Volver
Court Memoirs of France Series — Complete
Modo enfoque
Table of Contents
Court Memoirs of France Series — Complete
Various
1
BOOK 1. LETTER I.
2
BOOK V. ILLUSTRATIONS
3
BOOK I. MADAME:--Though I have a natural aversion to give you the history of my
4
BOOK II. MADAME:--I lay it down as a maxim, that men who enter the service of the
5
BOOK III. MADAME:--Cardinal Mazarin thought of nothing else now but how to rid
Leyendo
6
BOOK IV. In December, 1651, the Parliament agreed to the following resolution: To
7
BOOK V. I travelled from Piombino to Florence, where I had great honours and vast
8
BOOK 1. TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
9
CHAPTER I. The Reason for Writing These Memoirs.--Gabrielle d'Estrees.
10
CHAPTER II. That Which Often It is Best to Ignore.--A Marriage Such as One Constantly
11
CHAPTER III. Madame de Montespan at the Palace.--M. de Montespan.--His Indiscreet
12
CHAPTER IV. Mademoiselle de la Valliere Jealous.--The King Wishes All to Enjoy
13
CHAPTER V. The Marquis de Bragelonne, Officer of the Guards.--His Baleful Love.--His
14
CHAPTER VI. M. Fouquet.--His Mistake.--A Woman's Indiscretion May Cause the Loss of a
15
CHAPTER VII. Close of the Queen-mother's Illness.--The Archbishop of Auch.--The
16
CHAPTER VIII. Cardinal Mazarin.--Regency of Anne of Austria.--Her Perseverance in
17
CHAPTER IX. Marriage of Monsieur, the King's Brother.--His Hope of Mounting a
18
CHAPTER X. M. Colbert.--His Origin.--He Unveils and Displays Mazarin's Wealth.--The
19
CHAPTER XI. The Young Queen.--Her Portrait.--Her Whims.--Her Love for the King.--Her
20
CHAPTER XII. Madame de la Valliere Becomes Duchess.--Her Family is Resigned.--Her
21
CHAPTER XIII. First Vocation of Mademoiselle de la Valliere.--The King Surprises His
22
CHAPTER XIV. Story of the Queen-mother's Marriage with Cardinal Mazarin Published in
23
CHAPTER XV. Monsieur le Duc d'Orleans Wishes to be Governor of a Province.--The
24
CHAPTER XVI. Arms and Livery of Madame de Montespan.--Duchess or Princess.--Fresh
25
BOOK 2. CHAPTER XVII.
26
CHAPTER XVIII. Madame Scarron.--Her Petition.--The King's Aversion to Her.--She is
27
CHAPTER XIX. La Fontaine.--Boileau.--Moliere.--Corneille.--Louis XIV.'s Opinion of
28
CHAPTER XX. Birth of the Comte de Vegin.--Madame Scarron as Governess.--The King's
29
CHAPTER XXI. The Saint Denis View.--Superstitions, Apparitions.--Projected Enlargement
30
CHAPTER XXII. M. de Lauzun.--His Pretensions.--Erroneous Ideas of the Public.--The War
31
CHAPTER XXIII. The Abbe d'Estrees.--Singular Offers of Service.--Madame de Montespan
32
CHAPTER XXIV. Mademoiselle de Valois.--Mademoiselle d'Orleans.--Mademoiselle
33
CHAPTER XXV. Random Recollections.--Madame de Montespan Withdraws from Politics.--The
34
CHAPTER XXVI. The King Contemplates the Conquest of Holland.--The Grand Seignior's
35
CHAPTER XXVII. Danger of Harbouring a Malcontent.--The King's Policy with Regard to
36
CHAPTER XXVIII. Embassy of the King of Arda.--Political Influence Exercised by the Good
37
CHAPTER XXIX. Comte de Vegin, Abbe of Saint Germain des Pres.--Revenues Required, but
38
CHAPTER XXX. Once a Queen, Always a Queen.--An Anonymous Letter.--The Queen's
39
CHAPTER XXXI. The King Alters His Opinion about Madame Scarron.--He Wants Her to Assume
40
CHAPTER XXXII. The Second Comte de Vexin.--He is made Abbe of Saint Denis.--Priests or
41
CHAPTER XXXIII. M. de Lauzun Proposes for the Hand of Mademoiselle de Thianges.--Letter
42
CHAPTER XXXIV. Mademoiselle de Mortemart, Abbess of Fontevrault.--She Comes to
43
BOOK 3. CHAPTER XXXV.
44
CHAPTER XXXVI. Hyde, the Chancellor.--Misfortune Not Always Misfortune.--Prince
45
CHAPTER XXXVII The Universal Jubilee.--Court Preachers.--King David.--Madame de
46
CHAPTER XXXVIII. Madame de Montespan Back at Court.--Her Friends.--Her Enemies.--Edifying
47
CHAPTER XXXIX. Attempted Abduction.--The Marquise Procures a Bodyguard.--Her Reasons for
48
CHAPTER XL. Osmin, the Little Moor.--He Sets the Fashion.--The Queen Has a Black
49
CHAPTER XLI. Monsieur's Second Marriage.--Princess Palatine.--The Court Turnspit.--A
50
CHAPTER XLII. Madame de Montespan's Father-confessor.--He Alters His Opinion.--Madame
51
CHAPTER XLIII. The Comte de Guiche.--His Violent Passion for Madame.--His Despair.--He
52
CHAPTER XLIV. Mexica.--Philippa.--Molina.--The Queen's Jester.
53
CHAPTER XLV. Le Bouthilier de Ranch, Abbe de la Trappe.
54
CHAPTER XLVI. The Court Goes to Flanders.--Nancy.--Ravon.--Sainte Marie aux
55
CHAPTER XLVII. Moliere.--Racine.--Their Mutual Esteem.--Racine in Mourning.
56
CHAPTER XLVIII. Madame de Montausier and the Phantom.--What She Exacts from the
57
BOOK 4. CHAPTER XLIX.
