"
"Well, then, as I am at home, I mean to be master. You may
establish the seat of your government where you will; but in two
hours the place must be free. I am in earnest."
The comte de Noailles departed much disconcerted, took away his
furniture, and the same evening I installed myself in the apartments.
You must think that this was a fresh cause of chagrin, and created
me more enemies. There are certain families who look upon the
court as their hereditary domain: the Noailles was one of them.
However, there is no grounds of pretension to such a right.
Their family took its rise from a certain Adhemar de Noailles,
of Toulouse, ennobled, according to all appearance,
by the exercise of his charge in 1459. The grandfather of these
Noailles was a domestic of M. de Turenne's, and his family was
patronized at court by madame de Maintenon. Everybody knows
this. But to return to my presentation.
M. de Maupeou, whose good services I can never sufficiently
vaunt, came to me one day, and said, "I think that I have found
a lady . I have a dame of quality who will do
what we want."
"Who is it?" said I, with joy.
"A comtesse d'Escarbagnas, a litigious lady, with much ambition
and avarice. You must see her, talk with her, and understand
each other."
"But where can we see her?"
"That is easy enough. She claims from the house of Saluces a
property of three hundred thousand livres: she is very greedy for
money.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153