[The Duchess, with her usual violence, teased her father to have her marriage made public; this was also Riom’s most ardent desire, who had married her solely from ambitious motives.  The Regent had despatched Riom to the army for the purpose of gaining time.  One daughter was the result of the connection between Riom and the Duchesse de Berri, who was afterwards sent into a convent at Pontoisse.]

The toad had made the Princess believe that he was a Prince of the House of Aragon, and that the King of Spain unjustly withheld from him his kingdom; but that if she would marry him he could sue for his claim through the treaties of peace.  Mouchi used to talk about this to the Duchess from morning to night; and it was for this reason that she was so greatly in favour.

That Mouchi is the granddaughter of Monsieur’s late surgeon.  Her mother, La Forcade, had been appointed by my son the gouvernante of his daughter and son, and thus the young Forcade was brought up with the Duchesse de Berri, who married her to Monsieur Mouchi, Master of the Wardrobe to the Duke, and gave her a large marriage-portion.  While the King lived the Princess could not visit her much; and it was not until after his death that she became the favourite, and was appointed by the Duchess second dame d’atour.

SECTION XX.—­MADEMOISELLE D’ORLEANS, LOUISE-ADELAIDE DE CHARTRES.

Mademoiselle de Chartres, Madame d’Orleans’ second daughter, is well made, and is the handsomest of my granddaughters.  She has a fine skin, a superb complexion, very white teeth, good eyes, and a faultless shape, but she stammers a little; her hands are extremely delicate, the red and white are beautifully and naturally mingled in her skin.  I never saw finer teeth; they are like a row of pearls; and her gums are no less beautiful.  A Prince of Auhalt who is here is very much in love with her; but the good gentleman is ugly enough, so that there is no danger.  She dances well, and sings better; reads music at sight, and understands the accompaniment perfectly; and she sings without any grimace.  She persists in her project of becoming a nun; but I think she would be better in the world, and do all in my power to change her determination:  it seems, however, to be a folly which there is no eradicating.  Her tastes are all masculine; she loves dogs, horses, and riding; all day long she is playing with gunpowder, making fusees and other artificial fireworks.  She has a pair of pistols, which she is incessantly firing; she fears nothing in the world, and likes nothing which women in general like; she cares little about her person, and for this reason I think she will make a good nun.