58
CHAPTER L. Madame de Montespan's Children and Those of La Valliere.--Monsieur le
59
CHAPTER LI. Madame de Maintenon's Character.--The Queen Likes Her.--She Revisits Her
60
CHAPTER LII. The Young Flemish Lady.--The Sainte-Aldegonde Family.--The Sage of the
61
CHAPTER LIII. The Monks of Sainte Amandine.--The Prince of Orange Entrapped.--The
62
CHAPTER LIV. The Chevalier de Rohan.--He is Born Too Late.--His Debts.--Messina Ceded
63
CHAPTER LV. The Prince of Orange Captures Bonn.--The King Captures Orange.--The
64
CHAPTER LVI The Castle of Bleink-Elmeink.--Romantic and Extraordinary Discovery.--An
65
CHAPTER LVII. The Silver Chandelier.--The King Holds the Ladder.--The Young Dutchman.
66
CHAPTER LVIII. The Observatory.--The King Visits the Carthusians.--How a Painter with
67
CHAPTER LIX. Journey to Poitou.--The Mayor and the Sheriffs of Orleans.--The
68
CHAPTER LX. The Page-Dauphin.--A Billet from the King.--Madame de Maintenon's
69
CHAPTER LXI. Mademoiselle d'Amurande.--The Married Nun.--The Letter to the
70
BOOK 5. CHAPTER I.
71
CHAPTER II. The Venetian Drummer.--The Little Olivier.--Adriani's Love.--His
72
CHAPTER III. The Equipage at Full Speed.--The Poor Vine-grower.--Sensibility of Madame
73
CHAPTER IV. Charles II., King of England.--How Interest Can Give Memory.--His
74
CHAPTER V. The Great Mademoiselle Buys Choisy.--The President Gonthier.--The
75
CHAPTER VI. Departure of the King.--Ghent Reduced in Five Days.--Taking of
76
CHAPTER VII. Mission of Madame de Maintenon to Choisy.--Mademoiselle Gives the
77
CHAPTER VIII. M. de Brisacier and King Casimir.--One Is Never so Well Praised as by
78
CHAPTER IX. Compliment from Monsieur to the New Prince de Dombes.--Roman
79
CHAPTER X. The Benedictines of Fontevrault.--The Head in the Basin.--The Unfortunate
80
CHAPTER XI. Fine Couples Make Fine Children.--The Dauphine of Bavaria.--She
81
CHAPTER XII. The "Powder of Inheritance."--The Chambre Ardente.--The Comtesse de
82
CHAPTER XIII. Marie Louise, Daughter of Henrietta of England, Betrothed to the King of
83
CHAPTER XIV. The Dauphine of Bavaria.--The Confessor with Spurs.--Madame de Maintenon
84
CHAPTER XV. Pere de la Chaise.--The Jesuits.--The Pavilion of Belleville.--The
85
CHAPTER XVI. Mademoiselle de Fontanges.--The Pavilions of the Garden of Flora.--Rapid
86
CHAPTER XVII. Madame de Sevigne.--Madame de Grignan.--Madame de Montespan at the
87
CHAPTER XVIII. Reflections.--The Future.--The Refuge of Foresight.--Community of Saint
88
BOOK 6. CHAPTER XIX.
89
CHAPTER XX. The Duchesse d'Orleans.--The Duchesse de Richelieu.--An Epigram of Madame
90
CHAPTER XXI. The Marquis de Lauzun at Liberty.--His Conduct to His Wife.--Recovery of
91
CHAPTER XXII. Progress of Madame de Maintenon.--The Anonymous Letter.
92
CHAPTER XXIII. Madame de Maintenon at Loggerheads with Madame de Thianges.--The Mint of
93
CHAPTER XXIV. The Casket of M. de Lauzun.--His Historical Gallery.--He Makes Some
94
CHAPTER XXV. The Nephews, the Nieces, the Cousins and the Brother of Madame de
95
CHAPTER XXVI. Political Intrigue in Hungary.--Dignity of the King of the Romans.--The
96
CHAPTER XXVII. The Prince of Orange.--The Orange Coach.--The Bowls of Oranges.--The
97
CHAPTER XXVIII. Sickness.--Death of the Queen.--Her Last Words.--The King's
98
CHAPTER XXIX. Judgment Given by the Chatelet.--The Marquis d'Antin Restored to His
99
CHAPTER XXX. The Duc du Maine Provided with the Government of Languedoc.--The Young
100
CHAPTER XXXI. A Funeral and Diversions.--Sinister Dream.--Funeral Orations of the
101
CHAPTER XXXII. Jean Baptiste Colbert.--His Death.--His Great Works.--His Last Advice to
102
CHAPTER XXXIII. Mesdemoiselles de Mazarin.--The Age of Puberty.--Madame de
103
CHAPTER XXXIV. The Young Nobility and the Turks.--Private Correspondence.--The Unlucky
104
CHAPTER XXXV. Ninon at Court.--The King behind the Glass.--Anxiety of the Marquise on
105
CHAPTER XXXVI. Birth of the Duc d'Anjou.--The Present to the Mother.--The Casket of
106
BOOK 7. CHAPTER XXXVII
107
CHAPTER XXXVIII. The Reformed Religion and Painting on Enamel--Petitot and
108
CHAPTER XXXIV. Lovers' Vows.--The Body-guards.--Racine's Phedre.--The
109
CHAPTER XL. Parallel between the Diamond and the Sun.--Taste of the Marquise for
110
CHAPTER XLI. The Duchesse de Lesdiguieres.--Her Jest.--"The Chaise of
111
CHAPTER XLII. The Verse of Berenice.--Praises of Boileau.--The King's Aversion to
112
CHAPTER XLIII. Little Opportune.--M. and Madame Bontems.--The Young Moor Weaned.--The
113
CHAPTER XLIV. The Aristocratic Republic of Genoa Offends the King.--Its
114
CHAPTER XLV. The Comte de Vermandois.--His Entrance into the World.--Quarrels with the
115
CHAPTER XLVI. The House of Saint Cyr.--Petition of the Monks of Saint Denis to the
116
CHAPTER XLVII. Final Rupture.--Terrible Scene.--Madame de Maintenon in the Brocaded
117
BOOK 1. PREFACE.
