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The Duc d'Orleans, provoked at these propositions, said that a Son of France and a Prince of the blood were never known to have been treated like common criminals, and that the declaration which both had made was more than sufficient to satisfy the Court. On the 21st it was moved in Parliament that an inventory should be taken of what remained of Mazarin's furniture.
Then, mentioning the names of such and such persons as witnesses, the book stated that "this marriage was solemnised on a night in February, 1643, by Cardinal de Sainte-Suzanne, a brother and servile creature of Mazarin's."
So much for Mazarin's nieces. His nephews are too young for alliances just yet, saving myself; and for me his Eminence has chosen one of the greatest heiresses in France Yvonne St. Albaret de Canaples." "Whom?" I shouted. He smiled. "Curious, is it not? She is the sister of the man whom I quarrelled with this morning, and whom you fought with this afternoon.
He resolved to lay the matter before the cardinal and take his advice. Accordingly he waited until he was leaving; several gentlemen of his suite accompanied him, and at the entrance to the Louvre the men of the cardinal's guard fell in on either side. When they reached Mazarin's hotel Hector moved up to him. "Can I have a few words with you, your eminence?"
He then started to meet the Duchess on the road from Brussels, and found her at Roye, whither Montagu had already preceded him. Montagu had travelled to Roye to place Mazarin's homage at the feet of Madame de Chevreuse, with the view of bringing about at any cost an union and identity of policy between the old and the new favourite.
On her part, Mademoiselle, somewhat fantastic but loyal and courageous, had joined her mother-in-law, and declared for the Fronde, partly through her liking for éclat and the notoriety of parading at the head of the troops, with her two ladies of honour, the Countesses of Fiesque and Frontenac, transformed into aides-de-camp; partly by the secret hope that by Mazarin's defeat and her father's triumph she might succeed in espousing the young King, and so exchange the helmet of the Fronde for the crown of France.
The Queen, however, remained for a considerable interval undecided, and it may be seen by Mazarin's own memoranda that during the latter part of May, as well as through the whole of June and July, the Cardinal's greatest effort was to induce the Regent not to abandon her allies, but to firmly carry on the war.
The Prince de Conde, being uneasy at seeing Mazarin's creatures still at Court, retired to Saint Maur on the 6th of July, 1651.
Louis had now abundant opportunities of seeking her side; and excellent use he made of them. The two young people were inseparable, much to the alarm of the Cardinal and Madame Mère, the Queen. He vowed that she and no other should be his wife and Queen of France. But these halcyon days were not to last long. It was no part of Mazarin's scheming that a niece of his should sit on the throne.
After Mazarin's death the king's council assumed a more decent form. The king alone was seated, all the others remained standing, the chancellor leaned against the bedrail, and M. de Lionne upon the edge of the chimney-piece. "I have no ministers, Mr. Ambassador," replied Louis XIV.; "you mean to say my men of business."
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