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camp； eager to be the bearer of good tidings。 He reached the camp first；
and was received with delight。 While his Majesty was still in great joy
at his happy victory； the other courier arrived with the real details。
The Court appeared prostrated。 The King was much afflicted。
Nevertheless he found means to appear to retain his self…possession； and
I saw； for the first time； that Courts are not long in affliction or
occupied with sadness。 I must mention that the （exiled） King of England
looked on at this naval battle from the shore； and was accused of
allowing expressions of partiality to escape him in favour of his
countrymen； although none had kept their promises to him。
Two days after the defeated garrison had marched out； the King went to
Dinant； to join the ladies； with whom he returned to Versailles。 I had
hoped that Monseigneur would finish the campaign； and that I should be
with him； and it was not without regret that I returned towards Paris。
On the way a little circumstance happened。 One of our halting…places was
Marienburgh； where we camped for the night。 I had become united in
friendship with Comte de Coetquen； who was in the same company with
myself。 He was well instructed and full of wit； was exceedingly rich；
and even more idle than rich。 That evening he had invited several of us
to supper in his tent。 I went there early； and found him stretched out
upon his bed； from which I dislodged him playfully and laid myself down
in his place； several of our officers standing by。 Coetquen； sporting
with me in return； took his gun； which he thought to be unloaded； and
pointed it at me。 But to our great surprise the weapon went off。
Fortunately for me； I was at that moment lying flat upon the bed。 Three
balls passed just above my head； and then just above the heads of our two
tutors； who were walking outside the tent。 Coetquen fainted at thought
of the mischief he might have done； and we had all the pains in the world
to bring him to himself again。 Indeed； he did not thoroughly recover for
several days。 I relate this as a lesson which ought to teach us never
to play with fire…arms。
The poor lad；to finish at once all that concerns him；did not long
survive this incident。 He entered the King's regiment； and when just
upon the point of joining it in the following spring； came to me and said
he had had his fortune told by a woman named Du Perehoir； who practised
her trade secretly at Paris； and that she had predicted he would be soon
drowned。 I rated him soundly for indulging a curiosity so dangerous and
so foolish。 A few days after he set out for Amiens。 He found another
fortune…teller there； a man； who made the same prediction。 In marching
afterwards with the regiment of the King to join the army； he wished to
water his horse in the Escaut； and was drowned there； in the presence of
the whole regiment； without it being possible to give him any aid。 I felt
extreme regret for his loss； which for his friends and his family was
irreparable。
But I must go back a little； and speak of two marriages that took place
at the commencement of this year the first （most extraordinary） on the
18th February the other a month after。
CHAPTER II。
The King was very anxious to establish his illegitimate children； whom he
advanced day by day； and had married two of them； daughters； to Princes
of the blood。 One of these； the Princesse de Conti； only daughter of the
King and Madame de la Valliere； was a widow without children； the other；
eldest daughter of the King and Madame de Montespan； had married Monsieur
le Duc （Louis de Bourbon； eldest son of the Prince de Conde）。 For some
time past Madame de Maintenon； even more than the King； had thought of
nothing else than how to raise the remaining illegitimate children； and
wished to marry Mademoiselle de Blois （second daughter of the King and of
Madame de Montespan） to Monsieur the Duc de Chartres。 The Duc de
Chartres was the sole nephew of the King； and was much above the Princes
of the blood by his rank of Grandson of France； and by the Court that
Monsieur his father kept up。
The marriages of the two Princes of the blood； of which I have just
spoken； had scandalised all the world。 The King was not ignorant of
this； and he could thus judge of the effect of a marriage even more
startling； such as was this proposed one。 But for four years he had
turned it over in his mind and had even taken the first steps to bring it
about。 It was the more difficult because the father of the Duc de
Chartres was infinitely proud of his rank； and the mother belonged to a
