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her。 On the day following she came； I immediately sent to apprize M。 d'Aiguillon； who； with M。 de la Vrilliere and the chancellor； entered my apartments ere the lady had had time to commence the subject upon which she was there to speak。 This unexpected appearance did not seem to disconcert her in the least； nor did her and ordinary assurance in any degree fail her。 She reproached me for having intrusted the secret to so many persons； but her reproof was uttered without bitterness； and merely as if she feared lest my indiscretion might compromise our safety。 She was overwhelmed with questions； and the chancellor interrogated her with the keenest curiosity； but to all the inquiries put to her she replied with a readiness and candour which surprised the whole party。 She was desired to give the names of those engaged in the conspiracy； as well as of him who first informed her of it。 She answered that her own name was Lorimer； that she was a widow living upon her own property。 As for the man； her informant； he was a Swiss； named Cabert； of about thirty years of age； and had long been her intimate friend： however； the embarrassed tone with which she pronounced these last words left room for the suspicion； that he had been something dearer to her than a friend。 She was then urged to give up the names of the four parliamentarians； but she protested that she had not yet been able to prevail on Cabert to confide them to her； that she was compelled to use the utmost circumspection in her attempts at discovering the facts already disclosed； but flattered herself she should yet succeed in gaining a full and unreserved disclosure。 M。 de Maupeou encouraged her； by every possible argument； to neglect no means of arriving at so important a discovery。
The examination over； and the 100；000 francs she had demanded given to her； she retired； but followed at a distance by a number of spies； who were commissioned to watch her slightest movement。
Cabert； the Swiss； was arrested in a furnished lodging he occupied in rue Saint Roch； and sent without delay to Versailles； where； as before； M。 d'Aiguillon with his two colleagues waited in my study to receive and question the prisoner。 Cabert was a young and handsome man； whose countenance bore evident marks of a dissolute and profligate life。 He confessed； without any difficulty； that his only means of gaining a livelihood were derived from the generosity of a female friend； but when he was pressed upon the subject of the conspiracy； he no longer replied with the same candour； but merely answered in short and impatient negatives the many questions put to him； accompanied with fervent protestations of innocence； adding； that implacable enemies had fabricated the whole story； only that they might have an opportunity of wreaking their vengeance； by implicating him in it。
〃Accuse not your enemies；〃 cried I； for the first time mingling in the conversation； 〃but rather blame your benefactress； it is madame Lorimer who has denounced you； and far from intending to harm you by so doing； she purposes dividing with you the 100；000 livres which are to reward her disclosures。〃
I easily found； by the frowning looks directed towards me by the three gentlemen present； that I had been guilty of great imprudence in saying so much； but Cabert； wringing his hands； uttered； with the most despairing accent；
〃I am lost！ and most horribly has the unfortunate woman avenged herself。〃
〃What would you insinuate？〃
〃That I am the victim of an enraged woman；〃 replied he。
He afterwards explained； that he had been the lover of madame Lorimer； but had become wearied of her； and left her in consequence； that she had violently resented this conduct； and； after having in vain sought to move him by prayers and supplications； had tried the most horrible threats and menaces。 〃I ought not indeed；〃 continued he； 〃to have despised these threats； for well I knew the fiendlike malice of the wretched creature； and dearly do I pay for my imprudence； by falling into the pit she has dug for me。〃
In vain we endeavoured to induce him to hold a different language。 He persisted with determined obstinacy in his first statement； continually protesting his own innocence； and loading the author of his woes with bitter imprecations。 It was deemed impossible to allow this man to go at large； accordingly M。 de la Vrilliere issued a ； which sent him that night to seek a lodging in the Bastille。 It was afterwards deemed advisable to put him to the torture； but the agonies of the rack wrung from him no deviation from； or contradiction of； what he had previously alleged。
The affair had now become mysterious and inexplicable。 However； a speedy termination was most imperatively called for； if it were permitted to become generally known； it could not fail of reaching the ears of the king； whose health was daily declining； and M。 de Quesnay had assured us； that in his present languid state； the shock produced by news so alarming； might cause his instantaneous death。
Whilst we remained in uncertainty as to our mode of proceeding in the business； Cabert； the Swiss； three days after his admission into the Bastille； expired in the most violent convulsions。 His body was opened； but no trace of poison could be discovered： our suspicions were however awakened； and what followed confirmed them。
Madame Lorimer was arrested。 She protested that she had been actuated by no feelings of enmity against her unfortunate lover； whom she had certainly reproached for having expended the money she furnished him with in the society of other females； and to the anger which arose between herself and Cabert on the occasion could she alone ascribe his infamous calumnies respecting her； that； for her own part； she had never ceased to love him； and； as far as she knew； that feeling was reciprocal； and； in betraying the conspiracy； her principal desire； next to the anxious hope of preserving the king； was to make the fortune of Cabert。 She was confined in the Bastille； but she did not long remain within its walls； for at the end of a fortnight she died of an inflammatory disease。 Her death was marked by no convulsions； but the traces of poison were evident。
These two violent deaths occurring so immediately one after another （as not the slightest doubt existed that Cabert had likewise died of poison） threw the ministers into a sad state of perplexity。 But to whom could they impute the double crime unless to some accomplice； who dreaded what the unhappy prisoners might be tempted to reveal。 Yet the conduct of the Jesuitical priests stated by madame Lorimer to be the principal ring…leaders in the plot； although exposed to the most rigorous scrutiny； offered not the slightest grounds for suspicion。 Neither did their letters （which were all intercepted at the various post…houses） give any indication of a treasonable correspondence。
M。 de Sartines caused the private papers of the suspected parties to be opened during their owners' absence； without discovering anything which could compromise their character。 I am speaking； however； of the fathers Corbin； Berthier； and Cerulti； for all our efforts could not trace father Dumas throughout all Paris。 Nor was the innocence of the parliamentarians less evident； they vented their hatred against the ministry； and particularly against M。 de Maupeou； in pamphlets； couplets； and epigrams； both in French and Latin； but they had no idea of conspiracies or plots。
And thus terminated an affair； which had caused so much alarm； and which continued for a considerable period to engage the attention of ministers。 How was the mystery to be cleared up？ The poisoned orange…flower water； and the sudden deaths of the two prisoners； were facts difficult to reconcile with the no less undeniable innocence of the three accused Jesuits。 The whole business was to me an incomprehensible mass of confusion； in which incidents the most horrible were mingled。 At last we agreed that the best and only thing to be done was to consign the affair to oblivion； but there were circumstances which did not so easily depart from the recollection of my excellent friend； the marechale de Mirepoix。 〃My dear soul；〃 said she to me one day； 〃have you ever inquired what became of the 100；000 livres given to madame Lorimer？ she had no time to employ them in any way before her imprisonment in the Bastille。 You ought to inquire into what hands they have fallen。〃
I fully comprehended the drift of this question； which I put to M。 de Sartines the first time I saw him。
〃Bless me；〃 exclaimed he； 〃you remind me that these 100；000
livres have been lying in a drawer in my office。 But I have such a terrible memory。〃
〃Happily；〃 replied I； 〃I have a friend whose memory is as good as yours seems defective upon such occasions。 It will not be wise to permit such a sum to remain uselessly in your office： at the same time I need not point out that you； by your conduct in the late affair； have by no means earned a right to them。〃
He attempted to justify himself； but； interrupting him； I exclaimed； 〃My good friend； you have set up a reputation of your own creating and inventing； and well it is you took the office upon