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Mademoiselle; who always received him very coldly; and who saw him take
her arms; with much vexation; as a mark of his gratitude; in reality for
the Sake of the honour it brought him; for the arms were those of Gaston;
which the Comte de Toulouse afterwards took; not for the same reason; but
under pretext of conformity with his brother; and they have handed them
down to their children。

Lauzun; who had been led to expect much more gentle treatment; remained
four years in these two provinces; of which he grew as weary as was
Mademoiselle at his absence。  She cried out in anger against Madame de
Montespan and her son; complained loudly that after having been so
pitilessly fleeced; Lauzun was still kept removed from her; and made such
a stir that at last she obtained permission for him to return to Paris;
with entire liberty; on condition; however; that he did not approach
within two leagues of any place where the King might be。

Lauzun came; therefore; to Paris; and assiduously visited his
benefactors。  The weariness of this kind of exile; although so softened;
led him into high play; at which he was extremely successful; always a
good and sure player; and very straightforward; he gained largely。
Monsieur; who sometimes made little visits to Paris; and who played very
high; permitted him to join the gambling parties of the Palais Royal;
then those of Saint…Cloud。  Lauzun passed thus several years; gaining and
lending much money very nobly; but the nearer he found himself to the
Court; and to the great world; the more insupportable became to him the
prohibition he had received。

Finally; being no longer able to bear it; he asked the King for
permission to go to England; where high play was much in vogue。  He
obtained it; and took with him a good deal of money; which secured him an
open…armed reception in London; where he was not less successful than in
Paris。

James II。; then reigning; received Lauzun with distinction。  But the
Revolution was already brewing。  It burst after Lauzun had been in
England eight or ten months。  It seemed made expressly for him; by the
success he derived from it; as everybody is aware。  James II。; no longer
knowing what was to become of himbetrayed by his favourites and his
ministers; abandoned by all his nation; the Prince of Orange master of
all hearts; the troops; the navy; and ready to enter Londonthe unhappy
monarch confided to Lauzun what he held most dearthe Queen and the
Prince of Wales; whom Lauzun happily conducted to Calais。  The Queen at
once despatched a courier to the King; in the midst of the compliments of
which she insinuated that by the side of her joy at finding herself and
her son in security under his protection; was her grief at not daring to
bring with her him to whom she owed her safety。

The reply of the King; after much generous and gallant sentiment; was;
that he shared this obligation with her; and that he hastened to show it
to her; by restoring the Comte de Lauzun to favour。

In effect; when the Queen presented Lauzun to the King; in the Palace of
Saint…Germain (where the King; with all the family and all the Court;
came to meet her); he treated him as of old; gave him the privilege of
the grandes entrees; and promised him a lodging at Versailles; which he
received immediately after。  From that day he always went to Marly; and
to Fontainebleau; and; in fact; never after quitted the Court。  It may be
imagined what was the delight of such an ambitious courtier; so
completely re…established in such a sudden and brilliant manner。  He had
also a lodging in the chateau of Saint…Germain; chosen as the residence
of this fugitive Court; at which King James soon arrived。

Lauzun; like a skilful courtier; made all possible use of the two Courts;
and procured for himself many interviews with the King; in which he
received minor commissions。  Finally; he played his cards so well that
the King permitted him to receive in Notre Dame; at Paris; the Order of
the Garter; from the hands of the King of England; accorded to him at his
second passage into Ireland the rank of lieutenant…general of his
auxiliary army; and permitted at the same time that he should be of the
staff of the King of England; who lost Ireland during the same campaign
at the battle of the Boyne。  He returned into France with the Comte de
Lauzun; for whom he obtained letters of the Duke; which were verified at
the Parliament in May; 1692。  What a miraculous return of fortune!  But
what a fortune; in comparison with that of marrying Mademoiselle; with
the donation of all her prodigious wealth; and the title and dignity of
Duke and Peer of Montpensier。  What a monstrous pedestal!  And with
children by this marriage; what a flight might not Lauzun have taken; and
who can say where he might have arrived?




