CHAPTER XII.

D’Eon and Wilkes—Fickle Louis XV.!—Literary labours—Doubts raised as to D’Eon’s sex—Princess Dashkoff—Heavy gambling transactions on D’Eon’s sex—Insult resented—Irritation at being thought a female—Indignant denial of being concerned in the bets made—State of penury—Offers of relief from Poniatovsky, now King of Poland—Saves England from war—Officially reported to be a female—Personal appearance—Death of Louis XV.—D’Eon’s estimate of the late King—Count de Broglio’s report on D’Eon to Louis XVI.—System of secret correspondence abolished—D’Eon to continue his reports in cypher 206