Part 43 (1/2)
Baron Louis, her brother, to who, made her a lady of honour to the Dauphine Madahted to spread a report in the world that I had procured her this office; she was deceived, and wished to be deceived I had asked this ees, in whom I was interested very differently His Majesty decided that a marquise was inferior to a duchess, even when that duchess was born a De Beauvais Another son of the monarch, well known at the Court as such, is M l'Abbe de Rohan-Soubise, to whoure, his carriage, his head, his attitude, his whole person infallibly reveal hinised and understood the deceit, that he honours the young churchman with all his indifference and his respect He acts with hiuardian; and that is the limitation of his role
The Princesse de Soubise, who had resolved to advance her careless husband, either to the government of Brittany or to some ministry, persuaded herself that it is only by women that men can be advanced; and that in order to advance a husband, it is necessary to advance oneself
Although a little thin, and lacking that of which the King is so fond,in her a very pretty woman She kne to persuade his Majesty that she cherished for him the tenderest love That is, I believe, the one trap that it is possible to set for hiht And every time that M de Rohan ay, and there was freedom at the Hotel Soubise, the Princess came in person to Saint Germain or to Versailles, to show her necklace and pendant of enal
The Abbe de Rohan was born of these e displays conscience in all his actions, except in his wars and conquests When the little Soubise was grown up, his Majesty signified to theto suffer the forst the Rohans, which would have participated, without any right, in the legitimate sap It is asserted that the Abbe de Rohan only subret to a sentence which neutralised hi has promised him all possible consideration; he has even embraced him tenderly, an action which is alree” ed to the King is that handso's character, which respects, and in so which proceeds fro wished one day to see hie-shrubbery; but this movement seemed to me one of pure curiosity
The rese that I have yet seen; for it is coht have operated this hter of the poor Queen, that Queen so timid and entirely natural, who, to her happiness, as lory, has never looked at, approached, or distinguished any one except the King
For the rest, we shall see and knoell if the King does anything for hisnobility and the Turks--Private Correspondence--The Unlucky Minister and the Page of Strasburg--The King Judged and Described in All the Docu Humiliated in His Affections--Scandal at Court--Grief of Fathers at Having Given Life to Such Children--Why Prince Eugene Was Not a Bishop--Why He Was Not a Colonel of France--Death of the Prince de Conti
As France was at peace at the ary and threatened Vienna, our young princes, and a fairly large nue, took it into their heads to go and exhibit their bravery in Germany; they asked permission of M de Louvois to join the Ist theht fit to restrain took no notice of the words of thehad fallen asleep They were arrested on the road; but his Majesty, having reflected on the matter, saw that these special prohibitions would do harard to his deference for Gero their oay
A little later, it was discovered that there was a regular and active correspondence between these young people in Germany and others who had remained in Paris or at the Court The first ile, pursued; he was caught up with at Strasburg; his valise was seized The Marquis de Louvois, desiring to give the King the pleasure of hiet, the seals intact, and his Majesty thanked him for this attention
These thanks were the last that that powerful minister was destined to receive froain to recover its lustre; all his credit failed and crashed to the ground This correspondence--spied on with so ood fortune--informed the astonished monarch that, in the Louvois family, in his house and circle, his royal character, his manners, his affections, his tastes, his person, his whole life, were derisively censured The beloved son-in-law of thewith an open heart to his friends, ere travelling, and absent, represented the King to theiven up now to the domestic and uniform life of the eoise, andnymph of fifty seasons
M de la Roche-Guyon and M de Liancourt, sons of La Rochefoucauld, who expressed themselves with the same boldness, went so far as to say of their ruler that he was but a stage and tinsel king The son-in-law of Louvois accused hi pale on the eve, and at the moment, of an action; and D'Alincourt, son of Villeroi, carried his outrages further still No one knows better than myself how unjust these accusations were, and are I was sensible of themust have caused to the most sensitive, the most irritable of princes; but I rejoiced at the hu felt for her share in this unpardonable correspondence The annoyance that I read for so, for her great success at , up to this time, had not only cherished but adored, found also, in those documents, the term of excessive favour A letter froivento spare Mada me one herself”
She was summoned to Versailles, as sheno attention to her tears, said to her: ”I believed in your affection; I have done everything to deserve it; it is laer Your cruel letter is in Madaain before co you to inform her what is the harm she has done you”
”Madame,” said Madame de Maintenon to her, when she saw her before her, ”when your ahtest prosperity attracts envy, I promised her to take some care of your childhood, and I have kept entleness and consideration; whence proceeds your hate againstheart capable of it? I believed you to be a oodness”
”Madan to pardon this i, whom I love so much”
”I have not the credit which you assu, coldly ”Except for the extre you would not be where you are, and you take it ill that I should be where I am! I have neither desired nor solicited the arduous rank that I occupy; I need resignation and obedience to support such a burden” Mada to interrupt her silence, made the bow that was expected of her and withdrew
The Marquis de Louvois, when he read what his own son-in-law dared to write of the rief He cast hi now the punishment and now the pardon of a criminal and a madman
”I believed”What reat God! hat a set I as transpired Soonthe father of the audacious De Liancourt arrive like a man bereft of his wits He ran to precipitate hi
”M de La Rochefoucauld,” said the prince to hi in what is called martial prowess; but I shall at least have, on this occasion, the courage to despise the slanderous slights of these presurets of your two sons, who are unworthy of you; let them live as far away from me as possible; they do not deserve to approach an honest ”
The Prince de Turenne, son of the Duc de Bouillon, and Prince Eugene of Savoy, third or fourth son of the Comtesse de Soissons (Olympe Mancini), had accohtly expedition; all these gentleene, a violent ene
[The Prince de Turenne was in bad odour at Court ever since he had separated Monseigneur fros--MADAME DE MONTESPAN'S NOTE]