"
The prince was somewhat startled at the freedom of language
which I used towards ladies in such credit at court: he begged me
to moderate my feelings, and be less moved and excited. By this
the prince de Soubise lost the esteem which I might have accorded
him, and the second place in my counsels, which I might have
given him.
I told the duke, who came to see me the moment afterwards, of the
failure of the prince's attempt. He told me that he had not hoped
for a better result. He went to the king, flattering himself with
hopes of better success, but did not find him.
The daughters of Louis XV had united against me with a fury
which nothing could justify. They were incessantly talking
scandal of my past life, as if there were only saints at court, as
if they had no pranks of their own to reproach themselves with.
All the chateau knew of their lovers, and there was
evidence of the tenderness of madame Adelaide: as for madame
Louise she was an angel upon earth, and was the only one who
did not join in the cry against me. On the other hand, the king,
whilst he had but little love for his dear daughters, preserved
towards them a complaisance and external appearance of kindness
which was a substitute for parental love. When
cried out, he stopped his ears with his two hands, and seemed,
whilst looking proudly at France, to say, "Am not I a good father,
and are not my daughters very happy, for I let them cry out with
all their might?"
The next day the duc d'Aiguillon went again to the king, and found
him bewildered with family scenes and the murmurings of the
Choiseuls.
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