If M, de Soubise did not depart satisfied, madame de Marsan, his
relative, to whom he related the bad success of his attempt, was
not more so. She was a woman to have governed a kingdom, had she
been allowed to do so. There was in her woman's head a capacity
superior to that of all the men of her family. She had a great deal
of ambition, and all her actions were the results of a premeditated
plan. She would have ruled the king, the princes, the princesses,
favorites, mistresses, the court, the city, the parliaments, and the
army! Nothing would have been impossible to her; she was adequate
to any thing. Circumstances did not give her the opportunity of
displaying her genius. With great talents and keen perception,
she was reduced to the government of her own family alone; that
was but a trifling matter! In spite of her discontent, madame de
Marsan preserved a sort of neutrality towards me. She allowed
all sorts of ill to be spoken of me without ever repressing a word.
She was then mute and motionless. She saw me torn to pieces
without any emotion. However, when we were together she tried to
cajole me in a thousand ways, all the time detesting me in her
heart; and I, who could scarcely endure the sight of her, paid her
a like number of little attentions. Thus surrounded by hypocrites, I
became one myself. We learn to howl in the society of wolves.



CHAPTER V


The duc de la Vauguyon and the comtesse du Barry--The marquis
de Chauvelin and the comtesse--M. de Montbarrey and the comtesse--