118
BOOK 1. Preface
119
BOOK 2. Philippe I., Duc d'Orleans
120
BOOK 3. Henrietta of England, Monsieur's First Consort
121
BOOK 4. Victor Amadeus II.
122
BOOK 2. Philippe I., Duc d'Orleans
123
BOOK 3. Henrietta of England, Monsieur's First Consort
124
BOOK 4. Victor Amadeus II.
125
CHAPTER I Birth and Family.--Early Life.--Desire to join the Army.--Enter the
126
CHAPTER II The King's Natural Children.--Proposed Marriage of the Duc de Chartres.--
127
CHAPTER III Death of My Father.--Anecdotes of Louis XIII.--The Cardinal de
128
CHAPTER IV Position of the Prince of Orange.--Strange Conduct of the King.--Surprise
129
CHAPTER V M. de Luxemhourg's Claim of Precedence.--Origin of the Claim.--Duc de
130
CHAPTER VI Quarrels of the Princesses.--Mademoiselle Choin.--A Disgraceful Affair.--
131
CHAPTER VII Harlay and the Dutch.--Death of the Princess of Orange.--Count
132
CHAPTER VIII The Abbe de Fenelon.--The Jansenists and St. Sulpice.--Alliance with
133
CHAPTER IX Death of Archbishop Harlay.--Scene at Conflans.--"The Good Langres."--
134
CHAPTER X My Return to Fontainebleau.--A Calumny at Court.--Portrait of M. de La
135
CHAPTER XI A Scientific Retreat.--The Peace of Ryswick.--Prince of Conti King of
136
CHAPTER XII An Odd Marriage.--Black Daughter of the King.--Travels of Peter the
137
Book Condemned by M. de La Trappe.--Anecdote of the Head of Madame de
138
CHAPTER XIII Charnace.--An Odd Ejectment.--A Squabble at Cards.--Birth of My Son.--
139
CHAPTER XIV Gervaise Monk of La Trappe.----His Disgusting Profligacy.--The Author of
140
CHAPTER XV The Farrier of Salon.--Apparition of a Queen.--The Farrier Comes to
141
CHAPTER XVI Reform at Court.--Cardinal Delfini.--Pride of M. de Monaco.--Early Life
142
CHAPTER XVII A Marriage Bargain.--Mademoiselle de Mailly.--James II.--Begging
143
CHAPTER XVIII Settlement of the Spanish Succession.--King William III.--New Party in
144
CHAPTER XIX Marriage of Phillip V.--The Queen's Journey.--Rival Dishes.--
145
CHAPTER XX Discontent and Death of Barbezieux.--His Character.--Elevation of
146
CHAPTER XXI Monseigneur's Indigestion.--The King Disturbed.--The Ladies of the
147
CHAPTER XXII The Dead Soon Forgotten.--Feelings of Madame de Maintenon.--And of the
148
CHAPTER XXIII Scandalous Adventure of the Abbesse de la Joye.--Anecdote of Madame de
149
CHAPTER XXIV Changes in the Army.--I Leave the Service.--Annoyance of the King.--The
150
CHAPTER XXV Anecdote of Canaples.--Death of the Duc de Coislin.--Anecdotes of His
151
CHAPTER XXVI The Prince d'Harcourt.--His Character and That of His Wife.--Odd Court
152
CHAPTER XXVII Madame des Ursins.--Her Marriage and Character.--The Queen of Spain.--
153
CHAPTER XXVIII Appointment of the Duke of Berwick.--Deception Practised by Orry.--Anger
154
CHAPTER XXIX An Honest Courtier.--Robbery of Courtin and Fieubet.--An Important
155
CHAPTER XXX Naval Battle of Malaga.--Danger of Gibraltar.--Duke of Mantua in Search
156
CHAPTER XXXI Fascination of the Duchesse de Bourgogne.--Fortunes of Nangis.--He Is
157
CHAPTER XXXII Death of M. de Duras.--Selfishness of the King.--Anecdote of Puysieux.--
158
CHAPTER XXXIII A Hunting Adventure.--Story and Catastrophe of Fargues.--Death and
159
CHAPTER XXXIV Arrival of Vendome at Court.--Character of That Disgusting Personage.--
160
CHAPTER XXXV Abandonment of the Siege of Barcelona.--Affairs of Italy.--
161
CHAPTER XXXVI Measures of Economy.--Financial Embarrassments.--The King and
162
CHAPTER XXXVII My Appointment as Ambassador to Rome.--How It Fell Through.--Anecdotes of
163
CHAPTER XXXVIII Death and Last Days of Madame de Montespan.--Selfishness of the King.--
164
CHAPTER XXXIX Precedence at the Communion Table.--The King Offended with Madame de
165
CHAPTER XL Death and Character of Brissac.--Brissac and the Court Ladies.--The
166
CHAPTER XLI The Duc d'Orleans in Spain.--Offends Madame des Ursins and Madame de
167
CHAPTER XLII Conflicting Reports.--Attacks on the Duc de Bourgogne.--The Duchesse de
168
CHAPTER XLIII Equivocal Position of the Duc de Bourgogne.--His Weak Conduct.--
169
CHAPTER XLIV Tremendous Cold in France.--Winters of 1708-1709--Financiers and the
170
CHAPTER XLV M. de Vendome out of Favour.--Death and Character of the Prince de
171
CHAPTER XLVI Death of Pere La Chaise.--His Infirmities in Old Age.--Partiality of the
172
CHAPTER XLVII Death of D'Avaux.--A Quarrel about a Window.--Louvois and the King.--
173
CHAPTER XLVIII Progress of the War.--Simplicity of Chamillart.--The Imperialists and the
174
CHAPTER XLIX Danger of Chamillart.--Witticism of D'Harcourt.--Faults of Chamillart.--
175
CHAPTER L. Disgrace of the Duc d'Orleans.--I Endeavor to Separate Him from Madame
176
CHAPTER LI Proposed Marriage of Mademoiselle.--My Intrigues to Bring It About.--The
177
CHAPTER LII Birth of Louis XV.--The Marechale de la Meilleraye.--Saint-Ruth's
178
CHAPTER LIII Imprudence of Villars.--The Danger of Truthfulness.--Military Mistakes.--
179
CHAPTER LIV Duchesse de Berry Drunk.--Operations in Spain.--Vendome Demanded by
180
CHAPTER LV State of the Country.--New Taxes.--The King's Conscience Troubled.--
181
CHAPTER LVI My Interview with Du Mont.--A Mysterious Communication. --Anger of
182
CHAPTER LVII A Rumour Reaches Versailles.--Aspect of the Court.--Various Forms of
183
CHAPTER LVIII State of the Court at Death of Monseigneur.--Conduct of the Dauphin and
184
CHAPTER LIX Warnings to the Dauphin and the Dauphine.--The Dauphine Sickens and
185
CHAPTER LX Certainty of Poison.--The Supposed Criminal.--Excitement of the People
186
CHAPTER LXI The King's Selfishness.--Defeat of the Czar.--Death of Catinat.--Last
