To accuse La Valliere of loving any one besides the King was wicked to the last degree, but falsehoods cost Montespan but little.  The Comte de Vermandois was a good sort of young man, and loved me as if I had been his mother.  When his irregularities were first discovered,—­[A more particular account of these will be found hereafter.]—­I was very angry with him; and I had caused him to be told very seriously that if he had behaved ill I should cease to have any regard for him.  This grieved him to the heart; he sent to me daily, and begged permission to say only a few words to me.  I was firm during four weeks; at length I permitted him to come, when he threw himself at my feet, begged my pardon, promising to amend his conduct, and beseeching me to restore him my friendship (without which he said he could not exist), and to assist him again with my advice.  He told me the whole history of his follies, and convinced me that he had been most grossly deluded.

When the Dauphine lay in of the Duke of Burgundy, I said to the King, “I hope your Majesty will not upon this occasion refuse a humble request I have to make to you.”

He smiled and said, “What have you to ask, then?”

I replied, “The pardon, Monsieur, of the poor Comte de Vermandois.”

He smiled once more, and said, “You are a very good friend; but as for M. Vermandois, he has not been sufficiently punished for his crimes.”

“The poor lad,” I rejoined, “is so very penitent for his offence.”

The King replied, “I do not yet feel myself inclined to see him; I am too angry with him still.”

Several months elapsed before the King would see him; but the young man was very grateful to me for having spoken in his behalf; and my own children could not be more attached to me than he was.  He was well made, but his appearance, though not disagreeable, was not remarkably good; he squinted a little.

SECTION V.—­MADAME DE MONTESPAN

The King at first could not bear Madame de Montespan,—­[Daughter of Gabriel de Roche Chouart, first Duc de Mortemart.]—­and blamed Monsieur and even the Queen for associating with her; yet, eventually, he fell deeply in love with her himself.

She was more of an ambitious than a libertine woman, but as wicked as the devil himself.  Nothing could stand between her and the gratification of her ambition, to which she would have made any sacrifice.  Her figure was ugly and clumsy, but her eyes bespoke great intelligence, though they were somewhat too bright.  Her mouth was very pretty and her smile uncommonly agreeable.  Her complexion was fairer than La Valliere’s, her look was more bold, and her general appearance denoted her intriguing temper.  She had very beautiful light hair, fine arms, and pretty hands, which La Valliere had not.  But the latter was always very neat, and Montespan was filthy to the last degree.  She was very amusing in conversation, and it was impossible to be tired in talking with her.