solute　man；　who　is　always　most　unsteady　the　nearer　the　work　comes　to　its　conclusion。　　I　heard　of　this　convulsion；　as　one　may　call　it；　by　an　express　from　Varicarville；　and　took　post　the　same　night　for　Sedan；　arriving　there　an　hour　after　Aretonville；　an　agent　despatched　from　the　Count's　brother　in…law；　M。　de　Longueville。＇Henri　d'Orleans；　the　second　of　that　name；　died　1663。＇　He　came　with　some　plausible　but　deceitful　terms　of　accommodation　which　we　all　agreed　to　oppose。　　Those　who　had　been　always　with　the　Count　pressed　him　strongly　with　the　remembrance　of　what　he　himself　thought　or　said　was　necessary　to　be　done　ever　since　the　war　had　been　resolved　on。　　Saint…Ibal；　who　had　been　negotiating　for　him　at　Brussels；　pressed　him　with　his　engagements；　advances；　and　solicitations；　insisted　on　the　steps　I　had；　by　his　order；　already　taken　in　Paris；　on　the　promises　made　to　De　Vitri　and　Cremail；　and　on　the　secret　committed　to　two　persons　by　his　own　command；　and　to　four　others　for　his　service　and　with　his　consent。　　Our　arguments；　considering　his　engagements；　were　very　just　and　clear。　　We　carried　our　point　with　much　ado　after　a　conflict　of　four　days。　　Aretonville　was　sent　back　with　a　very　smart　answer。　　M。　de　Guise；　who　had　joined　the　Count；　and　was　a　well…wisher　to　a　rupture；　went　to　Liege　to　order　the　levies；　Varicarville　and　I　returned　to　Paris；　but　I　did　not　care　to　tell　my　fellow　conspirators　of　the　irresolution　of　our　principal。　　Some　symptoms　of　it　appeared　afterwards；　but　they　very　soon　vanished。
  Being　assured　that　the　Spaniards　had　everything　in　readiness；　I　went　for　the　last　time　to　Sedan　to　take　my　final　instructions。　　There　I　found　Meternic；　colonel　of　one　of　the　oldest　regiments　of　the　Empire；　despatched　by　General　Lamboy；　who　had　advanced　with　a　gallant　army　under　his　command；　composed　for　the　most　part　of　veteran　troops。　　The　Colonel　assured　the　Count　that　he　was　ordered　to　obey　his　commands　in　everything；　and　to　give　battle　to　the　Marechal　de　Chatillon；　　who　commanded　the　army　of　France　upon　the　Meuse。　　As　the　undertaking　at　Paris　depended　entirely　on　the　success　of　such　a　battle；　the　Count　thought　it　fitting　that　I　should　go　along　with　Meternic　to　Givet；　where　I　found　the　army　in　a　very　good　condition。　　Then　I　returned　to　Paris；　and　gave　an　account　of　every　particular　to　the　Marechal　de　Pitri；　who　drew　up　the　order　for　the　enterprise。　　The　whole　city　of　Paris　seemed　so　disposed　for　an　insurrection　that　we　thought　ourselves　sure　of　success。　　The　secret　was　kept　even　to　a　miracle。　　The　Count　gave　the　enemy　battle　and　won　it。　　You　now　believe；　without　doubt；　the　day　was　our　own。　　Far　from　it；　for　the　Count　was　killed　in　the　very　crisis　of　the　victory；　and　in　the　midst　of　his　own　men；　but　how　and　by　whom　no　soul　could　ever　tell。
  You　may　guess　what　a　condition　I　was　in　when　I　heard　this　news；　M。　de　Cremail；　the　wisest　of　us　all；　thought　of　nothing　else　now　but　how　to　conceal　the　secret；　which；　though　known　to　only　six　in　all　Paris；　was　known　to　too　great　a　number；　but　the　greatest　danger　of　discovery　was　from　the　people　of　Sedan；　who；　being　out　of　the　kingdom；　were　not　afraid　of　punishment。　　Nevertheless；　everybody　privy　to　it　religiously　kept　it　secret；　and　stood　their　ground；　which；　with　another　accident　I　shall　mention　hereafter；　has　made　me　often　think；　and　say　too；　that　secrecy　is　not　so　rare　a　thing　as　we　imagine　with　men　versed　in　matters　of　State。
