Nothing could surpass the impatience with which I was expected；hundreds were counting the minutes， whilst I， under the care of my hairdresser and robemaker， was insensible to the rapid flight of time， which had already carried us beyond the hour appointed for my appearance. The king himself was a prey to an unusual uneasiness； the day appeared to him interminable； and the eagerness with which he awaited me made my delay still more apparent. Athousand conjectures were afloat as to the cause of it. Some asserted that my presentation had been deferred for the present， and， in all probability， would never take place； that the princesses had opposed it in the most decided manner， and had refused upon any pretense whatever to admit me to their presence. All these suppositions charmed my enemies， and filled them with hopes which their leaders， better informed， did not partake.
Meanwhile the king's restlessness increased； he kept continually approaching the window to observe what was going on in the court-yard of the castle， and seeing there no symptoms of my equipage being in attendance， began to lose both temper and patience. It has been asserted， that he gave orders to have the presentation put off till a future period， and that the duc de Richelieu procured my <entrée> by force； this is partly true and partly false. Whilst in ignorance of the real cause of my being so late， the king said to the first gentleman of the chamber，"You will see that this poor countess has met with some accident， or else that her joy has been too much for her， and made her too ill to attend our court to-day； if that be the case， it is my pleasure that her presentation should not be delayed beyond to-morrow.""Sire，" replied the duke， "your majesty's commands are absolute."These words， but half understood， were eagerly caught up， and interpreted their own way by those who were eager to seize anything that might tell to my prejudice.
At length I appeared； and never had I been more successful in appearance. I was conducted by my godmother， who， decked like an altar， was all joy and satisfaction to see herself a sharer in such pomp and splendor. The princesses received me most courteously；the affability， either real or feigned， which shone in their eyes as they regarded me， and the flattering words with which they welcomed my arrival， was a mortal blow to many of the spectators， especially to the ladies of honor. The princesses would not suffer me to bend my knee before them， but at the first movement Imade to perform this act of homage， they hastened to raise me， speaking to me at the same time in the most gracious manner.
But my greatest triumph was with the king. I appeared before him in all my glory， and his eyes declared in a manner not to be misunderstood by all around him the impetuous love which he felt for me. He had threatened the previous evening to let me fall at his feet without the least effort on his part to prevent it.
I told him that I was sure his gallantry would not allow him to act in this manner； and we had laid a bet on the matter. As soon as I approached him， and he took my hand to prevent me， as Ibegan to stoop before him， "You have lost， sire，" said I to him.
"How is it possible to preserve my dignity in the presence of so many graces？" was his reply.
These gracious words of his majesty were heard by all around him. My enemies were wofully chagrined； but what perfected their annihilation was the palpable lie which my appearance gave to their false assertions. They had blazoned forth everywhere that my manners were those of a housemaid； that I was absurd and unladylike in my conduct； and that it was only requisite to have a glimpse of me to recognize both the baseness of my extraction， and the class of society in which my life had been hitherto spent.
But I showed manners so easy and so elegant that the people soon shook off their preconceived prejudice against me. I heard my demeanor lauded as greatly as my charms and the splendor of my attire. Nothing could be more agreeable to me. In a word， Iobtained complete success， and thenceforward learnt experimentally how much the exterior and a noble carriage add to the consideration in which a person is held. I have seen individuals of high rank and proud behavior who carried no influence in their looks， because their features were plain and common place； whilst persons of low station， whose face was gifted with natural dignity， had only to show themselves to attract the respect of the multitude.
Nothing about me bespoke that I was sprung from a vulgar stock， and thus scandal of that kind ceased from the day of my presentation；and public opinion having done me justice in this particular， slander was compelled to seek for food elsewhere.
