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1662； and upon its being impossible that he should gain the one of 1581；
of which they had left him the chimera。 M。 de Luxembourg was accordingly
received at the Parliament on the 4th of the following May； with the rank
of 1662。 He came and visited all of us； but we would have no intercourse
with him or with his judges。 To the Advocate…General； D'Aguesseau； we
carried our thanks。
CHAPTER VII
Thus ended this long and important case； and now let me go back again to
the events of the previous year。
Towards the end of the summer and the commencement of the winter of 1695；
negotiations for peace were set on foot by the King。 Harlay； son…in…law
of our enemy； was sent to Maestricht to sound the Dutch。 But in
proportion as they saw peace desired were they less inclined to listen to
terms。 They had even the impudence to insinuate to Harlay； whose
paleness and thinness were extraordinary； that they took him for a sample
of the reduced state of France！ He； without getting angry； replied
pleasantly； that if they would give him the time to send for his wife；
they would； perhaps； conceive another opinion of the position of the
realm。 In effect； she was extremely fat； and of a very high colour。 He
was rather roughly dismissed； and hastened to regain our frontier。
Two events followed each other very closely this winter。 The first was
the death of the Princess of Orange； in London； at the end of January。
The King of England prayed our King to allow the Court to wear no
mourning； and it was even prohibited to M。 de Bouillon and M。 de Duras；
who were both related to the Prince of Orange。 The order was obeyed； and
no word was said； but this sort of vengeance was thought petty。 Hopes
were held out of a change in England； but they vanished immediately； and
the Prince of Orange appeared more accredited there and stronger than
ever。 The Princess was much regretted； and the Prince of Orange； who
loved her and gave her his entire confidence； and even most marked
respect； was for some days ill with grief。
The other event was strange。 The Duke of Hanover； who； in consequence of
the Revolution； was destined to the throne of England after the Prince
and Princess of Orange and the Princess of Denmark； had married his
cousin…german； a daughter of the Duke of Zell。 She was beautiful； and he
lived happily with her for some time。 The Count of Koenigsmarck； young
and very well made； came to the Court； and gave him some umbrage。 The
Duke of Hanover became jealous； he watched his wife and the Count； and at
length believed himself fully assured of what he would have wished to
remain ignorant of all his life。 Fury seized him： he had the Count
arrested and thrown into a hot oven。 Immediately afterwards he sent his
wife to her father； who shut her up in one of his castles； where she was
strictly guarded by the people of the Duke of Hanover。 An assembly of
the Consistory was held in order to break off his marriage。 It was
decided； very singularly； that the marriage was annulled so far as the
Duke was concerned； and that he could marry another woman； but that it
remained binding on the Duchess； and that she could not marry。 The
children she had had during her marriage were declared legitimate。 The
Duke of Hanover did not remain persuaded as to this last article。
The King； entirely occupied with the aggrandisement of his natural
children； had heaped upon the Comte de Toulouse every possible favour。
He now （in order to evade a promise he had made to his brother； that the
first vacant government should be given to the Duc de Chartres） forced M。
de Chaulnes to give up the government of Brittany； which he had long
held； and conferred it upon the Comte de Toulouse； giving to the friend
and heir of the former the successorship to the government of Guyenne； by
way of recompense。
M。 de Chaulnes was old and fat； but much loved by the people of Brittany。
He was overwhelmed by this determination of the King； and his wife； who
had long been accustomed to play the little Queen； still more so； yet
there was nothing for them but to obey。 They did obey； but it was with a
sorrow and chagrin they could not hide。
The appointment was announced one morning at the rising of the King。
Monsieur； who awoke later； heard of it at the drawing of his curtains；
and was extremely piqued。 The Comte de Toulouse came shortly afterwards；
and announced it himself。 Monsieur interrupted him； and before everybody
assembled there said； 〃The King has given you a good present； but I know
not if what he has done is good policy。〃 Monsieur went shortly
