Part 10 (1/2)
The King was born aives a thousand reasons in justification of his conquests But the desire for conquest proves hi a the treaty drawn up at the tie It was stipulated that the Infanta should have rights over the Netherlands, then possessed by Don Balthazar, Prince of Spain But it was agreed to give the Princess Maria Theresa a handso her rights
Her father, King Philip IV, died at the close of the year 1665, and the Queen-e of theCharles II, his brother-in-law, by troubling Spain afresh with his pretensions
Hardly had Anne of Austria been interred, when the King infor of the following year, he himself led an army into Spanish Flanders, where his appearance was not expected These fine provinces, badly provisioned and badly fortified, made but a merely formal resistance to Conde, Turenne, Crequi, and all our illustrious generals, who, led by the King in person, wrought the troops to a wild pitch of enthusiasne, and it was there that aited either news of the arne ent to La Fere, where we heard that the King was co to receive us Suddenly it was rumoured that the duchesse de la Valliere had just arrived, and that she was acting in accordance with orders received
The Queen began to weep, and, sobbing, bewailed her destiny She was seized by convulsions and violent retching, much to the alarm of her ladies and the physicians
Next day, after mass, the duchesse and the Marquise de la Valliere ca at theave orders that no food should be served to the to be coreatly of Mademoiselle de la Valliere, and the Princesse de Bade, one of the ladies-in-waiting, said to entleness, one could also display such impudence?” The duchesse de Montausier, I know not why, expressed herself to me in the same terms of amazement I replied that, ”Were I in that fair lady's place, I should dare to showher Majesty” I was often rebuked afterwards for this speech, which, I ad La Fere, the Queen gave particular orders to let the duchess have no relays, so that she could not follow; but the Master of the Horse had caused these to be brought to her fro my head out of hen we turned a corner of the road, I saw that La Valliere's coach, with six horses, was following quite close behind; but I took care not to tell the Queen, who believed those ladies were a long way off
All at once, on a height,a body of horseuished, riding at their head La Valliere's coach immediately left the main road, and drove across country, while the Queen called out to have it stopped; but the King eallop to a chateau already fixed upon for its reception
I like to be just, and it is my duty to be so This mark of irreverence towards the Queen is the only one for which Mademoiselle de la Valliere can be bla of her own accord; it was all the fault of the Marquise, blinded as she was by a Contenior's E First Lady of the Hareotiations with so Passionate an Ambassador--Help Sent to Candia--With Disastrous Results--Death of the Duc de Beaufort--Why It Is Good to Carry About the Picture of One's Lady-love
Having gained possession of the Netherlands in the na seriously conteation of the Dutch, and possibly also the invasion of these rich countries Meanwhile, he privately inti to each of theuarantee of assistance or neutrality in thisthat the Pope and the Venetians were urging our Cabinet to co a splendid e upon his conquest of Flanders, and to predict for hiht lead him
[This important island of Candia, the last powerful bulwark of Christendoed at that ti naturally fond of show and display, the King left nothing undone which ive brilliance to the reception of so renowned an embassy
The Court wore an air of such splendour and h they were to Asiatic pomp, seemed surprised and a, indeed, had been forgotten
The aThis Turk had splendidly shaped hands, and eyes that shone with extraordinary brilliance He conceived an ardent passion for ths that he sacrificed thereto all his gravity, all his stately Ottoman de his hand to his heart, stopping to gaze atintroduced (either by chance or design) to old box upon which he sawthe jeweller a considerable sued hi, in spite of his turban, he got into the large chapel of the chateau duringthe true God, Ibrahih, including the King
All such absurdities caused the ive him the required reply with all speed, and they were not backward in granting hio, Ibrahi that, in his country, I should be in the first rank, whereas at Saint Gered his interpreter to tell the King of France that the unhappy Ibrahi replied, with a smile, that he had ”better become a Christian, and stay with us”
At these words the a doards, withdrew, forgetting to salute his Majesty