It was indeed a bundle, larger than a flat-brimmed priest’s hat, about two feet in height, and shaped like a pyramid.  It had come from behind me, from towards the middle door of the two ante-chambers, and a piece of fringe getting loose in the air, had fallen upon the King’s wig, from which it was removed by Livry, a gentleman-in-waiting.  Livry also opened the bundle, and saw that it did indeed contain the fringes all twisted up, and everybody saw likewise.  A murmur was heard.  Livry wishing to take away the bundle found a paper attached to it.  He took the paper and left the bundle.  The King stretched out his hand and said, “Let us see.”  Livry, and with reason, would not give up the paper, but stepped back, read it, and then passed it to Daquin, in whose hands I read it.  The writing, counterfeited and long like that of a woman, was in these words:—­” Take back your fringes, Bontems; they are not worth the trouble of keeping—­my compliments to the King.”

The paper was rolled up, not folded:  the King wished to take it from Daquin, who, after much hesitation, allowed him to read it, but did not let it out of his hands.  “Well, that is very insolent!” said the King, but in quite a placid unmoved tone—­as it were, an historical tone.  Afterwards he ordered the bundle to be taken away.  Livry found it so heavy that he could scarcely lift it from the table, and gave it to an attendant who presented himself.  The King spoke no more of this matter, nobody else dared to do so; and the supper finished as though nothing had happened.

Besides the excess of insolence and impudence of this act, it was so perilous as to be scarcely understood.  How could any one, without being seconded by accomplices, throw a bundle of this weight and volume in the midst of a crowd such as was always present at the supper of the King, so dense that it could with difficulty be passed through?  How, in spite of a circle of accomplices, could a movement of the arms necessary for such a throw escape all eyes?  The Duc de Gesvres was in waiting.  Neither he nor anybody else thought of closing the doors until the King had left the table.  It may be guessed whether the guilty parties remained until then, having had more than three-quarters of an hour to escape, and every issue being free.  Only one person was discovered, who was not known, but he proved to be a very honest man, and was dismissed after a short detention.  Nothing has since been discovered respecting this theft or its bold restitution.

CHAPTER XV

On the 12th August, Madame de Saint-Simon was happily delivered of a second son, who bore the name of Marquis de Ruffec.  A singular event which happened soon after, made all the world marvel.