She is not very fond of her children, and, as I think, she carries her indifference too far; for the children see she does not love them, and this makes them fond of being with me.  This angers the mother, and she reproaches them for it, which only makes them like her less.

Although she loves her son, she does not in general care so much for her children as for her brothers, and all who belong to the House of Mortemart.

I was the unintentional cause of making a quarrel between her and the nun of Chelles.  At the commencement of the affair of the Duc du Maine, I received a letter from my daughter addressed to Madame d’Orleans; and not thinking that it was for the Abbess, who bears the same title with her mother, I sent it to the latter.  This letter happened, unluckily, to be an answer to one of our Nun’s, in which she had very plainly said what she thought of the Duc and Duchesse du Maine, and ended by pitying her father for being the Duke’s brother-in-law, and for having contracted an alliance so absurd and injurious.  It may be guessed whether my daughter’s answer was palatable to my daughter-in-law.  I am very sorry that I made the mistake; but what right had she to read a letter which was not meant for her?

The new Abbess of Chelles has had a great difference with her mother, who says she will never forgive her for having agreed with her father to embrace the religious profession without her knowledge.  The daughter said that, as her mother had always taken the side of the former Abbess against her, she had not confided this secret to her, from a conviction that she would oppose it to please the Abbess.  This threw the mother into a paroxysm of grief.  She said she was very unhappy both in her husband and her children; that her husband was the most unjust person in the world, for that he kept her brother-in-law in prison, who was one of the best and most pious of men—­in short, a perfect saint; and that God would punish such wickedness.  The daughter replied it was respect for her mother that kept her silent; and the latter became quite furious.  This shows that she hates us like the very Devil, and that she loves none but her lame brother, and those who love him or are nearly connected with him.

She thinks there never was so perfect a being in the world as her mother.  She cannot quite persuade herself that she was ever Queen, because she knew the Queen too well, who always called her daughter, and treated her better than her sisters; I cannot tell why, because she was not the most amiable of them.

It is quite true that there is little sympathy between my son’s wife and me; but we live together as politely as possible.  Her singular conduct shall never prevent me from keeping that promise which I made to the late King in his last moments.  He gave some good Christian exhortations to Madame d’Orleans; but, as the proverb says, it is useless to preach to those who have no heart to act.