but he allowed them secret commentaries, the familiar explanations of the confessional; he charged them to let the other monks and priests into the secret, and the field of battle being decided, the skirmishes began.  With the aid and assistance of King David, that trivial breastplate of every devotional insult, the preachers announced to their congregations that they must fast and mortify themselves for the cure of King David, who had fallen sick.  The orators favoured with some wit embellished their invectives; the ignorant and coarse amongst the priests spoiled everything.  The Blessed Sacrament was exposed for a whole week in the churches, and it ended by an announcement to Israel, that their cry had reached the firmament, that David had grown cold to Bathsheba (they did not add, nevertheless, that David preferred another to Bathsheba with his whole heart).  But the Duchesse de Fontanges gave offence neither to the Archbishop of Paris nor to the Jesuits.  Her mind showed no hostility.  The beauty was quite incapable of saying in the face of the world that a Jesuit resembled a ‘Chaise of Convenience.’

“The Duchesse de Lesdiguieres, covered with rouge and crimes, has put herself at the head of all these intrigues,” added my sister; “and without having yet been able to subdue herself to the external parade of devotion, she has allowed herself to use against you all the base tricks of the most devout hypocrites.”

“Let me act,” I said to my sister; “this lady’s good offices call for a mark of my gratitude.  The Forty Hours’ Prayer is an attention that is not paid to every one; I owe M. de Paris my thanks.”

I went and sat down at my writing-table, and wrote this fine prelate the following honeyed missive: 

I have only just been informed, monseigneur, of the pains you have been at with God for the amelioration of the King and of myself.  The gratitude which I feel for it cannot be expressed.  I pray you to believe it to be as pure and sincere as your intention.  A good bishop, as perfect and exemplary as yourself, is worthy of taking a passionate interest in the regularity of monarchs, and ours must owe you the highest rewards for this new mark of respect which it has pleased you to give him.  I will find expressions capable of making him feel all that he owes to your Forty Hours’ Prayer, and to that Christian and charitable emotion cast in the midst of a capital and a public.  To all that only your mandate of accusation and allegorical sermons are lacking.  Cardinals’ hats, they say, are made to the measure of strong heads; we will go seek, in the robing-rooms of Rome, if there be one to meet the proportions of your ability.  If ladies had as much honourable influence over the Vicar of Jesus Christ as simple bishops allow them, I should solicit, this very day, your wished-for recompense and exaltation.  But it is the monarch’s affair; he will undertake it.  I can only offer you, in my own person, M. Archbishop of Paris, my prayers for yours.  My little church of Saint Joseph has not the same splendour as your cathedral; but the incense that we burn there is of better quality than yours, for I get it from the Sultan of Persia.  I will instruct my little community to-morrow to hold our Forty Hours’ Prayer, that God may promptly cure you of your Duchesse de Lesdiguieres, who has been damning you for fourteen years.