"Well, sir, what think you of our celestial beauty?"

"She is worthy of a throne," replied Lebel, bending his head
before me, and taking my hand, which he pressed respectfully to
his lips. This reply was, perhaps, inadvertently made, but I took
it as a good augury. "Yes," added Lebel, "you are the most lovely
creature I ever met, though no one is more in the habit of seeing
handsome females than myself."

"And of causing them to be seen by others," replied comte Jean.

This was an opening which was not followed up by Lebel. His
first enthusiasm having passed, he measured me from head to foot,
as if he would take an accurate description of my person.

For my part I began to support the looks of Lebel with more assurance.
He was a man of no particular "mark or likelihood," but had made
his way. Living at Versailles had given him a certain air of easy
impertinence, but you could not discover anything distinguished
in his manners, nothing which concealed his humble extraction. The
direction of the gave him much influence with the
king, who found the convenience of such a man, who was willing
to take upon himself all the disagreeable part of his clandestine
amours. His duties placed him in contact with the ministers, the
lieutenant of police, and the comptroller-general. The highest
nobility sought his friendship with avidity. They all had a wife,
a sister, a daughter, whom they wished to make the favorite
sultana; and for this it was necessary to get the ear of Lebel.
Thus, under a libertine prince, the destinies of France were
at the mercy of a .