“‘As you may imagine, both my strength and patience were exhausted before my dear uncle’s allocution was over, and most heartily did I rejoice when he stretched forth his hand for me to kiss, in token of dismissal. He told me that he had much more to say (I shivered), but that he was anxious I should pay my respects to the minister that very day, as the neglect of such attention might bring disgrace and _défaveur_ at the very outset of my career. I had just time sufficient to gain the minister’s hôtel before the closing of his cabinet, so made all speed to quit my uncle’s presence, glad to escape even with the prospect of another lecture.
“‘I was just descending the steps of the hôtel, when I met the young Duc d’Aiguillon, all excited and _ébouriffé_ as usual, with his vest wide open, and his garments in disorder.
“‘Where are you going so fast?’ exclaimed he, seizing my arm.
“‘To call upon the minister, _mon ministre_,’ said I, laughing at the look of surprise with which he eyed me, and which betrayed plainly the troubled state of his intellect.
“‘_Parbleu!_’ exclaimed he, with the twinkling of the eye peculiar to persons in the same state of blessedness in which he then was, ‘and so am I going to call upon the minister. My coach is waiting at the corner, let us go together.’
“‘To this proposal I could of course offer no objection, being, as I tell you, horribly fatigued with my long _séance_, and having at that time no carriage of my own at command. We walked to the end of the street arm-in-arm together. He leaned upon me heavily, but was laughing heartily the whole way, as if inspired by some merry thought.
“‘You see me thus delighted,’ said he, suddenly stopping short, ‘at the remembrance of the glorious fun we have just been having at the Trois Marroniers. Why were you not there? We were but three, but diverted ourselves _comme quarante_. Liancourt was _en verve_, and told some of his best anecdotes about—(he hiccupped slightly)—about Madame Dubarri! I should like to see that woman. Did you ever see her?’ He nodded assent in answer to his own question, and then, with a tipsy giggle, he pushed me in the side, exclaiming, ‘Well, then, jump into the carriage, and I will tell you all about her as we drive along to the minister’s.’