In order that Mademoiselle de la Roche-sur-Yon may enjoy the millions that belong to her of right, in consequence of her sister’s death, it is necessary first for her to receive them; but the Duke, it is reported, as the good Duc de Crequi used to say, “Holds back as tight as the trigger of the Cognac cross-bow;” and in fact he has not only refused to give up to his sister what she should take under her sister’s will, but he disputes her right to the bank-notes which she had given to the Duchess to take care of for her, when she herself was dangerously ill.

The Duke and his mother are said to have gained each two hundred and fifty millions.

The Duke, who is looked upon as Law’s very good friend, has been ill-treated by the people, who have passed all kinds of insults upon him, calling him even a dog.  His brother, the Marquis de Clermont, too, has fared little better; for they cried after him at the Port Royal, “Go along, dog! you are not much better than your brother.”  His tutor alighted for the purpose of haranguing the mob; but they picked up some stones, and he soon found it expedient to get into the carriage again, and make off with all speed.

SECTION XXVIII.—­FRANCOIS-LOUIS, PRINCE DE CONTI.

The Prince de Conti, who died lately (in 1709), had good sense, courage, and so many agreeable qualities as to make himself generally beloved.  But he had also some bad points in his character, for he was false, and loved no person but himself.

It is said that he caused his own death by taking stimulating medicines, which destroyed a constitution naturally feeble.  There had been some talk of making him King of Poland.—­[In 1696, after the death of John Sobiesky.]

SECTION XXIX.—­THE GREAT PRINCESSE DE CONTI, DAUGHTER OF LA VALLIERE.

This is of all the King’s illegitimate daughters the one he most loves.  She is by far the most polite and well-bred, but she is now totally absorbed by devotion.

SECTION XXX.—­THE PRINCESS PALATINE, MARIE-THERESE DE BOURBON, WIFE OF FRANCOIS-LOUIS, PRINCE DE CONTI.

This Princess is the only one of the House of Conde who is good for anything.  I think she must have some German blood in her veins.  She is little, and somewhat on one side, but she is not hunchbacked.  She has fine eyes, like her father; with this exception, she has no pretensions to beauty, but she is virtuous and pious.  What she has suffered on account of her husband has excited general compassion; he was as jealous as a fiend, though without the slightest cause.  She never knew where she was to pass the night.  When she had made arrangements to sleep at Versailles, he would take her from Paris to Chantilly, where she supposed she was going to stay; then she was obliged to set out for Versailles.  He tormented her incessantly in all possible ways, and he looked, moreover, like a little ape.  The late Queen had two paroquets, one of which was the very picture of the Prince, while the other was as much like the Marechal de Luxembourg as one drop of water is like another.