One scene of pleasure followed
another, and one fete succeeded another. I accompanied his
majesty without ever quitting him; and if hitherto there had
existed any doubts as to the sincerity of the king's attachment,
the most sceptical person would now have been convinced of the
fact. Louis XV was never from my side, and appeared solely
occupied in gratifying my slightest wish; the princes of the
court carefully followed his example; and such a life as I then
led was abundant compensation for all the pains and anxieties
I had endured from the malice and jealousy of certain females,
as well as the sarcastic bitterness of men, who feared lest my
influence should destroy theirs.
I may, with truth, affirm that I received the honors and attention
of a queen; verses, plays, all written to convey some praise or
compliment to me; and the king testified the lively gratification
it afforded him to see me thus an object of general solicitude,
as well as of the most flattering distinction. His conduct
towards the prince de Conde became more gracious than it had
ever been observed to be to the princes of the blood; for there
existed a singular coolness in the royal family towards all the
princes of this branch. The king looked upon it as vastly inferior
to his own, because it had been separated from the throne before
the accession of Henry IV to the crown; he even asserted, that
there was much to be said upon this subject, and prudence compels
me to pass over the many histories and circumstances related by
him to me of this brilliant portion of his noble race.
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