Instead of leaving the ball, the king seated himself on a sofa near at hand, and said to me:
"But tell me, what is all this I hear from Lord Stuart? It is very extraordinary, and sounds like a romance."
When the king seated himself while speaking to me, the persons who accompanied him held themselves discreetly aside.
I related to the king the history of the pirate of Porquerolles; he listened with interest, put several questions to me, thanked me very graciously, and withdrew.
When the king had left, I became the centre of attraction; they could make nothing out of it. His majesty was leaving, he happens to meet me, and thereupon he remains a quarter of an hour in particular conversation with me.
Decidedly, I must be a man of the highest importance.
I know that nothing is more ridiculous than to appear to take pride in such a success, and I prepared to quit the ball, when I saw Madame de Fersen coming towards me. I had not seen her for some time, and she seemed so changed, so fallen away, that I was shocked.
I saluted her without waiting for her, and retired, though she looked entreatingly at me, and she was evidently coming towards me with the intention of speaking to me.
The next day I received a letter from her.
She begged me in touching terms to come and see her, apologising for her ingratitude, and making some gracious allusions to the past.