It was decided that the Marquis de Mirabeau should open fire by writing to the Bishop. But it was felt that he could not bring the affair to a good issue unassisted; his haughty and violent temper, the uncertainty of his disposition, required the controlling influence of a feminine mind. The right person was ready to hand, and Madame de Pailly, whose intimacy with the Marquis was well known, was deputed to assist him in this matter.[96] Madame de Pailly was very pretty, and possessed a quick, shrewd intelligence, well fitted for intrigue. The great Mirabeau, who had good reason to hate her, wrote as follows:-- “This woman has the cleverness of five hundred thousand demons, or angels, if you prefer it; but she is equally dangerous by reason of her beauty, and her intensely designing disposition.” We are not concerned with the unedifying position that Madame de Pailly occupied in the Mirabeau family;[97] we merely conclude that she must have conducted herself with sufficient reserve or decency, as it was then called, to be admitted into the society of the Comtesse de Brionne and that of her aunt, the Princesse de Ligne-Luxembourg. The _black hen_, as she was called by her intimates, was delighted to play a part in this affair. She desired beyond everything to be useful to such great ladies, and neglected nothing to attain this end. Madame de Pailly’s letters were quoted in her society “as models of sentiment and elegance;” we may add of acuteness and moderation. MADAME DE PAILLY TO THE PRINCESSE DE LIGNE-LUXEMBOURG. PARIS, _26th December 1777_. “I enclose, Madame, a copy of M. de Mirabeau’s letter to the Bishop. On handing it to me yesterday morning he said: ‘Be assured that this negotiation will succeed; Providence will aid you. I could not have written you this morning, but having suffered all night from a violent attack of asthma I employed the time in doing so. It may have suffered from my condition,[98] but nevertheless I think I have said all that was necessary.’ “He begs the Comtesse de Brionne will forgive the freedom with which he has spoken of her and her family; he thought it advisable to preserve towards the Bishop the same frankness he has always shown him, and, moreover, that his letter should not appear to have been dictated. The Abbé[99] was quite satisfied with it. “We are agreed as to what he (the Abbé) should say in his letter. He will resolutely treat the question of the dowry, and will make all necessary observations. He even adds that in order to influence the undecided character of the Bishop he will enclose in his letter a copy of the answer he should send the Marquis de Mirabeau. The Abbé has often used this plan with success on previous occasions.