Can I contend against it alone,
and who will sustain me thro' it?"
"I will to the full extent of my power as long as I am here, and
the king will always do so. I can assure you, that he will be
grateful for your exertions in my behalf."
"I should like to have half a line from his majesty as a protection
and assurance."
"And that you will not get. The king's signature must not be
compromised in this affair, and I do not think I ought to ask
for it; let us therefore, madame, cease this discourse, since
you ask such terms for your complaisance."
The comtesse de Bearn rose; I did the same; and we parted mutually
dissatisfied with each other.
My friends, my brother-in-law, and his sisters, impatiently
awaited the result of my conversation with madame de Bearn. I
told them all that had passed; giving my opinion of this lady as
I thought her--a malicious provoking creature.
"How soon you torment yourself," said the chancellor to me. "Do
you not see that this woman wants a price to be bidden for her?
She is yours, body and soul, but first of all she must be paid."
"Let that be no obstacle," said comte Jean, "we will give her
money, but present us she must."
On this it was decided, that, on the following morning, my
brother-in-law should go to Paris to find M. Morand, and get
him to undertake the arrangement.
The next day my brother-in-law went to M. Morand's, and when he
had disclosed his message concerning the comtesse, the good
Morand began to laugh.
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