187
CHAPTER LXII Settlement of the Spanish Succession.--Renunciation of France.--Comic
188
CHAPTER LXIII The Bull Unigenitus.--My Interview with Father Tellier.--Curious
189
CHAPTER LXIV The King of Spain a Widower.--Intrigues of Madame des Ursins.--Choice of
190
CHAPTER LXV The King of Spain Acquiesces in the Disgrace of Madame des Ursins.--Its
191
CHAPTER LXVI Sudden Illness of the Duc de Berry--Suspicious Symptoms.--The Duchess
192
CHAPTER LXVII Maisons Seeks My Acquaintance.--His Mysterious Manner.--Increase of the
193
CHAPTER LXVIII The King Unhappy and Ill at Ease.--Court Paid to Him.--A New Scheme to
194
CHAPTER LXIX A New Visit from Maisons.--His Violent Project.--My Objections.--He
195
CHAPTER LXX Character and Position of the Duc d'Orleans--His Manners, Talents, and
196
CHAPTER LXXI The Duke Tries to Raise the Devil.--Magical Experiments.--His Religious
197
CHAPTER LXXII The King's Health Declines.--Bets about His Death.--Lord Stair.--My New
198
CHAPTER LXXIII Early Life of Louis XIV.--His Education.--His Enormous Vanity.--His
199
CHAPTER LXXIV Excessive Politeness.--Influence of the Valets.--How the King Drove
200
CHAPTER LXXV Amours of the King.--La Valliere.--Montespan.--Scandalous Publicity.--
201
CHAPTER LXXVI Character of Madame de Maintenon.--Her Conversation.--Her Narrow-
202
CHAPTER LXXVII Daily Occupations of Madame de Maintenon.--Her Policy--How She Governed
203
CHAPTER LXXVIII External Life of Louis XIV.--At the Army.--Etiquette of the King's
204
CHAPTER LXXIX Surprise of M. d'Orleans at the King's Death.--My Interview with Him.--
205
CHAPTER LXXX The Young King's Cold.--'Lettres des Cachet' Revived.--A Melancholy
206
CHAPTER LXXXI Behaviour of the Duchesse de Berry.--Her Arrogance Checked by Public
207
CHAPTER LXXXII First Appearance of Law.--His Banking Project Supported by the Regent.--
208
CHAPTER LXXXIII Rise of Alberoni.--Intimacy of France and England.--Gibraltar Proposed to
209
CHAPTER LXXXIV The Lieutenant of Police.--Jealousy of Parliament.--Arrest of Pomereu
210
CHAPTER LXXXV Death of the Duchesse de Lesdiguieres.--Cavoye and His Wife.--Peter the
211
CHAPTER LXXXVI Personal Appearance of the Czar.--His Meals.--Invited by the Regent.--
212
CHAPTER LXXXVII Courson in Languedoc.--Complaints of Perigueux.--Deputies to Paris.--
213
CHAPTER LXXXVIII Policy and Schemes of Alberoni.--He is Made a Cardinal.--Other Rewards
214
CHAPTER LXXXIX Anecdote of the Duc d'Orleans.--He Pretends to Reform --Trick Played upon
215
CHAPTER XC Encroachments of the Parliament.--The Money Edict.--Conflict of Powers--
216
CHAPTER XCI Proposed Bed of Justice.--My Scheme.--Interview with the Regent.--
217
CHAPTER XCII The Material Preparations for the Bed of Justice--Arrival of the Duc
218
CHAPTER XCIII Continuation of the Scene in the Council Chamber.--Slowness of the
219
CHAPTER XCIV My Return Home.--Wanted for a New Commission.--Go to the Palais Royal.--
220
CHAPTER XCV Intrigues of M. du Maine.--And of Cellamare, the Spanish Ambassador.--
221
CHAPTER XCVI The Regent Sends for Me.--Guilt of the Duc de Maine.--Proposed Arrest.--
222
CHAPTER XCVII Anecdote of Madame de Charlus.--The 'Phillippaques'.--La Grange.--
223
CHAPTER XCVIII Mode of Life of the Duchesse de Berry.--Her Illness.--Her Degrading
224
CHAPTER XCIX The Mississippi Scheme.--Law Offers Me Shares.--Compensation for Blaye.--
225
CHAPTER C System of Law in Danger.--Prodigality of the Duc d'Orleans.--Admissions
226
CHAPTER CI The New Edict.--The Commercial Company.--New Edict.--Rush on the Bank.--
227
CHAPTER CII Council on the Finances.--Departure of Law--A Strange Dialogue.--M. le
228
CHAPTER CIII Character of Alberoni.--His Grand Projects.--Plots against Him.--The
229
CHAPTER CIV Meetings of the Council.--A Kitten.--The Archbishopric of Cambrai.--
230
CHAPTER CV Quarrel of the King of England with His Son.--Schemes of Dubois.--
231
CHAPTER CVI Projected Marriages of the King and of the Daughter of the Duc d'Orleans_
232
CHAPTER CVII Interview with Dubois.--His Singular Instructions to Ale.--His Insidious
233
CHAPTER CVIII Interview in the Hall of Mirrors.--Preliminaries of the Marriages.--
234
CHAPTER CIX Mademoiselle de Montpensier Sets out for Spain.--I Carry the News to the
235
CHAPTER CX Mode of Life of Their Catholic Majesties.--Their Night.--Morning.--
236
CHAPTER CXI The King's Taste for Hunting.--Preparations for a Battue.--Dull Work.--
237
CHAPTER CXII Marriage of the Prince of the Asturias.--An Ignorant Cardinal.--I Am Made
238
CHAPTER CXIII Attempted Reconciliation between Dubois and Villeroy.--Violent Scene.--
239
CHAPTER CXIV I Am Sent for by Cardinal Dubois.--Flight of Frejus.--He Is Sought and
240
CHAPTER CXV I Retire from Public Life.--Illness and Death of Dubois. --Account of His
241
CHAPTER CXVI Death of Lauzun.--His Extraordinary Adventures.--His Success at Court.--
242
CHAPTER CXVII Lauzun's Magnificence.--Louvois Conspires against Him.--He Is
243
CHAPTER CXVIII Lauzun Regrets His Former Favour.--Means Taken to Recover It.--Failure.--
244
CHAPTER CXIX Ill-Health of the Regent.--My Fears.--He Desires a Sudden Death.--
245
VOLUME 1. CHAPTER I
246
CHAPTER II. The King was very anxious to establish his illegitimate children, whom he
247
CHAPTER III On May 3d 1693, the King announced his intention of placing himself at
248
CHAPTER IV After having paid the last duties to my father I betook myself to Mons to
249
CHAPTER V On my return from La Trappe, I became engaged in an affair which made a
250
CHAPTER VI After our long rest at the camp of Gaw-Boecklheim we again put ourselves
251
