Germain accused his enemy to the King's face, and caused an angry
and indecent scene in the chamber.
When a man is in trouble foes spring up, as the moisture rises
through the stones before a thaw. I doubt if M. de Saintonge was
not more completely surprised than any by the stir which ensued,
and which was not confined to the St. Germains' friends, though
they headed the accusers. All whom he had ever offended, and all
who had ever offended him, clamoured for justice; while St.
Mesmin's faults being forgotten and only his merits remembered,
there were few who did not bow to the general indignation, which
the young and gallant, who saw that at any moment his fate might
be theirs, did all in their power to foment. Finally, the
arrival of St. Mesmin the father, who came up almost broken-
hearted, and would have flung himself at the King's feet on the
first opportunity, roused the storm to the wildest pitch; so
that, in the fear lest M. de Biron's friends should attempt
something under cover of it, I saw the King and gave him my
advice.
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