‘From that day my ruin was resolved upon. I was pointed out to the Duke de Praslin and the Count de Guerchy as an enemy, and I should, no doubt, have incurred immediate disgrace if the favourite’s first object had not been to possess herself of the correspondence and papers in my possession. From that time were lavished upon me delusive attentions alternately with real vexations, the preludes of the enormities and villainies about to follow. The Count de Guerchy had been recommended to practise dissimulation until such time as he should be with me in England; but the inexperienced diplomatist was unable to restrain himself from being overbearing and insulting towards a man whom he considered as hopelessly lost. The secret confided to him showed itself through all the wretched vexations with which he annoyed me upon the slightest pretext, and I should have guessed it, had not M. Tercier spared me the trouble, in making the following revelation, under date of June 10: “The King sent for me this morning; I found him very pale and very agitated. He told me in an unusual tone of voice that he feared the secret of our correspondence had been violated. He related that having sat down to a _tête-à-tête_ supper with Madame de Pompadour a few days ago, he became drowsy after having slightly indulged, the Marquise, he thought, not being altogether innocent in the matter. She took advantage of his nap to relieve him of the key of a particular piece of furniture[110] which his Majesty keeps closed to everybody, and in this way made herself acquainted with your relations with the Count de Broglio. His Majesty suspects this from the state of confusion in which he has found his papers. I am accordingly commanded to require you to observe the greatest prudence and the greatest discretion in your intercourse with his ambassador, who is about to leave for London and who, he has reason to believe, is entirely devoted to the Duke de Praslin and Madame de Pompadour. His Majesty has also declared most positively that he should never have decided upon sending him to England if he had not entirely relied upon you.”’[111]