[Mademoiselle de Valois had an amorous intrigue with the Duc de Richelieu; and it is said that she only consented to marry the Prince of Modena upon condition that her father, the Regent, would set her husband at liberty.  Madame had intimated to the Duc de Richelieu that, if he approached the places where her granddaughter was with her, his life would be in great peril.]

he might have made inconvenient reports:  he would, however, perhaps have done it in vain, for the Prince would not have believed him.  Salvatico is quite crazy.  He is the declared favourite of the Duke of Modena, which verifies the German proverb, “Like will to like, as the devil said to the collier.”

The Prince and Princess are very fond of each other; but it is said they join in ridiculing the old father (2nd August, 1720).  The Princess goes about all day from room to room, crying, “How tired I am, how tiresome everything is here!” She, however, lives a little better with her husband than at the beginning.

SECTION XXII.—­THE ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN OF THE REGENT, DUC D’ORLEANS.

My son has three illegitimate children, two boys and a girl; but only one of them is legitimated, that is, his son by Mademoiselle de Seri, a lady of noble family, and who was my Maid of Honour.  The younger Margrave of Anspach was also in love with her.  This son is called the Chevalier d’Orleans.  The other, who is now (1716) about eighteen years old, is an Abbe; he is the son of La Florence, a dancer at the Opera House.  The daughter is by Desmarets, the actress.  My son says that the Chevalier d’Orleans is more unquestionably his than any of the others; but, to tell the truth, I think the Abbe has a stronger family likeness to my son than the Chevalier, who is like none of them.  I do not know where my son found him; he is a good sort of person, but he has neither elegance nor beauty.  It is a great pity that the Abbe is illegitimate:  he is well made; his features are not bad; he has very good talents, and has studied much.—­[Duclos says that this ‘eleve’ of the Jesuits was, nevertheless, the most zealous ignoramus that ever their school produced.]—­He is a good deal like the portraits of the late Monsieur in his youth, only that he is bigger.  When he stands near Mademoiselle de Valois it is easy to see that they belong to the same father.  My son purchased for the Chevalier d’Orleans the office of General of the Galleys from the Marechal de Tasse.  He intends to make him a Knight of Malta, so that he may live unmarried, for my son does not wish to have the illegitimate branches of his family extended.  The Chevalier does not want wit; but he is a little satirical, a habit which he takes from his mother.