"Well, my dear," she began, "have you seen M. de Sartines, and
did you speak to him respecting those 100,000 livres?"
"Oh, yes," replied I, "he gave them back to me; but I have
already had half of them stolen from me."
"By comte Jean, I'll engage," cried she. "Upon my word, that
man is a perfect spendthrift, a prodigal; who, if you do not take
great care, will certainly ruin you. And what will you do with
the remaining 50,000 livres, my dear friend; where will you
place them?"
"In your hands, my dear marechale; 'tis his majesty's command."
"To that command," answered she, "I must perforce submit"; and,
taking the bundle of notes, she continued, "Assure his majesty
that it will ever be my greatest pride and pleasure to obey his
slightest wish. My respect for his orders can only be equalled
by my tender friendship for her who is the bearer of the royal
mandate." Then, deliberately putting the money in her pocket,
she exclaimed, "You must own that comte Jean is a great rogue."
CHAPTER XXXIX
My alarms--An
of the --Comte Jean
endeavours to direct the king's ideas--A supper at Trianon--Table
talk--The king is seized with illness--His conversation with me--The
joiner's daughter and the small-pox--My despair--Conduct of La
Martiniere the surgeon
I had occasionally some unaccountable whims and caprices. Among
other follies I took it into my head to become jealous of the
duchesse de Cosse, under the idea that the duke would return to
her, and that I should no longer possess his affections.
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