CHAPTER VII Thus ended this long and important case; and now let me go back again to
252
CHAPTER VIII Before speaking of what happened at Court after my return, it will be
253
VOLUME 2. CHAPTER IX
254
CHAPTER X Meanwhile our campaign upon the Rhine proceeded, and the enemy, having
255
CHAPTER XI The disposition of the armies was the same this year as last, except that
256
CHAPTER XII Here perhaps is the place to speak of Charles IV., Duc de Lorraine, so
257
CHAPTER XIII About this time the King caused Charnace to be arrested in a province to
258
CHAPTER XIV Here I will relate an adventure, which shows that, however wise and
259
CHAPTER XV On the 12th August, Madame de Saint-Simon was happily delivered of a
260
CHAPTER XVI The year 1700 commenced by a reform. The King declared that he would no
261
CHAPTER XVII Chateauneuf, Secretary of State, died about this time. He had asked that
262
VOLUME 3. CHAPTER XVIII
263
CHAPTER XIX Shortly after his arrival in Madrid, the new King of Spain began to look
264
CHAPTER XX But it is time now for me to go back to other matters, and to start again
265
CHAPTER XXI On Saturday, the 19th of March, in the evening, the King was about to
266
CHAPTER XXII After such a frightful spectacle as had been witnessed, so many tears and
267
CHAPTER XXIII A the breaking out of the war in Italy this year Segur bought the
268
CHAPTER XXIV The changes which took place in the army after the Peace of Ryswick, were
269
VOLUME 4. CHAPTER XXV
270
CHAPTER XXVI The Prince d'Harcourt at last obtained permission to wait on the King,
271
CHAPTER XXVII In a previous page I have alluded to the Princesse des Ursins, when she
272
CHAPTER XXVIII Some little time previously it had been thought necessary to send an army
273
CHAPTER XXIX In relating what happened to Madame des Ursins upon her return to Spain,
274
CHAPTER XXX The King did not long remain without some consolation for the loss of the
275
CHAPTER XXXI There presents itself to my memory an anecdote which it would be very
276
CHAPTER XXXII At the beginning of October, news reached the Court, which was at
277
VOLUME 5. CHAPTER XXXIII
278
CHAPTER XXXIV In the midst of all this gaiety, that is to say on the 12th of February,
279
CHAPTER XXXV Meanwhile, as I have promised to relate, in a continuous narrative, all
280
CHAPTER XXXVI Such was our military history of the year 1706--history of losses and
281
CHAPTER XXXVII It was just at the commencement of the year 1706, that I received a piece
282
CHAPTER XXXVIII On Wednesday, the 27th of May, 1707, at three o'clock in the morning,
283
VOLUME 6. CHAPTER XXXIX
284
CHAPTER XL Brissac, Major of the Body-guards, died of age and ennui about this time,
285
CHAPTER XLI The war this year proceeded much as before. M. d'Orleans went to Spain
286
CHAPTER XLII As soon as Monseigneur le Duc de Bourgogne arrived at Lawendeghem, he
287
CHAPTER XLIII The position of Monseigneur le Duc de Bourgogne at the army continued to
288
CHAPTER XLIV. One of the reasons Madame de Maintenon had brought forward, which much
289
CHAPTER XLV After his return from the campaign, M. de Vendome continued to be paid
290
CHAPTER XLVI. It is time now to retrace my steps to the point from which I have been
291
VOLUME 7. CHAPTER XLVII
292
CHAPTER XLVIII. It is time now that I should speak of our military operations this year
293
CHAPTER XLIX But, meanwhile, a great change had taken place at Court. Chamillart had
294
CHAPTER L I have described in its proper place the profound fall of M. le Duc
295
CHAPTER LI It was the desire of the Duc and Duchesse d'Orleans to marry Mademoiselle
296
CHAPTER LII On Saturday, the 15th of February, the King was waked up at seven o'clock
297
CHAPTER LIII The King, who had made numberless promotions, appointed this year the
298
CHAPTER LIV Before I commence speaking of the affairs of Spain, let me pass lightly
299
VOLUME 8. CHAPTER LV
300
CHAPTER LVI But in Order to understand the part I played in the event I have alluded
301
CHAPTER LVII While Meudon was filled with horror, all was tranquil at Versailles,
302
CHAPTER LVIII The death of Monseigneur, as we have seen, made a great change in the
303
CHAPTER LIX On Monday, the 18th of January, 1712, after a visit to Versailles, the
304
CHAPTER LX The consternation at the event that had taken place was real and general;
305
VOLUME 9. CHAPTER LXI
306
CHAPTER LXII. Peace was now all but concluded between France and England. There was,
307
CHAPTER LXIII It is now time that I should say something of the infamous bull
308
CHAPTER LXIV The Queen of Spain, for a long time violently attacked with the king's
309
CHAPTER LXV The officer of the guards, whom the Queen despatched with a letter for
310
CHAPTER LVI But I must return somewhat now, in order to make way for a crowd of
311
CHAPTER LXVII. It is time now that I should say something about an event that caused an
312
CHAPTER LXVIII But let me now explain by what means the King was induced to arrive at,
313
CHAPTER LXIX Let me return to Maisons. Five days after the King's will had been
314
VOLUME 10. CHAPTER LXX
315
CHAPTER LXXI But to return to M. le Duc d'Orleans.
316
CHAPTER LXXII LOUIS XIV. began, as I have before remarked, sensibly to decline, and
317
CHAPTER LXXIII I shall pass over the stormy period of Louis XIV.'s minority. At twenty-
318
CHAPTER LXXIV Never did man give with better grace than Louis XIV., or augmented so
319
CHAPTER LXXV Let me now speak of the amours of the King in which were even more fatal
320
CHAPTER LXXVI Madame de Maintenon was a woman of much wit, which the good company, in