nation which abhorred illegitimacy and； misalliances； and was indeed of a
character to forbid all hope of her ever relishing this marriage。
In order to vanquish all these obstacles； the King applied to M。 le Grand
（Louis de Lorraine）。 This person was brother of the Chevalier de
Lorraine； the favourite； by disgraceful means； of Monsieur； father of the
Duc de Chartres。 The two brothers； unscrupulous and corrupt； entered
willingly into the scheme； but demanded as a reward； paid in advance； to
be made 〃Chevaliers of the Order。〃 This was done； although somewhat
against the inclination of the King； and success was promised。
The young Duc de Chartres had at that time for teacher Dubois （afterwards
the famous Cardinal Dubois）； whose history was singular。 He had formerly
been a valet； but displaying unusual aptitude for learning； had been
instructed by his master in literature and history； and in due time
passed into the service of Saint Laurent； who was the Duc de Chartres'
first instructor。 He became so useful and showed so much skill； that
Saint Laurent made him become an abbe。 Thus raised in position； he
passed much time with the Duc de Chartres； assisting him to prepare his
lessons； to write his exercises； and to look out words in the dictionary。
I have seen him thus engaged over and over again； when I used to go and
play with the Duc de Chartres。 As Saint Laurent grew infirm； Dubois
little by little supplied his place； supplied it well too； and yet
pleased the young Duke。 When Saint Laurent died Dubois aspired to
succeed him。 He had paid his court to the Chevalier de Lorraine； by
whose influence he was much aided in obtaining his wish。 When at last
appointed successor to Saint Laurent； I never saw a man so glad； nor with
more reason。 The extreme obligation he was under to the Chevalier de
Lorraine； and still more the difficulty of maintaining himself in his new
position； attached him more and more to his protector。
It was； then； Dubois that the Chevalier de Lorraine made use of to gain
the consent of the young Duc de Chartres to the marriage proposed by the
King。 Dubois had； in fact； gained the Duke's confidence； which it was
easy to do at that age； had made him afraid of his father and of the
King； and； on the other hand； had filled him with fine hopes and
expectations。 All that Dubois could do； however； when he broke the
matter of the marriage to the young Duke； was to ward off a direct
refusal； but that was sufficient for the success of the enterprise。
Monsieur was already gained； and as soon as the King had a reply from
Dubois he hastened to broach the affair。 A day or two before this；
however； Madame （mother of the Duc de Chartres） had scent of what was
going on。 She spoke to her son of the indignity of this marriage with
that force in which she was never wanting； and drew from him a promise
that he would not consent to it。 Thus； he was feeble towards his
teacher； feeble towards his mother； and there was aversion on the one
hand and fear on the other； and great embarrassment on all sides。
One day early after dinner I saw M。 de Chartres； with a very sad air；
come out of his apartment and enter the closet of the King。 He found his
Majesty alone with Monsieur。 The King spoke very obligingly to the Duc
de Chartres； said that he wished to see him married； that he offered him
his daughter； but that he did not intend to constrain him in the matter；
but left him quite at liberty。 This discourse； however； pronounced with
that terrifying majesty so natural to the King； and addressed to a timid
young prince； took away his voice； and quite unnerved him。 He； thought
to escape from his slippery position by throwing himself upon Monsieur
and Madame； and stammeringly replied that the King was master； but that a
son's will depended upon that of his parents。 〃What you say is very
proper；〃 replied the King； 〃but as soon as you consent to my proposition
your father and mother will not oppose it。〃 And then turning to Monsieur
he said； 〃Is this not true； my brother？ 〃Monsieur consented； as he had
already done； and the only person remaining to consult was Madame； who
was immediately sent for。
As soon as she came； the King； making her acquainted with his project；
said that he reckoned she would not oppose what her husband and her son
had already agreed to。 Madame； who had counted upon the refusal of her
son； was tongue…tied。 She threw two furious glances upon Monsieur and
upon the Duc de Chartres； and then said that； as they wished it； she had
nothing to say； made a slight reverence；