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King； who was just then in his private closet； where nobody ever entered
unless expressly summoned。 But La Vauguyon turned the key； and； in spite
of the usher on guard； forced his way in。 The King in great emotion
asked him what was the matter。 La Vauguyon on his knees said he had been
insulted by M。 de Courtenay and demanded pardon for having drawn his
sword in the palace。 His Majesty； promising to examine the matter； with
great trouble got rid of La Vauguyon。 As nothing could be made of it； M。
de Courtenay declaring he had been insulted by La Vauguyon and forced to
draw his sword； and the other telling the same tale； both were sent to
the Bastille。 After a short imprisonment they were released； and
appeared at the Court as usual。
Another adventure； which succeeded this； threw some light upon the state
of affairs。 Going to Versailles； one day； La Vauguyon met a groom of the
Prince de Conde leading a saddled horse； he stopped the man； descended
from his coach； asked whom the horse belonged to； said that the Prince
would not object to his riding it； and leaping upon the animal's back；
galloped off。 The groom； all amazed； followed him。 La Vauguyon rode on
until he reached the Bastille； descended there； gave a gratuity to the
man； and dismissed him： he then went straight to the governor of the
prison； said he had had the misfortune to displease the King； and begged
to be confined there。 The governor； having no orders to do so； refused；
and sent off an express for instructions how to act。 In reply he was
told not to receive La Vauguyon； whom at last； after great difficulty； he
prevailed upon to go away。 This occurrence made great noise。 Yet even
afterwards the King continued to receive La Vauguyon at the Court； and to
affect to treat him well； although everybody else avoided him and was
afraid of him。 His poor wife became so affected by these public
derangements； that she retired from Paris； and shortly afterwards died。
This completed her husband's madness； he survived her only a month； dying
by his own hand； as I have mentioned。 During the last two years of his
life he carried pistols in his carriage； and frequently pointed them at
his coachman and postilion。 It is certain that without the assistance of
M。 de Beauvais he would often have been brought to the last extremities。
Beauvais frequently spoke of him to the King； and it is inconceivable
that having raised this man to such a point； and having always shown him
particular kindness； his Majesty should perseveringly have left him to
die of hunger and become mad from misery。
The year finished without any remarkable occurrence。
My mother； who had been much disquieted for me during the campaign；
desired strongly that I should not make another without being married。
Although very young； I had no repugnance to marry； but wished to do so
according to my own inclinations。 With a large establishment I felt very
lonely in a country where credit and consideration do more than all the
rest。 Without uncle； aunt； cousins…German； or near relatives； I found
myself； I say； extremely solitary。
Among my best friends； as he had been the friend of my father； was the
Duc de Beauvilliers。 He had always shown me much affection； and I felt a
great desire to unite myself to his family： My mother approved of my
inclination； and gave me an exact account of my estates and possessions。
I carried it to Versailles； and sought a private interview with M。 de
Beauvilliers。 At eight o'clock the same evening he received me alone in
the cabinet of Madame de Beauvilliers。 After making my compliments to
him； I told him my wish； showed him the state of my affairs； and said
that all I demanded of him was one of his daughters in marriage； and that
whatever contract he thought fit to draw up would be signed by my mother
and myself without examination。
The Duke； who had fixed his eyes upon me all this time； replied like a
man penetrated with gratitude by the offer I had made。 He said； that of
his eight daughters the eldest was between fourteen and fifteen years
old； the second much deformed； and in no way marriageable； the third
between twelve and thirteen years of age； and the rest were children： the
eldest wished to enter a convent； and had shown herself firm upon that
point。 He seemed inclined to make a difficulty of his want of fortune；
but； reminding him of the proposition I had made； I said that it was not
for fortune I had come to him； not even for his daughter； whom I had
never seen； that it was he and Madame de Beauvilliers who had charmed me；
and whom I wished to marry！
〃But；〃 said he； 〃if my eldest daughter wishes absolutely to enter a
convent？〃
〃Then；〃 replied I； 〃I ask the third of you。〃 To this he objected； on the
ground that if he gave the dowry of the first to the third daughter； and
the first afterwards changed her mind and wished to marry； he should be
thrown into an embarrassment。 I replied that I would take the third as
though the first were to be married； and that if she were not； the
difference between what he destined for her and what he destined for the
third； should be given to me。 The Duke； raising his eyes to heaven；
protested that he had never been combated in this manner； and that he was
obliged to gather up all his forces in order to prevent himself yielding
to me that very instant。
On the next day； at half…past three； I had another interview with M。 de
Beauvilliers。 With much tenderness he declined my proposal； resting his
refusal upon the inclination his daughter had displayed for the convent；
upon his little wealth； if； the marriage of the third being made； she
should change her mindand upon other reasons。 He spoke to me with much
regret and friendship； and I to him in the same manner； and we separated；
unable any longer to speak to each other。 Two days after； however； I had
another interview with him by his appointment。 I endeavoured to overcome
the objections that he made； but all in vain。 He could not give me his
third daughter with the first unmarried； and he would not force her； he
said； to change her wish of retiring from the world。 His words； pious
and elevated； augmented my respect for him； and my desire for the
marriage。 In the evening； at the breaking up of the appointment； I could
not prevent myself whispering in his ear that I should never live happily
with anybody but his daughter； and without waiting for a reply hastened
away。 I had the next evening； at eight o'clock； an interview with Madame
de Beauvilliers。 I argued with her with such prodigious ardor that she
was surprised； and； although she did not give way； she said she would be
inconsolable for the loss of me； repeating the same tender and flattering
things her husband had said before； and with the same effusion of
feeling。
I had yet another interview with M。 de Beauvilliers。 He showed even more
affection for me than before； but I could not succeed in putting aside
his scruples。 He unbosomed himself afterwards to one of our friends； and
in his bitterness said he could only console himself by hoping that his
children and mine might some day intermarry； and he prayed me to go and
pass some days at Paris； in order to allow him to seek a truce to his
grief in my absence。 We both were in want of it。 I have judged it
fitting to give these details； for they afford a key to my exceeding
intimacy with M。 de Beauvilliers； which otherwise； considering the
difference in our ages； might appear incomprehensible。
There was nothing left for me but to look out for another marriage。 One
soon presented itself； but as soon fell to the ground； and I went to La
Trappe to console myself for the impossibility of making an alliance with
the Duc de Beauvilliers。
La Trappe is a place so celebrated and so well known； and its reformer so
famous； that I shall say but little about it。 I will； however； mention
that this abbey is five leagues from La Ferme…au…Vidame； or Arnold； which
is the real distinctive name of this Ferme among so many other Fetes in
France； which have preserved the generic name of what they have been；
that is to say； forts or fortresses （'freitas'）。 My father had been very
intimate with M。 de la Trappe； and had taken me to him。
Although I was very young then； M。 de la Trappe charmed me； and the
sanctity of the place enchanted me。 Every year I stayed some days there；
sometimes a week at a time； and was never tired of admiring this great
and distinguished man。 He loved me as a son； and I respected him as
though he were any father。 This intimacy； singular at my age； I kept
secret from everybody； and only went to the convent clandestinely。
CHAPTER V
On my return from La Trappe； I became engaged in an affair which made a
great noise； and which had many results for me。
M。 de Luxembourg； proud of his successes； and of the applause of the
world at his victories； believed himself sufficiently strong to claim
precedence over seventeen dukes； myself among the number； to step； in
fact； from the eighteenth rank； that he held amongst the peers； to the
second。 The following are the names and the order in precedence of the
dukes he wished to su