“No, ‘pon my soul!” returned he; “but since he is here, we must do the best we can with him; he was very anxious to see his sister-in-law and niece. He says the former is ugly as sin, and the latter almost as handsome as you.” “Very gallant,” replied I; “but tell me, comte Jean, does this elegant compliment proceed from my husband or yourself?” We were just then interrupted by the arrival of the maréchale, and comte Jean retired. “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 maréchale; ‘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 _éléve_ of the _Pare-aux-Cerfs_--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 Martinière 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 Cossé, under the idea that the duke would return to her, and that I should no longer possess his affections. Now the cause of this extravagant conduct was the firmness with which madame de Cossé refused all overtures to visit me, and I had really become so spoiled and petted, that I could not be brought to understand the reasonableness of the duchesse de Cossé refusing to sanction her rival by her presence.