  The　Count's　death　settled　me　in　my　profession；　for　I　saw　no　great　things　to　be　done；　and　I　found　myself　too　old　to　leave　it　for　anything　trifling。　Besides；　Cardinal　de　Richelieu's　health　was　declining；　and　I　already　began　to　think　myself　Archbishop　of　Paris。　　I　resolved　that　for　the　future　I　would　devote　myself　to　my　profession。　　Madame　de　Guemenee　had　retired　to　Port　Royal；　her　country…seat。　　M。　d'Andilly　had　got　her　from　me。　　She　neither　powdered　nor　curled　her　hair　any　longer；　and　had　dismissed　me　solemnly　with　all　the　formalities　required　from　a　sincere　penitent。　　I　discovered；　by　means　of　a　valet　de　chambre；　that；　captain　　of　the　Marshal's　Guards；　had　as　free　access　to　Meilleraye's　lady　as　myself。　　See　what　it　is　to　be　a　saint！　　The　truth　is；　I　grew　much　more　regular；at　least　affected　to　be　thought　so；led　a　retired　life；　stuck　to　my　profession；　studied　hard；　and　got　acquainted　with　all　who　were　famous　either　for　learning　or　piety。　　I　converted　my　house　almost　into　an　academy；　but　took　care　not　to　erect　the　academy　into　a　rigid　tribunal。　　I　began　to　be　pretty　free　with　the　canons　and　curates；　whom　I　found　of　course　at　my　uncle's　house。　　I　did　not　act　the　devotee；　because　I　could　not　be　sure　how　long　I　should　be　able　to　play　the　counterfeit；　but　I　had　a　high　esteem　for　devout　people；　which　with　such　is　the　main　article　of　religion。　　I　suited　my　pleasures　to　my　practice；　and；　finding　I　could　not　live　without　some　amorous　intrigue；　I　managed　an　amour　with　Madame　de　Pommereux；　a　young　coquette；　who　had　so　many　sparks；　not　only　in　her　house　but　at　her　devotions；　that　the　apparent　business　of　others　was　a　cover　for　mine；　which　was；　at　least；　some　time　afterwards；　more　to　the　purpose。　　When　I　had　succeeded；　I　became　a　man　in　such　request　among　those　of　my　profession　that　the　devotees　themselves　used　to　say　of　me　with　M。　Vincent；　〃Though　I　had　not　piety　enough；　yet　I　was　not　far　from　the　kingdom　of　heaven。〃
  Fortune　favoured　me　more　than　usual　at　this　time。　　I　was　at　the　house　of　Madame　de　Rambure；　a　notable　and　learned　Huguenot；　where　I　met　with　Mestrezat；　the　famous　minister　of　Charento。　　To　satisfy　her　curiosity　she　engaged　us　in　a　dispute；　we　had　nine　different　disputations。　　The　Marechal　de　la　Forde　and　M。　de　Turenne　were　present　at　some　of　them；　and　a　gentleman　of　Poitou；　who　was　at　all　of　them；　became　my　proselyte。　　As　I　was　then　but　twenty…six　years　of　age；　this　made　a　great　deal　of　noise；　and　among　other　effects；　was　productive　of　one　that　had　not　the　least　connection　with　its　cause；　which　I　shall　mention　after　I　have　done　justice　to　a　civility　I　received　from　my　antagonist　in　one　of　the　conferences。　　I　had　the　advantage　of　him　in　the　fifth　meeting；　relating　to　the　spiritual　vocation；　but　in　the　sixth；　treating　of　the　Pope's　authority；　I　was　confounded；　because；　to　avoid　embroiling　myself　with　the　Court　of　Rome；　I　answered　him　on　principles　which　are　not　so　easy　to　be　maintained　as　those　of　the　Sorbonne。　　