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She was entirely devoid of suspicion at first, because she could not believe her friend perfidious. Madame de Montespan's empire was shaken by Madame de Fontanges, and overthrown by Madame de Maintenon; but her haughtiness, her caprices, had already alienated the King. He had not, however, such rivals as mine; it is true, their baseness is my security.
And indeed there were soon to be sufficient grounds for Montespan's jealously and alarm. Every day saw Louis more and more under the spell of his children's governess the middle-aged woman whose musical voice, gentle eyes, and wise words of counsel were opening a new and better world to him.
She was very much grieved when she was made a Duchess, and her children legitimated; before that she thought no one knew she had had children. There was an inexpressible charm in her countenance, her figure was elegant, her eyes were always in my opinion much finer than Montespan's, and her whole deportment was unassuming. She was slightly lame, but not so much as to impair her appearance.
They had been appointed historiographers. "When they had done some interesting piece," says Louis Racine in his Memoires, "they used to go and read it to the king at Madame de Montespan's. Madame de Maintenon was generally present at the reading.
Society was much astonished when it came out that M. le Cardinal had disinherited his own nephew, a man of merit, handing over his name, his fortune, and his arms to a stranger. He married, soon after, Madame de Montespan's niece.
As soon as he gets to Paris, he wants to return to Rome, and hardly has he reached Rome, when he has the horses put to for Paris. Mademoiselle de Mortemart, Abbess of Fontevrault. She Comes to Court. The Cloister. Her Success at Court. Her Opinion Respecting Madame de Montespan's Intimacy with the King.
For Louis, like Mohammed's coffin, was suspended between the heaven of De Mainteuon's pious attractions, and the earth of De Montespan's carnal fascinations.
Allow me to quote to you the speech of Mademoiselle de Montpensier, 'You had a charming and accomplished wife, you ought to have prevented her from being poisoned, and then we should not have had this hag at Court." Madame de Montespan's Father-confessor. He Alters His Opinion. Madame de Maintenon Is Consulted. A General on Theology. A Country Priest.
At the request of the Queen, the Bishop of Laon was afterwards presented with the hat, and is, today, my lord Cardinal d'Estrees. Mademoiselle de Valois. Mademoiselle d'Orleans. Mademoiselle d'Alencon. M. de Savoie. His Love-letters. His Marriage with Mademoiselle de Valois. M. de Guise and Mademoiselle d'Alencon. Their Marriage Ceremony. Madame de Montespan's Dog. Mademoiselle d'Orleans.
But thank Heaven! the colloquy was at an end; the king has risen, and has signified to the queen that the princesses of the blood may rise also. He descends from his throne, and De Montespan's heart is wild with joy. The moment of her triumph approaches; Louis is about to lead her out for the minuet, and so proclaim her queen of the festival.
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