On the morrow we went as usual to wait in the gallery for the breaking-up of the council, and for the King’s Mass.  Madame came there.  Her son approached her, as he did every day, to kiss her hand.  At that very moment she gave him a box on the ear, so sonorous that it was heard several steps distant.  Such treatment in presence of all the Court covered with confusion this unfortunate prince, and overwhelmed the infinite number of spectators, of whom I was one, with prodigious astonishment.

That day the immense dowry was declared; and on Sunday there was a grand ball, that is, a ball opened by a ‘branle’ which settled the order of the dancing throughout the evening.  Monseigneur the Duc de Bourgogne danced on this occasion for the first time; and led off the ‘branle’ with Mademoiselle.  I danced also for the first time at Court.  My partner was Mademoiselle de Sourches, daughter of the Grand Prevot; she danced excellently.  I had been that morning to wait on Madame, who could not refrain from saying, in a sharp and angry voice, that I was doubtless very glad of the promise of so many balls—­that this was natural at my age; but that, for her part, she was old, and wished they were well over.  A few days after, the contract of marriage was signed in the closet of the King, and in the presence of all the Court.  The same day the household of the future Duchesse de Chartres was declared.  The King gave her a first gentleman usher and a Dame d’Atours, until then reserved to the daughters of France, and a lady of honour, in order to carry out completely so strange a novelty.  I must say something about the persons who composed this household.

M. de Villars was gentleman usher; he was grandson of a recorder of Coindrieu, and one of the best made men in France.  There was a great deal of fighting in his young days, and he had acquired a reputation for courage and skill.  To these qualities he owed his fortune.  M. de Nemours was his first patron, and, in a duel which he had with M. de Beaufort, took Villars for second.  M. de Nemours was killed; but Villars was victorious against his adversary, anal passed into the service of the Prince de Conti as one of his gentlemen.  He succeeded in gaining confidence in his new employment; so much so, that the marriage which afterwards took place between the Prince de Conti and the niece of Cardinal Mazarin was brought about in part by his assistance.  He became the confidant of the married pair, and their bond:  of union with the Cardinal.  His position gave him an opportunity of mixing in society much above him; but on this he never presumed.  His face was his, passport with the ladies:  he was gallant, even discreet; and this means was not unuseful to him.  He pleased Madame Scarron, who upon the throne never forgot the friendships of this kind, so freely intimate, which she had formed as a private person.  Villars was employed in diplomacy; and from honour to honour, at last reached the order of the Saint Esprit, in 1698.  His wife was full of wit, and scandalously inclined.  Both were very poor—­and always dangled about the Court, where they had many powerful friends.