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visiting physicians； M。 de la Martiniere； counsellor of state； surgeon to his majesty； as well as Messrs。 Ducor and Prost； apothecaries to his majesty； had been collected together for this purpose by the duc d'Aiguillon。
These gentlemen came to report the termination of their experiments at the very moment when the chancellor and lieutenant of police entered the room； the duc de la Vrilliere had preceded them by about five minutes； the duc d'Aiguillon requested these gentlemen to be seated。 The doctors Quesnay and la Martiniere were introduced； and desired to make known the result of their operations。 My newly…arrived guests； who as yet understood nothing of what was going on； were struck with astonishment at hearing it said； that the four bottles of orange…flower water contained a considerable proportion of a most active poison； of which a few drops would be sufficient to cause instantaneous death。 Having thus executed their commission； the medical gentlemen bowed and retired。
M。 d'Aiguillon then explained to my wondering friends the horrible affair which had occasioned their being sent for so hastily。 I cannot tell you what effect this disclosure produced on M。 de la Vrilliere or M。 de Maupeou； my whole attention being fixed upon M。 de Sartines。 You may suppose that a lieutenant of police； particularly one who piqued himself upon knowing every thing； could not feel very much at his ease； when each word that was uttered convicted him either of incapacity or negligence。 His brow became contracted； he hemmed； choked； fidgeted about； and appeared as though he would have given every thing in the world f or liberty to justify himself； but etiquette forbade it； and he was only permitted to speak after the secretaries of state then present； or if called upon by either of them。
When M。 d'Aiguillon had ceased speaking； the chancellor in his turn took up the conversation。 M。 de Maupeou was by nature cold and sarcastic； delighting in annoying any person； but； on the present occasion； the ill…nature inherent in him was still excited by the decided hatred he bore to the unfortunate M。 de Sartines。 He began by saying； that the conspiracy was evident； and was easily explained by the state of exasperation in which the Jesuits and parliamentarians now were； both orders looking for no other prospect of amendment in their condition than such as might arise from some sudden convulsion of the kingdom。 He expressed his opinion of the necessity of instituting a rigorous inquiry into the conduct of these two bodies； and then； turning to M。 de Sartines； whose cheek grew pale at the movement； he charged him to lay before the council all those particulars which he must necessarily possess as head of the police； either respecting the present plot； or relating to any of the ancient members of parliament or the order of Jesuits。
This was a dagger to the heart of M。 de Sartines； who in vain sought to frame a suitable reply： but what could he say？ He did not in reality possess any of the information for which he had received credit； and after many awkward endeavours at explaining himself； he was compelled frankly to confess； that he knew not a word more of the conspiracy than he had just then heard。
It was now the turn of M。 de la Vrilliere to speak。 He also would fain have attacked the unfortunate lieutenant of police； but； whether M。 de Maupeou thought that his own correction had been sufficiently strong； or whether he begrudged any other person interfering with his vengeance upon his personal foe； he abruptly interrupted the tirade of M。 de la Vrilliere； by observing； that a conspiracy conducted by only eight persons might very possibly escape the eye of the police； but； furnished as it now was with so many circumstances and particulars； it was impossible that the plot should any longer defy their vigilant researches。
M。 d'Aiguillon fully concurred in this observation； and M。 de Sartines； recovered in some measure from his first alarm； promised every thing they could desire； and it was finally arranged that the police should this night use every precautionary measure in Paris； and that the officers of the guard should receive orders to redouble their zeal and activity in watching the chateau； and that when the unknown female called again on me； she should be conducted by madame de Mirepoix to the duc d'Aiguillon； who would interrogate her closely。
These measures decided on； the council broke up； and I went to receive the king； who was this evening to do me the favour of
taking his supper in my apartments。
CHAPTER XXXVIII
Conclusion of this affair …A letter from the incognitaHer examinationArrest of Cabert the SwissHe dies in the Bastille of poisonMadame Lorimer is arrested and poisonedThe innocence of the Jesuits acknowledgedMadame de Mirepoix and the 100；000 francsForgetfulness on the part of the lieutenant of policeA visit from comte JeanMadame de Mirepoix
M。 de Sartines did not sleep on his post； but his researches were fruitless； and； on the following day； three successive messengers came to announce to us that they had as yet made no discovery。 The day passed without bringing any fresh intelligence； and our anxiety increased daily。 At length arrived the period fixed for the visit of the 。 I awaited the coming of this female with an impatience impossible to describe。 About mid…day a note was brought me； I instantly recognized the writing as that of my mysterious friend； and hastily breaking the seal； read as follows：
〃MADAM；I must entreat your pardon for breaking the appointment for to…day； imperative duties still detain me in Paris。
〃Since our last interview I have been unceasingly occupied in endeavouring to discover the names of the eight persons of whom I spoke to you； and； I am sorry to say； I have but partially succeeded。 The person who has hitherto furnished me with my information obstinately refuses to state who are the parliamentarians concerned in the conspiracy。 I am； however； enabled to forward you the names of the four Jesuits； with some few particulars relating to these worthy fathers。
〃The Jesuits in question are Messrs。 Corbin； Berthier； Cerulti； and Dumas； the first of whom was employed in the education of the dauphin； the second and the third are sufficiently known； as for the fourth； he is a bold and enterprising Parisian； capable of conceiving and executing the most daring schemes。 Whilst the order remained in possession of power he had no opportunity of displaying his extraordinary talents； and consequently he obtained but a trifling reputation； but since its banishment he has become its firmest support and principal hope。 All the treasures of the brotherhood are at his disposal； and I learn； that the day before yesterday he received a considerable sum from Lyons。
〃This intrepid and daring spirit is the very soul of the conspiracy； he it is who conceived the plan and set the whole machine in action。 It would be effectually extinguished could we but once secure him； but this is by no means an easy task； he has no fixed abode； never sleeps two nights following in the same home； one day he may be found in one part of Paris and the next at the very opposite corner； he changes his manner of dress as frequently as he does his abode。
〃I shall have the honour of seeing you to…morrow or the day after at furthest。 Meanwhile lay aside all uneasiness for his majesty's safety： I pledge you my word he is for the present in perfect security。 The execution of the plot is still deferred for the want of a Damiens sufficiently sanguinary to undertake the task。
〃Deign； madam； to accept the assurance of my sincere devotion； and believe that I will neglect no opportunity of affording you proofs of it。 〃Yours； madam； etc。； etc。〃
I immediately communicated this letter to the duc d'Aiguillon； who convoked a fresh meeting of the persons who had been present on the preceding day。 It was at first deliberated whether or not to arrest the whole body of Jesuits then in Paris； but this； although the advice of M。 d'Aiguillon； was by no means approved of by the chancellor。 M。 de Sartines and M。 de la Vrilliere were for carrying the idea into execution； but the objections of M。 de Maupeou were too powerful to be overruled； and the scheme was for the present abandoned。 The chancellor maintained that the other conspirators； warned of their own； danger by the seizure of their friends； would either escape the vengeance of the laws by flight or by close confinement in their houses； he greatly dreaded as it was； that his foes； the parliamentarians； would avoid the punishment he longed to inflict on them。 Indeed； in his estimation； it seemed as though every measure would be anticipated so long as the female； who seemed so intimately acquainted with their design； was at liberty； and this last opinion was unanimously concurred in。
All the delays greatly irritated me； and rendered my impatience to witness the termination of the affair greater than it had ever been。 The stranger had promised to make her appearance on the following day； it passed away； however； without my hearing anything of her。 On the day following she came； I immediately sent to apprize M。 d'Aiguillon； who； with M。 de l