Part 4 (1/2)
Anne of Austria had said to hi your journey was lest your ailetting back here again”
”Was such your thought, sister?” replied the good ly have come on foot, so as to behold with ive to hter”
After the oath of peace had been sworn upon the Gospels, there was a general presentation before the two Kings Cantocarrero, the Castilian secretary of state, presented the Spanish notabilities, while Cardinal Mazarin, in his pontifical robes, presented the French As he announced M de Turenne, the old King looked at hiiven ht”
M de Turenne bowed respectfully, and both courts could perceive in his si Spain and the King, young princess wasof it at all She holly engrossed by the possession of such a King, nor was she at any pains to hide her glee from us
Of all her Court ladies I was the most youthful and, perhaps, the most conspicuous At the outset the Queen showed a wish to takeould never consent to this
When, at that lottery of the Cardinal's, I won the King's portrait, the Queen-mother calledcould possibly have happened I replied that, during the garter-incident, the two tickets had got mixed ”Ah, in that case,” said the princess, ”the occurrence was quite a natural one So keep this portrait, since it has fallen into your hands; but, for God's sake, don't try and make yourself pleasant toas it is Look at that little La Valliere, what a rin she has caused my poor Maria Theresa!”
I replied to her Majesty that I would rather let myself be buried alive than ever imitate La Valliere, and I said so then because that was really what I thought
The Queen- hter” A few days afterwards she wished to walk in the gallery with me, and said to me, ”If God suffers ; be sure of that”
Anne of Austria was a tall, fine, dark wo The Infanta, her niece, is a very pretty blonde, blue-eyed, but short in stature
To her slightest words the Queen-hter-in-law's speeches and actions are of the si, she would pass her life in a dressing-gown, night-cap, and slippers At Court cereood huh her down, notably her diamonds
However, she has no reoodness, just as she is devoid of badness When co with her Molina, the daughter of her nurse, a sort of coave herself Court airs, and who ular little Court of her own Without her sanction nothing can be obtained of the Queen My lady Molina is the great, the s, like the others, remains submissive to her decisions and her inspection
French cookery, by coh perfect in its excellence; yet the Infanta could never get used to our dishes The Senora Molina, well furnished with silver kitchen utensils, has a sort of private kitchen or scullery reserved for her own use, and there it is that the manufacture takes place of clove-scented chocolate, brown soups and gravies, stews redolent with garlic, capsicu, and all that nauseous pastry in which the young Infanta revels
Ever since La Valliere's lasting triuot it into her head that she is despised; and at table I have often heard her say, ”They will help the”
I am not unjust, and I admit that a husband's public attachitimate consort with joy But, fortunately for the Infanta, the King abounds in rectitude and good-nature This very good-nature it is which prompts him to use all the consideration of which a noble nature is capable, and the ive the Queen just cause for anxiety, the more does he redouble his kindness and consideration towards her Of this she is sensible
Thus she acquiesces, and, as h tenderness as social tact, she never reproaches or upbraids hi scruple to adood-natured a partner, it is orth the trouble of going to fetch her from the other end of the world
CHAPTER XII
Madaned--Her Children Recognised by the King--Mada's Passion Grows More Serious--Love and Friendshi+p
Out of affection and respect for the Queen-ht to conceal the ardour of his attachment for Mademoiselle de la Valliere It was after the sixthat, like any private person, he felt hiave the Vaujours estate to histo the two children of his duchy, Mademoiselle de la Valliere assumed the title of duchess What a fuss she made at this time! All that was styled disinterestedness, modesty Not a bit of it
It was pusillanimity and a sense of servile fear La Valliere would have liked to enjoy her handsome lover in the shade and security ofherself to the satire of courtiers and of the public, and, above all, to the reproaches of her family and relatives, who nearly all were very devout
On this head, however, she soon saw that such fears were exaggerated The Marquise de Saint-Re on