My　opponent　perceived　the　concern　I　was　under；　and　generously　forebore　to　urge　such　passages　as　would　have　obliged　me　to　explain　myself　in　a　manner　disagreeable　to　the　Pope's　Nuncio。　　I　thought　it　extremely　obliging；　and　as　we　were　going　out　thanked　him　in　the　presence　of　M。　de　Turenne；　to　which　he　answered；　very　civilly；　that　it　would　have　been　a　piece　of　injustice　to　hinder　the　Abbe　de　Retz　from　being　made　a　cardinal。　　This　was　such　complaisance　as　you　are　not　to　expect　from　every　Geneva　pedant。　　I　told　you　before　that　this　conference　produced　one　effect　very　different　from　its　cause；　and　it　is　this：　Madame　de　Vendome；　of　whom　you　have　heard；　without　doubt；　took　such　a　fancy　to　me　ever　after；　that　a　mother　could　not　have　been　more　tender。　She　had　been　at　the　conference　too；　though　I　am　very　well　assured　she　understood　nothing　of　the　matter；　but　the　favourable　opinion　she　had　of　me　was　owing　to　the　Bishop　of　Lisieux；　her　spiritual　director；　who；　finding　I　was　disposed　to　follow　my　profession；　which　out　of　his　great　love　to　me　he　most　passionately　desired；　made　it　his　business　to　magnify　the　few　good　qualities　I　was　master　of；　and　I　am　thoroughly　persuaded　that　what　applause　I　had　then　in　the　world　was　chiefly　owing　to　his　encouragement；　for　there　was　not　a　man　in　France　whose　approbation　could　give　so　much　honour。　　His　sermons　had　advanced　him　from　a　very　mean　and　foreign　extraction　（which　was　Flemish）　to　the　episcopal　dignity；　which　he　adorned　with　solid　and　unaffected　piety。　　His　disinterestedness　was　far　beyond　that　of　the　hermits　or　anchorites。　　He　had　the　courage　of　Saint　Ambrose；　and　at　Court　and　in　the　presence　of　the　King　he　so　maintained　his　usual　freedom　that　the　Cardinal　de　Richelieu；　who　had　been　his　scholar　in　divinity；　both　reverenced　and　feared　him。　　This　good　man　had　that　abundant　kindness　for　me　that　he　read　me　lectures　thrice　a　week　upon　Saint　Paul's　Epistles；　and　he　designed　also　the　conversion　of　M。　de　Turenne　and　to　give　me　the　honour　of　it。
  M。　de　Turenne　had　a　great　respect　for　him；　whereof　he　gave　him　very；　distinguishing　marks。　　The　Comte　de　Brion；　　whom；　I　believe；　you　may　remember　under　the　title　of　Duc　d'Amville；　was　deeply　in　love　with　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome；　since　Madame　de　Nemours；　and；　besides；　he　was　a　great　favourite　of　M。　de　Turenne；　who；　to　do　him　a　pleasure　and　to　give　him　the　more　opportunities　to　see　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome；　affected　to　be　a　great　admirer　of　the　Bishop　of　Lisieux　and　to　hear　his　exhortations　with　a　world　of　attention。　　The　Comte　de　Brion；　who　had　twice　been　a　Capuchin；　and　whose　life　was　a　continual　medley　of　sin　and　devotion；　pretended　likewise　to　be　much　interested　in　M。　de　Turenne's　conversion；　and　was　present　at　all　the　conferences　held　at　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome's　apartment。　　De　Brion　had　very　little　wit；　but　was　a　clever　talker；　and　had　a　great　deal　of　assurance；　which　not　very　seldom　supplies　the　room　of　good　sen