"I ask you once again, whether you ever heard the duc de Villeroi
assign his passion for one of my women as the reason for his
visits to me? Have you, my lord bishop? I entreat you to answer."
"Madam, I have not," said the good prelate, colouring deeply.
"Ah, monsieur de Roquelaure," cried I, "you must not say mass
to-morrow, for I greatly fear you have just committed a certain
fault which is styled fibbing."
The bishop made no reply, and his silence spoke volumes of confirmation.
Scarcely had he quitted me than the duc d'Aiguillon entered, to
whom I put the same question; and he frankly confessed, that the
excuse alleged to have been used by the duc de Villeroi was
strictly the expression of that gentleman.
"I was wrong," said the duke, "not to have mentioned it to you,
but I was silent from a desire to preserve peace between you.
Now that the affair has been revealed to you, I will not sully
my lips with a falsehood for the pleasure of upholding an
unprincipled man."
"I will not ask you to tell me more," replied I. "I know enough
to make me despise the cowardly spirit of him whom I reject as
unworthy of my friendship." So saying, I ran to my writing-table,
and wrote to the duc de Villeroi the following note:--
"MONSIEUR LE DUC,--I love my friends with
all their faults, but I cannot pardon their perfidy;
and, since from what I have heard I am left to
conclude, that but for the charms of my attendant
Sophie, I should not have been favoured with so
many of your visits, I now write to warn you,
that I this day dismiss the unfortunate object of
your admiration from my service, and therefore
recommend you to cease all further communication.
Pages:
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325