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Simon relates respecting the last hours of the profligate Louis XIV. "One day," he says, "the king recovering from loss of consciousness asked his confessor, Pere Tellier, to give him absolution for all his sins. Pere Tellier asked him if he suffered much. 'No, replied the king, 'that's what troubles me.
And so, after a moment's hesitation, Rosa began Beranger's song "The Grandmother" in her worn-out voice, and all the girls, and even Madame Tellier herself, joined in the chorus: "How I regret My dimpled arms, My nimble legs, And vanished charms."
Pere Tellier was sent for; the musicians who had just prepared their books and their instruments, were dismissed, the ladies also; and in a quarter of an hour from that time, the King made confession to Pere Tellier, the Cardinal de Rohan, meanwhile, bringing the Holy Sacrament from the chapel, and sending for the Cure and holy oils.
The family of Le Tellier is good enough for a judicial and legal family; but what bonds are there between the Louvois and the Mortemart? No matter: ambition puts a thick bandage over the eyes of those whom it inspires; the Marquis wished to marry his daughter to my nephew, De Mortemart!!! I communicated this proposition to the King.
The King worked with Pere Tellier, who tried, but in vain, to make him fill up several benefices that were vacant; that is to say, Pere Tellier wished to dispose of them himself, instead of leaving them to M. le Duc d'Orleans.
"You still maintain that farce?" he queried. "I assure you that for me it has long since lost its novelty." Collins took a step toward the door. "Shall I show you out?" he asked. "No not yet," and Tellier smiled provokingly. "You would really better let me show you out," said Collins, quietly. "In another moment, I shall probably kick you out."
And then he watched a white pocket-handkerchief, which somebody was waving, as it disappeared in the distance. They slept the peaceful sleep of a quiet conscience, until they got to Rouen, and when they returned to the house, refreshed and rested, Madame Tellier could not help saying: "It was all very well, but I was longing to get home."
If you want to know what economy is, go to Flanders; you will see how little those fortifications of the conquered places cost." It was Vauban whose praise the king thus sang, and Vauban, devoted to Louvois, had for a long time past been embroiled with Colbert. The minister felt himself beaten in the contest he had so long maintained against Michael Le Tellier and his son.
They fell into a trap made, were dupes themselves, and the Church and State the victims. The Pere Tellier, in fact, was chosen as successor of Pere La Chaise, and a terrible successor he made. Harsh, exact, laborious, enemy of all dissipation, of all amusement, of all society, incapable of associating even with his colleagues, he demanded no leniency for himself and accorded none to others.
Madame Tellier, however, quickly regained her composure, and said sharply, to avenge the honor of her corps: "I think you might try and be polite!" He excused himself, and said: "I beg your pardon, I ought to have said your nunnery." She could not think of a retort, so, perhaps thinking she had said enough, madame gave him a dignified bow and compressed her lips.
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