have attested, shall never be taken from her, and that the right to wear it in female attire shall belong to her until death.[307] And as an assurance of the authenticity of his will in this respect, his Majesty has of his own hand signed the present order; and to prevent all persons from pretending ignorance, hath caused it to be countersigned and delivered to the said Demoiselle D’Eon de Beaumont by me, Councillor, Secretary of State for his Foreign Affairs, and for his commands and finances.[308] [Illustration: L.S.] ‘LOUIS. ‘(Signed) GRAVIER DE VERGENNES.’ ‘At Versailles, the 25th day of August, 1775.’ CHAPTER XV. Revival of gambling policies on D’Eon’s sex—Renewed protests—Admits being a female to the Count de Broglio—Beaumarchais a hard master—He demands final instructions from the King—Differences of opinion and angry interchange of letters. D’Eon’s burning desire to see his beloved France was at length about to be gratified, and as these fresh news got bruited about, the press announced that the Chevalier had been recalled, it being the King’s intention to load _him_ (or _her_) with honours, and that the heroine would be shortly leaving for her native land, where the French Court was impatient to see her. Such rumours only served to revive all the old squabbles over the policies on his sex, and bets ran seven to four that D’Eon was a woman and not a man,[309] which, though fairly heavy odds, showed that there still existed a pretty strong feeling in favour of his being a man rather than a woman. He again became the subject of numerous objectionable proposals, advances he repelled with infinite disgust, and which he did his best to discountenance and discourage by a protest to which he gave the greatest possible publicity. [Sidenote: FRESH PROTESTS.]