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of his army。
Nothing of importance was done by our other armies； but in Flanders an
interesting adventure occurred。 The Prince of Orange； after playing a
fine game of chess with our army； suddenly invested Namur with a large
force； leaving the rest of his troops under the command of M。 de
Vaudemont。 The Marechal de Villeroy； who had the command of our army in
Flanders； at once pressed upon M。 de Vaudemont； who； being much the
weaker of the two； tried hard to escape。 Both felt that everything was
in their hands： Vaudemont； that upon his safety depended the success of
the siege of Namur； and Villeroy； that to his victory was attached the
fate of the Low Countries； and very likely a glorious peace； with all the
personal results of such an event。 He took his measures so well that on
the evening of the 13th of July it was impossible for M。 de Vaudemont to
escape falling into his hands on the 14th； and he wrote thus to the King。
At daybreak on the 14th M。 de Villeroy sent word to M。 du Maine to
commence the action。 Impatient that his orders were not obeyed； he sent
again five or six times。 M。 du Maine wished in the first instance to
reconnoitre； then to confess himself； and delayed in effect so long that
M。 de Vaudemont was able to commence his retreat。 The general officers
cried out at this。 One of them came to M。 du Maine and reminded him of
the repeated orders of the Marechal de Villeroy； represented the
importance of victory； and the ease with which it could be obtained： with
tears in his eyes he begged M。 du Maine to commence the attack。 It was
all in vain； M。 du Maine stammered； and could not be prevailed upon to
charge； and so allowed M。 de Vaudemont's army to escape； when by a single
movement it might have been entirely defeated。
All our army was in despair； and officers and soldiers made no scruple of
expressing their anger and contempt。 M。 de Villeroy； more outraged than
anybody else； was yet too good a courtier to excuse himself at the
expense of M。 du Maine。 He simply wrote to the King； that he had been
deceived in those hopes of success which appeared certain the day before；
entered into no further details； and resigned himself to all that might
happen。 The King； who had counted the hours until news of a great and
decisive victory should reach him； was very much surprised when this
letter came： he saw at once that something strange had happened of which
no intelligence had been sent： he searched the gazettes of Holland； in
one he read of a great action said to have been fought； and in which M。
du Maine had been grievously wounded； in the next the news of the action
was contradicted； and M。 du Maine was declared to have received no wounds
at all。 In order to learn what had really taken place； the King sent for
Lavienne； a man he was in the habit of consulting when he wanted to learn
things no one else dared to tell him。
This Lavienne had been a bath…keeper much in vogue in Paris； and had
become bath…keeper to the King at the time of his amours。 He had pleased
by his drugs； which had frequently put the King in a state to enjoy
himself more； and this road had led Lavienne to become one of the four
chief valets de chambre。 He was a very honest man； but coarse； rough；
and free…spoken； it was this last quality which made him useful in the
manner I have before mentioned。 From Lavienne the King； but not without
difficulty； learned the truth： it threw him into despair。 The other
illegitimate children were favourites with him； but it was upon M。 du
Maine that all his hopes were placed。 They now fell to the ground； and
the grief of the King was insupportable： he felt deeply for that dear son
whose troops had become the laughing stock of the army； he felt the
railleries that； as the gazettes showed him； foreigners were heaping upon
his forces； and his vexation was inconceivable。
This Prince； so equal in his manners； so thoroughly master of his
lightest movements； even upon the gravest occasions； succumbed under this
event。 On rising from the table at Marly he saw a servant who； while
taking away the dessert； helped himself to a biscuit； which he put in his
pocket。 On the instant； the King forgets his dignity； and cane in hand
runs to this valet （who little suspected what was in store for him）；
strikes him； abuses him； and breaks the cane upon his body！ The truth
is； 'twas only a reed； and snapped easily。 However； the stump in his
hand； he walked away like a man quite beside himself； continuing to abuse
this valet； and entered Madame de Maintenon's room； where he remained
