But Beaumarchais’ words were inconsistent with his actions. In the first place he had betrayed his trust in confiding to Morande the nature of his private dealings with D’Eon, together with many particulars of D’Eon’s past intercourse with the Court of France, details which Morande made it his business to repeat in public, the gossip thus spread only serving to increase the agitation in the public mind on the Chevalier’s sex. Then, Beaumarchais and Morande having become thoroughly persuaded that all hope of amassing riches at the expense of Mademoiselle had vanished, and Beaumarchais being about to return to France, it was arranged that Morande should publish a pamphlet in disparagement of D’Eon, to whom a copy was sent by the writer, with the request for an interview at which terms for permanent reconciliation between them might be agreed upon. The Chevalier sent his brother-in-law O’Gorman, and his friend the Chevalier de Piennes, with a message to the effect that the only place where Mademoiselle D’Eon could meet Morande was in Hyde Park, those gentlemen being at the same time instructed to invite him to appoint an early day and the hour, and make his choice of weapons. Morande’s reply was an outrage on all decency and the foullest insult that could be offered to a woman;[322] and when D’Eon found himself bound over to keep the peace in 200_l._, and two sureties in 100_l._ each, he became excited beyond all control, and committed the fatal error of writing to Morande in language very similar to that employed in the pamphlet. [Sidenote: BOUND OVER TO KEEP THE PEACE.] Morande having declined to fight a woman, O’Gorman took her place; but Morande avoided the risk of an encounter by apprising the police of the bellicose designs of the big Irishman, who was also, in his turn, bound over to keep the peace. The widespread and unenvied notoriety that had rendered D’Eon’s situation in London perfectly intolerable, was increasing in spite of himself, and his yearning to leave the country and return to France became all the greater as fresh dangers threatened the liberty of his person. He was the centre of attraction, the chief object of public curiosity, and having become more familiarly known to the multitude, was more liable to be seized at some unguarded moment, to be maltreated and insulted by those whose interests, heavily staked, demanded an expeditious solution of the problem—Of which sex is the Chevalier? One pretty and innocent little note from Miss Wilkes, daughter of the _patriot_, who had been brought up in a French convent and knew the language perfectly, puts the question point blank.