from the promenade he intreated her to take pity on his sufferings. This was proceeding rather too precipitately, and although Madame de Senantes was not destitute of the natural compassion of her sex, she nevertheless was shocked at the familiarity of this treatment. She thought it necessary in consequence to shew some degree of resentment, and pulling away her hand, which he had pressed with still greater fervency upon this declaration, she went up to the royal apartments without even looking at her new lover. Matta, never thinking that he had 1. offended her, suffered her to go, and -went in search of some company to

sup with him: nothing was more easy for a man of his disposition; he soon found what he wanted, sat a long time at table to refresh himself after the fatigues of love, band went to bed,

completely satisfied that he had performed his part to perfection.

During all this time the Chevalier de Grammont acquitted himself towards Mademoiselle de Saint Germain with universal applause; and without remitting his assiduities to her, he found means to shine, as they went along, in the relation of a thousand entertaining anecdotes, which he introduced in the general conversation. Her Royal Highness listened to him with pleasure, and even the deserted Senantes appeared to attend to him. He perceived this, and quitted his mistress to enquire what she had done with Matta. I said she, I have done nothing with him; but, I don't know what he would not have done with me, if I had been obliging enough to listen to his most humble solicitations; she then told him in what manner his friend had

treated her the very second day of their acquaintance.

The Chevalier could not forbear laughing at it: he told her Matta was rather too unceremonious, but yet she would like him better as their intimacy improved, and for her consolation he assured her, that he would have spoken in the same manner to her Royal Highness herself; however, he promised to give him a severe reprimand. He went the next morning into his room for that purpose; but Matta had gone out early in the morning on a shooting party, in which he had been engaged by his compa nions of the preceding evening. At his return he took a brace of partridges and went to his mistress. Being asked whether he wished to see the Marquis, he said no: and the Swiss telling him his lady was not at home,

he left his partridges, and desired him to present them to his mistress from him.

The Marchioness was at her toilet, and was decorating her head with all the grace she could devise to captivate Matta, at the moment he was denied admittance she knew nothing of the matter; but her husband was at the bottom of it. He had taken it in dudgeon, that the first visit was not paid to him, and as he was resolved that it should not be paid to his wife, the Swiss had received his orders, and had almost been beaten for receiving the present which had been left. The partridges however were immediately sent back ; and Matta, without inquiring into the cause, was glad to have them again. He went to court without ever changing his clothes, or in the least considering he ought not to appear there

without his mistress's colours. He found her becomingly dressed; her eyes appeared to him more than usually sparkling, and her whole person altogether divine. He began immediately to be much pleased with himself for his complaisance to the Chevalier de Grammont; however he could not help remarking that she looked but coldly upon him. This appeared to him a very extraordinary return for his services, and, imagining that she was unmindful of her weighty obligations to him, he entered into conversation with her, and severely reprimanded her for having sent back his partridges with so much indifference.

She did not understand what he meant; and highly offended that he did not apologize to her for his conduct after the reprimand which she concluded he had received, told him, that