[CHAPTER XLII.]
THE KING'S NEW AMOUR.
This same long night had been employed by Countess Dubarry in trying to mold the king's mind to a new policy according to her views.
Above all she had dwelt upon the necessity of not letting the Choiseul party win possession of the dauphiness. The king had answered carelessly that the princess was a girl and Choiseul an old statesman, so that there was no danger, since one only wanted to sport and the other to labor. Enchanted at what he thought a witticism, he cut short further dry talk.
But Jeanne did not stay stopped, for she fancied the royal lover was thinking of another.
He was fickle. His great pleasure was in making his lady-loves jealous, as long as they did not sulk too long or become too riotous in their jealous fits.
Jeanne Dubarry was jealous naturally, and from fear of a fall. Her position had cost her too much pains to conquer and was too far from the starting-point for her to tolerate rivals as Lady Pompadour had done.
Hence she wanted to know what was on the royal mind.
He answered by these memorable words, of which he did not mean a jot: