“You are as clever as can be, my dear Athenais,” said Madame de Thianges, “but, as a matter of fact, your cleverness is not of a business kind.  You don’t look after yourself, but let yourself be neglected; you don’t push yourself forward enough, nor stand upon your dignity as you ought to do.

“The little lame woman had hardly been brought to bed of Mademoiselle de Blois, when she was made Duchesse de Vaujours and de la Valliere.

“Gabrielle d’Estrees, directly she appeared, was proclaimed Duchesse de Beaufort.

“Diane de Poitiers was Duchesse de Valentinois and a princess.  It’s only you who are nobody, and your relations also are about the same!  Make the most of this grand opportunity; help the Prince of Lorraine, and the Prince of Lorraine will help you.”

On our return from the chateau, while our resolution was yet firm, we went laughing to the King.  He asked the reason of our gaiety.  My sister said with her wonted ease, “Sire, I have come to invite you to my daughter’s wedding.”

“Your daughter?  Don’t you think I am able to get her properly married?” cried the King.

“Sire, you cannot do it better than I can myself.  I am giving her a sovereign as husband, a sovereign in every sense of the term.”

It seemed to me the King flushed slightly as he rejoined, “A sovereign on his feet, or a sovereign overthrown?”

“How do you mean, Sire?” said my sister.

“Madame de Thianges,” replied the King, “pray, let us be friends.  I was informed two days ago of the proposals of the Messieurs de Lorraine; it is not, yet time to give them a definite reply.  It behoves, me to give your daughter in marriage, and I have destined her for the Duc de Nevers, who is wealthy, and my friend.”

“The Duc de Nevers!” cried my sister; “why, he’s cracked for six months in the year.”

“Those who are cracked for a whole twelvemonth deserve far more pity,” replied the King.

Then, turning to me, he observed, “You make no remark, madame?  Does your niece’s coronation provide you also with illusions?”

I easily perceived that we had been cherishing an utterly fantastic scheme, and I counselled Madame de Thianges to prefer to please the King; and, as she was never able to control her feelings, she sharply replied, “Madame la Marquise, good day or good night!”

The King, however, did not relax his persistence in giving us the Duc de Nevers as son-in-law and nephew; and as this young gentleman’s one fault is to require perpetual amusement, partly derived from poetry and partly from incessant travelling, my niece is as happy with him as a woman who takes her husband’s place well can be.  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.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

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.