He
had just learned that Chamilly frequently went to Paris, the
bearer of letters from the 'king to a young and pretty female,
named madame de Rumas, who resided in the old rue du Temple.
Here was a pretty discovery; the king actually engaged in a love
affair, letters passing between him and his mistress, whilst the
head
was acting the part of Mercury to the
lovers. This indeed required some speedy remedy, and I lost no
time in summoning my privy counsellor, Comte Jean, whom I acquainted
with what had occurred, and begged his advice as to the best
measures to be pursued. "Indeed," replied my brother-in-law, "what
others would do in our place would be to throw M. Chamilly from
one of the windows of the chateau, and treat this his friend Marin
with a lodging in the Bastille; but, as we are persons of temper
and moderation, we will go more gently to work. I will, in the
first place, gain every information relative to the affair, that
I may satisfy myself Marin is not seeking to show his honest
claims to your gold, by imposing a forged tale upon your credulity;
when that is ascertained we will decide upon our next best step."
Comte Jean departed to seek the assistance of M. de Sartines,
who was at that time entirely devoted to my interests; and, after
having diligently searched the whole rue du Temple, he succeeded
in discovering madame de Rumas. He learnt that this lady had
recently married a person of her own rank, to whom she professed
to be violently attached; that they lived together with great
tranquillity, and had the reputation of conducting themselves as
persons of extreme propriety and regularity; paid their debts,
and avoided, by their air of neatness, order, and modest reserve,
the scandal of even their most ill-natured neighbors.
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