A singular person was this M.de Manicamp; a very intelligent young fellow, always poor, always needy, although he dipped his hand freely into the purse of M.le Comte de Guiche, one of the best furnished purses of the period.

M.le Comte de Guiche had had, as the companion of his boyhood, this De Manicamp, a poor gentleman, vassal-born, of the house of Gramont.

M.de Manicamp, with his tact and talent had created himself a revenue in the opulent family of the celebrated marechal.

From his infancy he had, with calculation beyond his age, lent his mane and complaisance to the follies of the Comte de Guiche.

If his noble companion had stolen some fruit destined for Madame la Marechale, if he had broken a mirror, or put out a dog's eye, Manicamp declared himself guilty of the crime committed, and received the punishment, which was not made the milder for falling on the innocent.