"
M. de Mandeville loaded me with thanks and praises which I did
not really merit, because in the present instance I acted as much
from the wish to gratify my own feelings as his. My name and my
letter were talismans before which all doors flew open, and he
reached, without difficulty, the presence of the chief administrator
of justice, who, having read the memorial and the note I had
affixed to it, said, "That is sufficient, sir; have the goodness to
assure madame la comtesse du Barry, my cousin, that the reprieve
she desires is already granted; and as my fair relation appears to
fear trusting implicitly to my personal friendship and humanity,
I will set her mind at rest by putting you in possession of the
legal forms requisite for the prisoner."
He immediately issued the necessary orders for suspending the
execution of the sentence, which M. de Mandeville lost no time
in communicating to the poor girl, who, a very few days afterwards,
received a full pardon, and was thus, in a manner, snatched from
an unmerited and ignominious death. The musketeer requested
permission to present my
to my notice. She really
was a very pretty girl, her feelings overpowered her, and she
fainted in her attempt to throw herself at my feet; I soon revived
her by the aid of those restoratives which my staring people
stupidly did not try to offer, and then to send her away perfectly
happy and cheerful, I slipped into the pocket of her apron a
of fifty louis which the king had given me for her use.
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