Part 13 (1/2)

Then one of the monks, in the most serious manner, said, ”It's not as sood deal”

Mada, and I was not slow to follow her exaravity He said to the priest, ”My father, you turn a pretty coht to have belonged to the Jesuits, not to the Benedictines”

We burst out laughing anew, and this convent-deputation, the glooed to cause us some diversion, after all

To make amends for our apparent frivolity, his Majesty himself took them to see his splendid cabinet of medals and coins, and sent thees

CHAPTER xxxIII

M de Lauzun Proposes for the Hand of Madees--Letter froes Thinks that Her Daughter Has Married a Reigning Prince--The King Disposes Otherwise--The Duc de Nevers

The brilliant Marquis de Lauzun, after paying court to myself, suddenly, turned his attention to Madeure and a handsoentleood match, M de Lauzun was, in all respects, worthy of my niece But this presuant, without the reater, and in society one talked of nothing but his lavish expenditure and his creditors I know that the purses of forty woa-es and h resolved to let hiood-will, ere equally determined never to accept such a man as son-in-law and nephew

Hereupon the letter which I aer:

PRINCE CHARLES DE LORRAINE TO MADAME LA MARQUISE DE MONTESPAN

MADAME:--My unfortunate uncle and I have always loved France, but France has forced us both to break off all relations with her and to becoenerosity ith the Imperial Court seeks to comfort us in our misfortune, the perpetual cry of our hearts calls us back to our fatherland,--to that matchless land where uilty of no cri for Henri IV, after his humiliation by a shan all his property in my favour, and to meet the wishes of his Majesty as to the wife that should be mine

When my uncle asked for the hand of Mademoiselle de Montpensier, on my behalf, my cousin replied that a ruined and disur well for a dowry, and she further re

When I begged Cardinal Mazarin to grant me the hand of the present Madame de Mazarin, his Ee that; but as regards et her married immediately”

When, before God and man, I wedded Mademoiselle de Nemours, whose worthy n the e contract, and told Madame de Nemours that it would never be considered valid

Soon afterwards the Bishop of Laon, who has complete influence over Madaotiated and consecrated by himself, and thus a bond made in heaven has been broken on earth

Such treatment as this, I confess, seemed to us to exceed the bounds of humanity and of justice My uncle and I quitted France,--the France that persecutes and harasses us, that desires the destruction of our family and the forcible union of our territory with her own

The late Queen, of illustrious and glorious memory, disapproved of Richelieu's injustice towards us Under the ministry of the Cardinal, his successor, she often, in noble fashi+on, held out to us a helping hand How coe, does not desire to be like her in heart?

I address myself to you, madame, who by your beauty and Spiritual charm hold such imperious sway over his decisions, and I ihtful and duteous heir, offer the King devoted hoet the past, to put our hearts and our swords at his service Let him withdraw his troops and those standards of his that have brought terror and grief to our unhappy Lorraine I offer toniece, and toof France, if I die without male issue or heirs of any sort

I know your kind-heartedness, madame, by a niece who is your picture In your hands I place her interests and e with ie if you fail to obtain that which you ought to obtain

Be assured, madame, of my unbounded admiration and respect