’Twas at this time that a Storm arose at Court against the Count _de Wartemberg_ Great Chamberlain, and lately declar’d Prime Minister, which threaten’d his Ruin; but it spent itself upon those only who had rais’d it. The principal Authors of the Cabal were the Count _de Lottum_, M. ----, and the Grand Marshal, who had been for a long time the Great Chamberlain’s sworn Enemy. The Count _de Wesen_, my Father-in-law, was pitch’d upon by these Gentlemen to raise the first Prejudices in the King’s Mind against this Minister. I have had the Honor to acquaint you, _Madame_, that the Countess _de Wartemberg_ always wish’d well to M. _de Wesen_ of which the advantagious Match she had procur’d for him was a very convincing Proof. One would have thought therefore after such great Service, that he ought in Gratitude to have devoted himself entirely to the Fortune of the Count her Husband. But my Father-in-law puff’d up by the Choice which the Count’s Enemies had made of him, forgot his Duty and his Interest, and accepted a Commission for the undertaking of which he had in truth all the necessary Temerity, but not that Judgment nor that Favor, which was absolutely requisite for conducting so ticklish an Affair. The King had a real Love for M. _de Wartemberg_, yet he sometimes made him feel his ill Humors. The Prince seem’d one day to be so angry with him, and spoke of him to my Father-in-law with so much Resentment, that the latter thought he had now a fair Opportunity to ruin the Count. He said to the King, that the whole Court was surpriz’d at his extraordinary Kindness to a Minister who every day abus’d his Name in the Oppression of the People, and in the Commission of a thousand Acts of Injustice against his faithful Servants; that his Rapines were excessive; and that his Wife’s Extravagance was so great, that he could shew by the Accounts of the Comptrollers of the Kitchen, that the Great Chamberlain’s Table cost more than his Majesty’s. _I know very well_, added M. _de Wesen, that if the Prime Minister should hear of what I have now had the Honor to say to your Majesty, I am undone; but if I held my peace, I thought I should be wanting in my Duty; and what I have asserted I am ready to prove._ The King heard what he said very attentively, and my Father-in-law was so vain as to think he had made Impression enough upon him to strike M. _de Wartemberg_ quite out of his Favor; but this shallow Statesman, my Father-in-law, did not consider that a Prince who complains of his Favorite is not always dispos’d to receive the ill Impressions that others are ready to give of him. Whether the King therefore thought after this manner, or whether he was shock’d at the Ingratitude of M. _de Wesen_, who ow’d his Fortune to M. _de Wartemberg_, he told the Minister the Conversation that had pass’d, but assur’d him that he did not give Credit to the Report; and that if he pleas’d he would take a Revenge on the Man that had made it.