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CHAPTER LXXVII It must not be imagined that in order to maintain her position Madame de
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VOLUME 11. CHAPTER LXXVIII
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CHAPTER LXXIX The death of the King surprised M. le Duc d'Orleans in the midst of his
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CHAPTER LXXX Saturday, the 7th of September, was the day fixed for the first Bed of
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CHAPTER LXXXI I must say a few words now of Madame la Duchesse de Berry, who, as may be
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CHAPTER LXXXII Let me speak now of another matter.
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CHAPTER LXXXIII I have elsewhere alluded to Alberoni, and shown what filthy baseness he
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CHAPTER LXXXIV I have already shown in these memoirs, that the late King had made of the
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CHAPTER LXXXV In 1716 the Duchesse de Lesdiguieres died at Paris in her fine hotel.
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CHAPTER LXXXVI The Czar was a very tall man, exceedingly well made; rather thin, his
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CHAPTER LXXXVII Courson, Intendant, or rather King of Languedoc, exercised his authority
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VOLUME 12. CHAPTER LXXXVIII
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CHAPTER LXXXIX I must not omit to mention an incident which occurred during the early
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CHAPTER XC It is time now that I should speak of matters of very great importance,
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CHAPTER XCI This done I proposed, and the others approved my proposition, that a Bed
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CHAPTER XCII Arrived at the grand court of the Tuileries about eight o'clock without
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CHAPTER XCIII It was now a little after ten. We remained a good half-hour in our
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CHAPTER XCIV. A little while before leaving the Cabinet of the Council for the Bed of
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CHAPTER XCV It was scarcely to be expected, perhaps, that M. du Maine would remain
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CHAPTER XCVI To return now to what took place at Paris.
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VOLUME 13. CHAPTER XCVII
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CHAPTER XCVII. Madame la Duchesse de Berry was living as usual, amid the loftiest pride,
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CHAPTER XCIX Law had established his Mississippi Company, and now began to do marvels
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CHAPTER C About the commencement of the new year, 1720, the system of Law
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CHAPTER CI Immediately after the issue of this decree an edict was drawn up for the
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CHAPTER CII Not long after the flight of Law, that is to say, on Sunday, the 24th of
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CHAPTER CIII Alberoni had made himself detested by all Europe,--for all Europe, in one
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CHAPTER CIV The King attended the Royal Council for the first time on Sunday, the
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VOLUME 14 CHAPTER CV
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CHAPTER CVI Before this illness of the King, that is to say, at the commencement of
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CHAPTER CVII I have already said that Dubois looked most unfavourably upon my embassy
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CHAPTER CVIII Early the next morning I received a visit from Grimaldo, Minister of
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CHAPTER CIX On Thursday, the 27th of November, the King and Queen were to depart from
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CHAPTER CX Here I think will be the fitting place to introduce an account of the
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CHAPTER CXI. The chase was every day the amusement of the King, and the Queen was
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CHAPTER CXII The Regent's daughter arrived in Spain at the commencement of the year
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VOLUME 15. CHAPTER CXIII
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CHAPTER CXIV That same 14th, as I rose from dinner at Meudon, with much company, the
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CHAPTER CXV Villeroy being banished, the last remaining obstacle in Dubois' path was
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CHAPTER CXVI The Duc de Lauzun died on the 19th of November, at the age of ninety
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CHAPTER CXVII In 1670 the King wished to make a triumphant journey with the ladies,
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CHAPTER CXVIII I have elsewhere related Lauzun's humours, his notable wanton tricks, and
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CHAPTER CXIX The new chateau of Meudon, completely furnished, had been restored to me
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BOOK 2. SECTION I.
