One might
suppose that the sole object of her journeyings was but to excite
all France against me."
"Madam, you are mistaken. My sister--"
"Continues to play the same part in the country she did in Paris.
She detests me because I happen to have youth and beauty on my
side. May her hatred last forever."
"Ah, madam, say not so; for with your charms you are indeed too
formidable an antagonist; and the more so, as I clearly perceive
you are not inclined for peace."
"At least," said I, "the war on my side shall be fair and open,
and those belonging to you have not always waged it with me upon
those terms."
The duke merely warded off this last assertion by some unmeaning
compliment, and we separated greater enemies than ever.
The first person to whom I could communicate what had passed was
the duc d'Aiguillon. He listened to my recital without any decided
expression of his opinion; but no sooner had I concluded, than he
took me by the hand, and pressing it with a friendly grasp,
"How I congratulate you," said he, "upon the good fortune which
has extricated you from this affair. Do you know that a reconciliation
with the duc de Choiseul would have involved your inevitable
disgrace? What evil genius counselled you to act in such a manner?"
"I fancied I was doing right," said I, "in thus proving to the
king that I was not an unreasonable woman."
"The Choiseuls," replied he, "would have entangled you in their
nets, and, separated from your real friends, would have made you
the innocent author of your own destruction.
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