wishes to have
a promise signed for herself and son: that is too much. Why does she not content
herself in dividing the difficulty, by satisfying herself with a verbal promise for
what concerns herself, and with a written engagement for what relates to her
son?"
"Mon Dieu, monsieur," replied the countess, "I am anxious to arrange all to our
mutual satisfaction. But his majesty would not surely refuse the entreaties of
madame for what I ask."
"I will speak to him of it the first time I see him."
"Oh, you are a charming woman. You will obtain all from the king, and make a
sure friend--"
"Whose friendship is very difficult to acquire," said I, interrupting her.