afterwards to the King； and reproached him for giving； under cover of a
trick； the government of Brittany to the Comte de Toulouse； having
promised it to the Duc de Chartres。 The King heard him in silence： he
knew well how to appease him。 Some money for play and to embellish Saint
Cloud； soon effaced Monsieur's chagrin。
All this winter my mother was solely occupied in finding a good match for
me。 Some attempt was made to marry me to Mademoiselle de Royan。 It
would have been a noble and rich marriage； but I was alone； Mademoiselle
de Royan was an orphan； and I wished a father…in…law and a family upon
whom I could lean。 During the preceding year there had been some talk of
the eldest daughter of Marechal de Lorges for me。 The affair had fallen
through； almost as soon as suggested； and now； on both sides； there was a
desire to recommence negotiations。 The probity； integrity； the freedom
of Marechal de Lorges pleased me infinitely； and everything tended to
give me an extreme desire for this marriage。 Madame de Lorges by her
virtue and good sense was all I could wish for as the mother of my future
wife。 Mademoiselle de Lorges was a blonde； with a complexion and figure
perfect； a very amiable face； an extremely noble and modest deportment；
and with I know not what of majesty derived from her air of virtue； and
of natural gentleness。 The Marechal had five other daughters； but I
liked this one best without comparison； and hoped to find with her that
happiness which she since has given me。 As she has become my wife； I
will abstain here from saying more about her； unless it be that she has
exceeded all that was promised of her； and all that I myself had hoped。
My marriage being agreed upon and arranged the Marechal de Lorges spoke
of it to the King； who had the goodness to reply to him that he could not
do better； and to speak of me very obligingly。 The marriage accordingly
took place at the Hotel de Lorges； on the 8th of April； 1695； which I
have always regarded； and with good reason； as the happiest day of my
life。 My mother treated me like the best mother in the world。 On the
Thursday before Quasimodo the contract was signed； a grand repast
followed； at midnight the cure of Saint Roch said mass； and married us in
the chapel of the house。 On the eve； my mother had sent forty thousand
livres' worth of precious stones to Mademoiselle de Lorges； and I six
hundred Louis in a corbeille filled with all the knick…knacks that are
given on these occasions。
We slept in the grand apartment of the Hotel des Lorges。 On the morrow；
after dinner； my wife went to bed； and received a crowd of visitors； who
came to pay their respects and to gratify their curiosity。 The next
evening we went to Versailles； and were received by Madame de Maintenon
and the King。 On arriving at the supper…table； the King said to the new
Duchess：〃Madame； will you be pleased to seat yourself？〃
His napkin being unfolded； he saw all the duchesses and princesses still
standing； and rising in his chair； he said to Madame de Saint…Simon
〃Madame； I have already begged you to be seated；〃 and all immediately
seated themselves。 On the morrow； Madame de Saint…Simon received all the
Court in her bed in the apartment of the Duchesse d'Arpajon； as being
more handy； being on the ground floor。 Our festivities finished by a
supper that I gave to the former friends of my father； whose acquaintance
I had always cultivated with great care。
Almost immediately after my marriage the second daughter of the Marechal
de Lorges followed in the footsteps of her sister。 She was fifteen years
of age； and at the reception of Madame de Saint…Simon had attracted the
admiration of M。 de Lauzun； who was then sixty…three。 Since his return
to the Court he had been reinstated in the dignity he had previously
held。 He flattered himself that by marrying the daughter of a General he
should re…open a path to himself for command in the army。 Full of this
idea he spoke to M。 de Lorges； who was by no means inclined towards the
marriage。 M。 de Lauzun offered； however； to marry without dowry； and M。
de Lorges； moved by this consideration； assented to his wish。 The affair
concluded； M。 de Lorges spoke of it to the King。 〃You are bold；〃 said
his Majesty； 〃to take Lauzun into your family。 I hope you may not repent
of it。〃
The contract was soon after signed。 M。 de Lorges gave no dowry with his
daughter； but she was to inherit something upon the death of M。 Fremont。
We carried this contract to the King； who smiled and bantered M。 de
Lauzun。 M。 de Lauzun rep