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CHAPTER I. I was fifteen years of age when I was appointed reader to Mesdames. I will begin by describing the Court at that period.
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CHAPTER II. MARIE ANTOINETTE JOSEPHE JEANNE DE LORRAINE, Archduchess of Austria, daughter of Francois de Lorraine and of Maria Theresa, was born on the 2d of November, 1755, the day of the earthquake at Lisbon; and this catastrophe, which appeared to stamp the era of her birth with a fatal mark, without forming a motive for superstitious fear with the Princess, nevertheless made an impression upon her mind. As the Empress already had a great number of daughters, she ardently desired to have another son, and playfully wagered against her wish with the Duc de Tarouka, who had insisted that she would give birth to an archduke. He lost by the birth of the Princess, and had executed in porcelain a figure with one knee bent on the earth, and presenting tablets, upon which the following lines by Metastasio were engraved:
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CHAPTER III. A superb pavilion had been prepared upon the frontier near Kehl. It consisted of a vast salon, connected with two apartments, one of which was assigned to the lords and ladies of the Court of Vienna, and the other to the suite of the Dauphiness, composed of the Comtesse de Noailles, her lady of honour; the Duchesse de Cosse, her dame d'atours; four ladies of the palace; the Comte de Saulx-Tavannes, chevalier d'honneur; the Comte de Tesse, first equerry; the Bishop of Chartres, first almoner; the officers of the Body Guard, and the equerries.
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CHAPTER IV. About the beginning of May, 1774, Louis XV., the strength of whose constitution had promised a long enough life, was attacked by confluent smallpox of the worst kind. Mesdames at this juncture inspired the Dauphiness with a feeling of respect and attachment, of which she gave them repeated proofs when she ascended the throne. In fact, nothing was more admirable nor more affecting than the courage with which they braved that most horrible disease. The air of the palace was infected; more than fifty persons took the smallpox, in consequence of having merely loitered in the galleries of Versailles, and ten died of it.
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CHAPTER V. At the period of his grandfather's death, Louis XVI. began to be exceedingly attached to the Queen. The first period of so deep a mourning not admitting of indulgence in the diversion of hunting, he proposed to her walks in the gardens of Choisy; they went out like husband and wife, the young King giving his arm to the Queen, and accompanied by a very small suite. The influence of this example had such an effect upon the courtiers that the next day several couples, who had long, and for good reasons, been disunited, were seen walking upon the terrace with the same apparent conjugal intimacy. Thus they spent whole hours, braving the intolerable wearisomeness of their protracted tete-a-tetes, out of mere obsequious imitation.
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CHAPTER VI. During the first few months of his reign Louis XVI. dwelt at La Muette, Marly, and Compiegne. When settled at Versailles he occupied himself with a general examination of his grandfather's papers. He had promised the Queen to communicate to her all that he might discover relative to the history of the man with the iron mask, who, he thought, had become so inexhaustible a source of conjecture only in consequence of the interest which the pen of a celebrated writer had excited respecting the detention of a prisoner of State, who was merely a man of whimsical tastes and habits.
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CHAPTER VII. The winter following the confinement of the Comtesse d'Artois was very severe; the recollections of the pleasure which sleighing-parties had given the Queen in her childhood made her wish to introduce similar ones in France. This amusement had already been known in that Court, as was proved by sleighs being found in the stables which had been used by the Dauphin, the father of Louis XVI. Some were constructed for the Queen in a more modern style. The Princes also ordered several; and in a few days there was a tolerable number of these vehicles. They were driven by the princes and noblemen of the Court. The noise of the bells and balls with which the harness of the horses was furnished, the elegance and whiteness of their plumes, the varied forms of the carriages, the gold with which they were all ornamented, rendered these parties delightful to the eye. The winter was very favourable to them, the snow remaining on the ground nearly six weeks; the drives in the park afforded a pleasure shared by the spectators.
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CHAPTER VIII. The Duc de Choiseul had reappeared at Court on the ceremony of the King's coronation for the first time after his disgrace under Louis XV. in 1770. The state of public feeling on the subject gave his friends hope of seeing him again in administration, or in the Council of State; but the opposite party was too firmly seated at Versailles, and the young Queen's influence was outweighed, in the mind of the King, by long-standing prejudices; she therefore gave up for ever her attempt to reinstate the Duke. Thus this Princess, who has been described as so ambitious, and so strenuously supporting the interest of the House of Austria, failed twice in the only scheme which could forward the views constantly attributed to her; and spent the whole of her reign surrounded by enemies of herself and her house.
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CHAPTER IX. From the time of Louis XVI.'s accession to the throne, the Queen had been expecting a visit from her brother, the Emperor Joseph II. That Prince was the constant theme of her discourse. She boasted of his intelligence, his love of occupation, his military knowledge, and the perfect simplicity of his manners. Those about her Majesty ardently wished to see at Versailles a prince so worthy of his rank. At length the coming of Joseph II., under the title of Count Falkenstein, was announced, and the very day on which he would be at Versailles was mentioned. The first embraces between the Queen and her august brother took place in the presence of all the Queen's household. The sight of their emotion was extremely affecting.
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CHAPTER X. During the alarm for the life of the Queen, regret at not possessing an heir to the throne was not even thought of. The King himself was wholly occupied with the care of preserving an adored wife. The young Princess was presented to her mother. "Poor little one," said the Queen, "you were not wished for, but you are not on that account less dear to me. A son would have been rather the property of the State. You shall be mine; you shall have my undivided care, shall share all my happiness, and console me in all my troubles."
