THE JH&30NNAIRE. 325

" Oh, as to that, Monsieur, the truth must be told; since
Louis the Debonnaire, never has there been such a Debonnaire
as you."

At these words he rose in his chair, red with anger to the
very whites of his eyes, and blurted out his vexation against
me for abusing hint, as he pretended, and against Madame la
Duchesse d'Orl^ans for encouraging me and laughing at him.

" Go on," said I, " treat your enemies well, and rail at your
friends. I am delighted to see you angry. It is a sign that I
have touched the sore point; when you press the finger on it
the patient cries. I should like to squeeze out all the matter,
and after that you would be quite another man, and differently
esteemed."

He grumbled a little more, and then calmed down. This
was one of two occasions only, on which lie was ever really
angry with me.

Two or three years after the death of the King, I was chat-
ting in one of the grand rooms of the Tuileries, where the
Council of the Kegency was, according to custom soon to be
held, land M. d'Orleans at the other end was talking to some one
in a window recess. I heard myself called from mouth, to
mouth, and was told that M. d'Orl&ins wished to speak to me.
This often happened before the council. I went therefore to
the window where he was standing. I found a serious
bearing, a concentrated manner, an angry face, and was much,
surprised.

" Monsieur," said he to me at once, " I have a serious com-
plaint against you; you, whom I have always regarded as my
best of friends."

"Against me! Monsieur!" said I, still more surprised. "What
is the matter, then, may I ask ?"

"The matter!" he replied with a mien still more angry
" something you cannot deny;—verses you have made against
me."

«I—verses!" was my reply. " Why,, who the devil has
been telling you such nonsense ? You have been acquainted
with me nearly forty years, and do you not know, that never