Baron d'Oigny, general post-master--The king and the countess read the opened letters--The disgrace of de Choiseul resolved upon--<Lettre de cachet >--Anecdote--Spectre of Philip II, king of Spain--The duc de Choiseul banished--Visits to Chanteloup--The princesses--The dauphin and dauphiness--Candidates for the ministryThe interference of madame de Mirepoix, originating, as it did, in the duc de Choiseul, let me at once into the secret of his fears and the extent of my own power. The knowledge of the weakness of my adversary redoubled my energy; and from this moment, I allowed no day to pass without forwarding the great work, till I succeeded in effecting the duke's ruin and securing my own triumph. The pamphleteers in the pay of my enemies, and those who merely copied these hirelings, assert that one evening after supper, when Louis was intoxicated with wine and my seductions, I prevailed upon him to sign a <lettre de cachet> against his minister, which he immediately revoked when the break of day had restored to him his senses. This was a malicious falsehood.
You shall hear the exact manner in which the <lettres de cachet>
were signed.
On the evening of the 23d of December, his majesty having engaged to sup with me, I had invited M. de Maupeou, the duc de la Vrilliere, and the prince de Soubise. It appears, that the king, previously to coming, had gone to visit the dauphiness; he had not mentioned whither he was going, so that his attendants believed him to be in my apartments, and directed M. d'Oigny, post-master general, to seek him there. The baron brought with him a packet of opened letters; when he saw me alone he wished to retire, for the servants, believing him to be one of the expected guests, had ushered him in.
However, I would not permit him to go until the king's arrival;and, half sportively, half seriously, I took from him his letters, protesting I would detain them as hostages for his obedience to my desires. At this moment Louis XV entered the room; and M. d'Oigny, having briefly stated his business, bowed and departed.
The baron was a very excellent man, possessing an extensive and intelligent mind; he wrote very pleasing poetry, and had not his attention been occupied by the post he filled, he might have made a conspicuous figure in literature.
When we were left to ourselves, I said to the king,"Now, then, for this interesting and amusing budget; for such, I doubt not, it will prove.""Not so fast, madam, if you please," replied Louis XV; "perhaps these papers may contain state secrets unfit for your eye.""Great secrets they must be," said I, laughing, "confided thus to the carelessness of the post." So saying, I broke the seal of the envelope so hastily, that the greater part of the letters and notes were scattered over the carpet.
"Well done," cried the king.
"I entreat your majesty's pardon," said I, "but I will repair the mischief as far as I can."I stooped to collect the fallen papers, and the king had the gallantry to assist me: we soon piled the various letters upon a tray, and began eagerly to glance over their contents. My good fortune made me select from the mass those epistles addressed to the members of the country parliaments; they were filled with invectives against me, insulting mention of the king, and praises of the duc de Choiseul. I took especial care to read them in a loud and distinct voice.