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CHAPTER XI. About the close of the last century several of the Northern sovereigns took a fancy for travelling. Christian III., King of Denmark, visited the Court of France in 1763, during the reign of Louis XV. We have seen the King of Sweden and Joseph II. at Versailles. The Grand Duke of Russia (afterwards Paul I.), son of Catherine II., and the Princess of Wurtemberg, his wife, likewise resolved to visit France. They travelled under the titles of the Comte and Comtesse du Nord. They were presented on the 20th of May, 1782. The Queen received them with grace and dignity. On the day of their arrival at Versailles they dined in private with the King and Queen.
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CHAPTER XII. The Queen did not sufficiently conceal the dissatisfaction she felt at having been unable to prevent the appointment of M. de Calonne; she even one day went so far as to say at the Duchess's, in the midst of the partisans and protectors of that minister, that the finances of France passed alternately from the hands of an honest man without talent into those of a skilful knave. M. de Calonne was thus far from acting in concert with the Queen all the time that he continued in office; and, while dull verses were circulated about Paris describing the Queen and her favourite dipping at pleasure into the coffers of the comptroller-general, the Queen was avoiding all communication with him.
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CHAPTER XIII. Shortly after the public mind had been thrown into agitation by the performance of the "Mariage de Figaro," an obscure plot, contrived by swindlers, and matured in a corrupted society, attacked the Queen's character in a vital point and assailed the majesty of the throne.
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CHAPTER XIV. The Abbe de Vermond could not repress his exultation when he succeeded in getting the Archbishop of Sens appointed head of the council of finance. I have more than once heard him say that seventeen years of patience were not too long a term for success in a Court; that he spent all that time in gaining the end he had in view; but that at length the Archbishop was where he ought to be for the good of the State. The Abbe, from this time, in the Queen's private circle no longer concealed his credit and influence; nothing could equal the confidence with which he displayed the extent of his pretensions. He requested the Queen to order that the apartments appropriated to him should be enlarged, telling her that, being obliged to give audiences to bishops, cardinals, and ministers, he required a residence suitable to his present circumstances. The Queen continued to treat him as she did before the Archbishop's arrival at Court; but the household showed him increased consideration: the word "Monsieur" preceded that of Abbe; and from that moment not only the livery servants, but also the people of the antechambers rose when Monsieur l'Abbe was passing, though there never was, to my knowledge, any order given to that effect.
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BOOK 2. CHAPTER I.
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CHAPTER II. After the 14th of July, by a manoeuvre for which the most skilful factions of any age might have envied the Assembly, the whole population of France was armed and organised into a National Guard. A report was spread throughout France on the same day, and almost at the same hour, that four thousand brigands were marching towards such towns or villages as it was wished to induce to take arms. Never was any plan better laid; terror spread at the same moment all over the kingdom. In 1791 a peasant showed me a steep rock in the mountains of the Mont d'Or on which his wife concealed herself on the day when the four thousand brigands were to attack their village, and told me they had been obliged to make use of ropes to let her down from the height which fear alone had enabled her to climb.
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CHAPTER III. In February, 1790, another matter gave the Court much uneasiness; a zealous individual of the name of Favras had conceived the scheme of carrying off the King, and affecting a counter-revolution. Monsieur, probably out of mere benevolence, gave him some money, and thence arose a report that he thereby wished to favour the execution of the enterprise. The step taken by Monsieur in going to the Hotel de Ville to explain himself on this matter was unknown to the Queen; it is more than probable that the King was acquainted with it. When judgment was pronounced upon M. de Favras the Queen did not conceal from me her fears about the confessions of the unfortunate man in his last moments.
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CHAPTER IV. There was a meeting at Paris for the first federation on the 14th of July, 1790, the anniversary of the taking of the Bastille. What an astonishing assemblage of four hundred thousand men, of whom there were not perhaps two hundred who did not believe that the King found happiness and glory in the order of things then being established. The love which was borne him by all, with the exception of those who meditated his ruin, still reigned in the hearts of the French in the departments; but if I may judge from those whom I had an opportunity of seeing, it was totally impossible to enlighten them; they were as much attached to the King as to the constitution, and to the constitution as to the King; and it was impossible to separate the one from the other in their hearts and minds.
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CHAPTER V. In the beginning of the spring of 1791, the King, tired of remaining at the Tuileries, wished to return to St. Cloud. His whole household had already gone, and his dinner was prepared there. He got into his carriage at one; the guard mutinied, shut the gates, and declared they would not let him pass. This event certainly proceeded from some suspicion of a plan to escape. Two persons who drew near the King's carriage were very ill treated. My father-in-law was violently laid hold of by the guards, who took his sword from him. The King and his family were obliged to alight and return to their apartments.
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CHAPTER VI. On my arrival at Paris on the 25th of August I found the state of feeling there much more temperate than I had dared to hope. The conversation generally ran upon the acceptance of the constitution, and the fetes which would be given in consequence. The struggle between the Jacobins and the constitutionals on the 17th of July, 1791, nevertheless had thrown the Queen into great terror for some moments; and the firing of the cannon from the Champ de Mars upon a party which called for a trial of the King, and the leaders of which were in the very bosom of the Assembly, left the most gloomy impressions upon her mind.
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CHAPTER VII. In the beginning of the year 1792, a worthy priest requested a private interview with me. He had learned the existence of a new libel by Madame de Lamotte. He told me that the people who came from London to get it printed in Paris only desired gain, and that they were ready to deliver the manuscript to him for a thousand louis, if he could find any friend of the Queen disposed to make that sacrifice for her peace; that he had thought of me, and if her Majesty would give him the twenty-four thousand francs, he would hand the manuscript to me.
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CHAPTER VIII. During July the correspondence of M. Bertrand de Molleville with the King and Queen was most active. M. de Marsilly, formerly a lieutenant of the Cent-Suisses of the Guard, was the bearer of the letters.
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CHAPTER IX. The Queen having been robbed of her purse as she was passing from the Tuileries to the Feuillans, requested my sister to lend her twenty-five louis.
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BOOK 2. LETTER I.
Chapter 5 of 388
BOOK III. MADAME:--Cardinal Mazarin thought of nothing else now but how to rid
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