The Project Gutenberg Historic Court Memoirs

ard.-He Agrees to the P

of the Chancellor of

The Duchy in the Air.-

nce de Bouillon, Pro

e,-to begin with, at any rate; for afterwards there appeared to b

for mine. A few days afterwards he informed me of the arrival of the Prince de Mont-Beliard, of Wurtemberg, who was anxious to pay his respects to me,

ing's first journey in Flanders. He recalled all the circumstances to me, and

I answered him. "I begin to grow like a dilap

t amiable princess, his wife; he had a lively sense of th

my interests at heart, as well as those who delight at my fears, seem persuaded that this provisional occupation will shortly become permanent. I dare not question you on th

punished them for it, as Caesar did, and as all great princes after him will do. But you have never shown him either coldness, or aversion, or indifference. He has commanded the Marechal de Luxembourg to enter your territory to pre

e present with him than that of his states; the bitterness which he drew from it was out of the retch of all consolation possible. The Marquise de Thianges procured the Chancellor of England to approach th

he greatest of kings. My sister wrote on the day following to the Marquis de Louvois, instead of asking it of the King in person. M. de Luvois, who, probably, wished

far as sovereignty. The case of the Principality of Orange is a good enough lesson to me; there must be one ruler only in an empire. As for you, my dear lady, feel no regret for all that. You shall be a duchess, and I am pleased to give you this title w

to whom we could entrust the unsavoury commission of approaching the Marquis de Montespan. He hated all my family from his having obtained no satisfaction from it for his wrath. We begged the Chancellor H

LIX . . . . AT

remarkable that so great a prince expects my intervention today to recompense conduct that I have disapproved, that I disapprove, and shall disapprove to my last breath. His Majesty has got eight or ten children from my wife without saying a word to me about it; this monarch can surely, therefore, make her a present of a du

a marquis; a marquis-apart from some unforeseen catastrophe-I will die; and Madame la

ss sensible, my lord, of the honour of your acquaintance, and since you form one of the society of Madame la Marquise, endeavour to release yourself

voluntary as yours), the most obl

RIN MON

English Chancellor, and said to me: "I begin to fear that the King of Versailles is not acting with good faith towards you

Marquis refused to assist his g

e must look s

M. de la Bruyere had arrived there with Monsieur le Prince, and that

s on me; Coulanges, whose flatteries ar

his master, he is his enthusiastic servitor now that he sees him so strong. He was fascinated with Mademoiselle de Nantes, and asked my permission to seek her h

passing from one knee to the other, insensibly faded away in both; and, after having given a brilliant fete to the Prince de Mont-Beliard, t

ness, and yet said no word to me of the harshness which I had suffered from my husband. Two or three months afterwards he recollected his royal word, and gave me to

all never be a duchess. In such a case, the King would not deserve the inward reproach

ess which make