VOLUME III.
CHAPTER XXX.
It must be confessed, that flattery comes mighty easily to one’s mouth in the presence of royalty.—Letters of Stephen Montague.
‘’Tis he.—How came he thence—what doth he here?—Lara.
I had received for that evening (my last at Paris) an invitation from the Duchesse de B——. I knew that the party was to be small, and that very few besides the royal family would compose it. I had owed the honour of this invitation to my intimacy with the——s, the great friends of the duchesse, and I promised myself some pleasure in the engagement.
There were but eight or nine persons present when I entered the royal chamber. The most distingue of these I recognized immediately as the—. He came forward with much grace as I approached, and expressed his pleasure at seeing me.
“You were presented, I think, about a month ago,” added the—, with a smile of singular fascination; “I remember it well.”
I bowed low to this compliment.