A MYSTERIOUS MEETDNTG. 297

I went there with an old coachman of my mother's and a lackey
to put my people off the scent. There was a little moonlight,
liaisons in a small carriage awaited me. We soon met. He
mounted into my coach. I never could comprehend the mystery
of this meeting. There was nothing on his part but advances,
compliments, protestations, allusions to the former interview
of our fathers; only such things, in fact, as a man of cleverness
and breeding says when he wishes to form a close intimacy
with any one. Not a word that he said was of importance or
of a private nature.

I replied in the civillest manner possible to the ahundance
he bestowed upon me. I expected afterwards something that
would justify the hour, the place, the mystery, in a word, of
our interview. What was my surprise to hear no syllable upon
these points. The only reason Maisons gave for our secret
interview was that from that time he should be able to come
and see me at Yersailles with less inconvenience, and gradually
increase the number and the length of his visits until people
grew accustomed to see him there! He then begged me not to
visit him in Paris, because his house was always too full of
people. This interview lasted little less than half an hour. It
was long indeed, considering what passed. We separated with
much politeness, and the first time he went to Versailles he
^called upon me towards the middle of the day.

In a short time he visited me every Sunday. Our conver-
sation by degrees became more serious. I did not fail to be on
my guard, but drew him out upon various subjects; he being
very willing.

We were on this footing when, returning to my room at
ifar]y about midday on Sunday, the 29th of July, I found a
lackey of MaLsons with a note from him, in which he conjured
me to quit all business and come immediately to his house at
Paris, where he would wait for me alone, and where I should
find that something was in question, that could not suffer the
.slightest delay, that could not even be named in writing, and
which was of the most extreme importance. This lackey had
long since arrived, and had sent my people everywhere in, search