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Updated: June 29, 2025
Every day the attachment of the king to Mary Mancini became more undisguised. She guided his reading; she taught him the Italian language; she introduced to him the names of great men in the works of literature and art, and labored heroically to elevate his tastes, and to inspire him with the ambition of performing glorious deeds.
"Mademoiselle, if the king goes beyond Poitiers and sets out for Spain; if the articles of the marriage contract are agreed upon by Don Luis de Haro and his eminence, you must plainly perceive that it is not child's play." "All very fine! but the king is king, I suppose?" "No doubt, mademoiselle; but the cardinal is the cardinal." "The king is not a man, then! And he does not love Mary Mancini?"
As the splendid cortège passed through the streets of Paris, the whole population was on the pavement, shouting a thousand blessings on the head of their young king. Mary Mancini had received orders from the queen to proceed with her sister to Saint Jean d'Angély, where, upon the passage of the court, she was to have an interview with the king.
"And," she added in a curious voice, "you would have been better pleased had M. de Mancini carried out his uncle's wishes?" "It matters little what I would think, Mademoiselle," I answered guardedly, for I could not read that curious tone of hers. "Nevertheless, I am curious to hear your answer." What answer could I make?
Auban, when he spoke of waging war against Mancini; the same motive that led me to break with him when I saw through his plans, and when the abduction of Mademoiselle was on foot; the same motive that made me come to you and tell you of the proposed abduction so that you might interfere if you had the power, or cause others to do so if you had not." I lay back in my chair and stared at him.
Instead of heightening his passion, they cooled it. He stopped, and said hastily, "What is to be said, mademoiselle? Everything has failed." "Except your will, I trust, my dear sire?" "Alas!" said the king, coloring, "have I a will?" "Oh!" said Mademoiselle de Mancini mournfully, wounded by that expression.
If he takes it into his head to marry Mademoiselle de Mancini, he will marry her, depend upon it. And thereupon he left me and went straight to the stables, took a horse, saddled it himself, jumped upon its back, and set off as if the devil were at his heels." "So that you believe, then " "I believe that monsieur the lieutenant of the guards knew more than he was willing to say."
As one of the festivities of the city, the king arranged a tournament in honor of his avowed lady-love, Olympia Mancini. She occupied a conspicuous seat among the ladies of the court, her lovely person decorated with a dress of exquisite taste and beauty. The king was prominent in his attire among all the knights assembled to contest the palm of chivalry.
In a short time the princess grew worse in an alarming fashion, and in a few moments we heard that she was in her death-agony; in a few moments more we heard of her death. The King wept bitterly at first, as we had seen him weep for Marie de Mancini, Louise de la Valliere, Henrietta of England, and the Duchesse de Fontanges, dead of his excesses.
And Marie de Mancini did shed floods of tears. On his part, the king, much affected, carried his handkerchief to his mouth, and stifled a sob. "See," said she, "the carriages have stopped, my sister waits for me, the time is come; what you are about to decide upon will be decided for life. Oh, sire! you are willing, then, that I should lose you?
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