But a few years after the death of Louis XV., Madame la Marechale being alone at the Val, a house belonging to M.de Beauvau, Mademoiselle de Dillon saw the Countess's calash take shelter in the forest of St.Germain during a violent storm.
She invited her in, and the Countess herself related these particulars, which I had from Madame de Beauvau.
The Comte du Barry, surnamed 'le roue' (the profligate), and Mademoiselle du Barry advised, or rather prompted, Madame du Barry in furtherance of the plans of the party of the Marechal de Richelieu and the Duc d'Aiguillon.

Sometimes they even set her to act in such a way as to have a useful influence upon great political measures.

Under pretence that the page who accompanied Charles I.in his flight was a Du Barry or Barrymore, they persuaded the Comtesse du Barry to buy in London that fine portrait which we now have in the Museum.

She had the picture placed in her drawing-room, and when she saw the King hesitating upon the violent measure of breaking up his Parliament, and forming that which was called the Maupeou Parliament, she desired him to look at the portrait of a king who had given way to his Parliament.
[The "Memoirs of General Dumouriez," vol.i., page 142, contain some curious particulars about Madame Du Barry; and novel details respecting her will be found at page 243 of "Curiosites Historiques," by J.A.Le Rol (Paris, Plon, 1864).

His investigations lead to the result that her real name was Jean Becu, born, 19th August, 1743, at Vaucouleurs, the natural daughter of Anne Becu, otherwise known as "Quantiny." Her mother afterwards married Nicolas Rancon.