CHAPTER CXVIII

I have elsewhere related Lauzun's humours; his notable wanton tricks; and
his rare singularity。

He enjoyed; during the rest of his long life; intimacy with the King;
distinction at the Court; great consideration; extreme abundance; kept up
the state of a great nobleman; with one of the most magnificent houses of
the Court; and the best table; morning and evening; most honourably
frequented; and at Paris the same; after the King's death: All this did
not content him。  He could only approach the King with outside
familiarity; he felt that the mind and the heart of that monarch were on
their guard against him; and in an estrangement that not all his art nor
all his application could ever overcome。  This is what made him marry my
sister…in…law; hoping thus to re…establish himself in serious intercourse
with the King by means of the army that M。 le Marechal de Lorge commanded
in Germany; but his project failed; as has been seen。  This is what made
him bring about the marriage of the Duc de Lorge with the daughter of
Chamillart; in order to reinstate himself by means of that ministry;
but without success。  This is what made him undertake the journey to Aix…
la…Chapelle; under the pretext of the waters; to obtain information which
might lead to private interviews with the King; respecting the peace;
but he was again unsuccessful。  All his projects failed; in fact; he
unceasingly sorrowed; and believed himself in profound disgraceeven
saying so。  He left nothing undone in order to pay his court; at bottom
with meanness; but externally with dignity; and he every year celebrated
a sort of anniversary of his disgrace; by extraordinary acts; of which
ill…humour and solitude were oftentimes absurdly the fruit。  He himself
spoke of it; and used to say that he was not rational at the annual
return of this epoch; which was stronger than he。  He thought he pleased
the King by this refinement of attention; without perceiving he was
laughed at。

By nature he was extraordinary in everything; and took pleasure in
affecting to be more so; even at home; and among his valets。  He
counterfeited the deaf and the blind; the better to see and hear without
exciting suspicion; and diverted himself by laughing at fools; even the
most elevated; by holding with them a language which had no sense。  His
manners were measured; reserved; gentle; even respectful; and from his
low and honeyed tongue; came piercing remarks; overwhelming by their
justice; their force; or their satire; composed of two or three words;
perhaps; and sometimes uttered with an air of naivete or of distraction;
as though he was not thinking of what he said。  Thus he was feared;
without exception; by everybody; and with many acquaintances he had few
or no friends; although he merited them by his ardor in seeing everybody
as much as he could; and by his readiness in opening his purse。  He liked
to gather together foreigners of any distinction; and perfectly did the
honours of the Court。  But devouring ambition poisoned his life; yet he
was a very good and useful relative。

During the summer which followed the death of Louis XIV。 there was a
review of the King's household troops; led by M。 le Duc d'Orleans; in the
plain by the side of the Bois de Boulogne。  Passy; where M。 de Lauzun had
a pretty house; is on the other side。  Madame de Lauzun was there with
company; and I slept there the evening before the review。  Madame de
Poitiers; a young widow; and one of our relatives; was there too; and was
dying to see the review; like a young person who has seen nothing; but
who dares not show herself in public in the first months of her mourning。

How she could be taken was discussed in the company; and it was decided
that Madame de Lauzun could conduct her a little way; buried in her
carriage。  In the midst of the gaiety of this party; M。 de Lauzun arrived
from Paris; where he had gone in the morning。  He was told what had just
been decided。  As soon as he learnt it he flew into a fury; was no longer
master of himself; broke off the engagement; almost foaming at the mouth;
said the most disagreeable things to his wife in the strongest; the
harshest; the most insulting; and the most foolish terms。  She gently
wept; Madame de Poitiers sobbed outright; and all the company felt the
utmost embarrassment。  The evening appeared an age; and the saddest
refectory repast a gay meal by the side of our supper。  He was wild in
the midst of the profoundest silence; scarcely a word was said。  He
quitted the table; as usual; at the fruit; and went to bed。  An attempt
was made to say something afterwards by way of relief; but Madame de
Lauzun politely and wisely stopped the conversation; and brought out
cards in order to turn the subject。

The next morning I went to M。 de Lauzun; in order to tell him in plain
language my opinion of the scene of the previous evening。  I had not the
time。  As soon as he saw me enter he extended his arms; and cried that I
saw a madman; who did not deserve my visit; but an asylum; passed the
strongest eulogies upon his wife (which assuredly she merited); said he
was not worthy of her; and that he ought to kiss the ground upon which
she walked; overwhelmed himself with blame; then; with tears in his eyes;
said he was more worthy of pity than of anger; that he must admit to me
all his shame and misery; that he was more t

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