nearly an hour。 Upon coming out he met Father la Chaise。 〃My father；〃
said the King to him； in a very loud voice； 〃I have beaten a knave and
broken my cane over his shoulders； but I do not think I have offended
God。〃 Everybody around trembled at this public confession； and the poor
priest muttered a semblance of approval between his teeth； to avoid
irritating the King more。 The noise that the affair made and the terror
it inspired may be imagined； for nobody could divine for some time the
cause； and everybody easily understood that that which had appeared could
not be the real one。 To finish with this matter； once for all； let us
add here the saying of M。 d'Elboeuf。 Courtier though he was； the upward
flight of the illegitimate children weighed upon his heart。 As the
campaign was at its close and the Princes were about to depart； he begged
M。 du Maine before everybody to say where he expected to serve during the
next campaign； because wherever it might be he should like to be there
also。
After being pressed to say why； he replied that 〃with him one's life was
safe。〃 This pointed remark made much noise。 M。 du Maine lowered his
eyes； and did not reply one word。 As for the Marechal de Villeroy he
grew more and more in favour with the King and with Madame de Maintenon。
The bitter fruit of M。 du Maine's act was the taking of Namur； which
capitulated on August 4th （1695）。 The Marechal de Villeroy in turn
bombarded Brussels； which was sorely maltreated。 The Marechal de
Boufflers； who had defended Namur； was made Duke； and those who had
served under him were variously rewarded。 This gave occasion for the
Prince of Orange to say； that the King recompensed more liberally the
loss of a place than he could the conquest of one。 The army retired into
winter…quarters at the end of October； and the Generals went to Paris。
As for me； I remained six weeks at Landau with M。 and Madame de Lorges。
At the end of that time； the Marechal； having regained his health；
returned to the army； where he was welcomed with the utmost joy： he soon
after had an attack of apoplexy； and； by not attending to his malady in
time； became seriously ill again。 When a little recovered； he and Madame
de Lorges set out for Vichy； and I went to Paris。
CHAPTER VIII
Before speaking of what happened at Court after my return； it will be
necessary to record what had occurred there during the campaign。
M。 de Brias； Archbishop of Cambrai； had died； and the King had given that
valuable preferment to the Abbe de Fenelon； preceptor of the children of
France。 Fenelon was a man of quality； without fortune； whom the
consciousness of witof the insinuating and captivating kindunited
with much ability； gracefulness of intellect； and learning； inspired with
ambition。 He had been long going about from door to door； knocking for
admission； but without success。 Piqued against the Jesuits； to whom he
had addressed himself at first； as holding all favours in their hands；
and discouraged because unable to succeed in that quarter； he turned next
to the Jansenists； to console himself by the reputation he hoped he
should derive from them； for the loss of those gifts of fortune which
hitherto had despised him。
He remained a considerable time undergoing the process of initiation； and
succeeded at last in being of the private parties that some of the
important Jansenists then held once or twice a week at the house of the
Duchesse de Brancas。 I know not if he appeared too clever for them； or
if he hoped elsewhere for better things than he could get among people
who had only sores to share； but little by little his intimacy with them
cooled； and by dint of turning around Saint Sulpice； he succeeded in
forming another connection there； upon which he built greater
expectations。 This society of priests was beginning to distinguish
itself； and from a seminary of a Paris parish to extend abroad。
Ignorance； the minuteness of their practices； the absence of all patrons
and of members at all distinguished in any way； inspired them with a
blind obedience to Rome and to all its maxims； with a great aversion for
everything that passed for Jansenism； and made them so dependent upon the
bishops that they began to be considered an acquisition in many dioceses。
They appeared a middle party； very useful to the prelates； who equally
feared the Court； on account of suspicions of doctrine； and the Jesuits
for as soon as the latter had insinuated themselves into the good graces
of the prelates； they imposed their yoke upon them； or ruined them
hopelessly； thus the Sulpicians g