I 204: MEMOIHS OF THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON.

I

I jealousy. Evil reports even reached M. le Due de Berry, who

* on his part, wishing to enjoy the society of his wife in full

f liberty, was importuned by the continual presence near her, of

j her father. To ward off a quarrel between son-in-law, and

4 father-in-law, based upon so false and so odious a foundation,

I -appeared to Madame de Saint-Simon and myself a pressing

? cluty.

A I had already tried to divert M. le Due d'Orleans from an

'< -assiduity which wearied M. le Dae de Berry; but I had not

f] succeeded. I believed it my duty then to return to the charge

Jt more hotly; and remembering my previous ill-success, I prefaced

| properly, and then said what I had to say. M. d'Orleans was

astonished; he cried out against the horror of such a vile im-
putation and the villainy that had carried it to M. le Due
de Berry. He thanked me for having warned him of it, a
service few "besides myself would have rendered him. I left
him to draw the proper and natural conclusion on the conduct
he should pursue. This conversation passed one day at Versailles
about four o'clock in the afternoon.

On the morrow Madame de Saint-Simon related to me, that
returning home the previous evening, from the supper and the
cabinet of the King with Madame la Duchesse de Berry, the
Duchesse had passed straight into the wardrobe and called her
there; and then with a cold and angry air, said she was very
much astonished that I wished to get up a quarrel between
her and M. le Due d'Orleans. Madame Saint-Simon exhibited
surprise, but Madame la Duchesse de Berry declared that
nothing was so true; that I wished to estrange M. d'Orle'ans
from her, but that I should not succeed; and immediately
related all that I had just said to her father. He had had the
goodness to repeat it to her an hour afterwards! Madame de
Saint-Simon still more surprised, listened attentively to the
end, and replied that this horrible report was public, that she
herself could see what consequences it would have, false and
abominable as it might be, and feel whether it was not im-
portant that M. le Due d'Orle'ans should be informed of it.
She added, that I nad shown such proofs of my attachment for