king as if ignorant of his incognito. One thing only
made me uneasy, and that was supping with the duc de
Richelieu, who had seen me before at madame de
Lagarde's; but the idea that he would not remember me
gave me renewed courage.

On so important an occasion, comte Jean did not forget
to repeat his instructions over again. These are nearly
his words, for I think I learnt them by heart.

"Remember that it is on your first interview that your
safety depends. Let him learn, through you, those utter
tendernesses which have been sought for him in vain
heretofore. He is like the monarch of old, who was
willing to pay the half of his crown for an unknown
pleasure. Lebel is wearied in seeking every week for
new fruit. He is quite disposed to serve you, and will
second you in the best manner. You are about to be-
come the centre of attraction to all courtiers, and noble
courtisanes. You must expect that they will endeavor to
cry you down, because you will have carried off from
them a gem to which every family has its pretensions.
You must at first stand firmly before the storm, but
afterward you will find all enlist themselves under your
banner, who have no wife, sister, nor daughter; that is,
all who have no mistress to offer to the king. You must
attach these to you by place and favor: they must be
first thought of, and then you must think of yourself and
me, my dear girl."

"All this is well enough," I replied, "but as yet I am
nothing."

"Morbleu! to-morrow you will be everything," cried
comte Jean, with his determined energy. "But we must
think about this morrow. Make haste, noble comtesse;
go to all the milliners, seek what is elegant rather than
what is rich. Be as lovely, pleasing, and gay as possible;
this is the main point, and God will do all the rest."

He pronounced this blasphemy in a laughing tone, and
I confess I could not help joining in the laugh, and then
hastened to comply with his directions.

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