were to go by; he in fact intending to travel by sea and they by land.  On the way their fears redoubled.  Arrived at Nevers, and lodged in a hostelrie, they thought it would not be well to commit themselves further without more certain security:  Madame de Pompadour therefore proposed to M. de Mantua not to delay his happiness any longer, but to celebrate his marriage at once.  He defended himself as well as he could, but was at last obliged to give in.  During this indecent dispute, the Bishop was sent to.  He had just died, and the Grand Vicar, not knowing what might be the wishes of the King upon this marriage, refused to celebrate it.  The chaplain was therefore appealed to, and he at once married Mademoiselle d’Elboeuf to M. de Mantua in the hotel.  As soon as the ceremony was over, Madame d’Elboeuf wished to leave her daughter alone with M. de Mantua, and although he strongly objected to this, everybody quitted the room, leaving only the newly married couple there, and Madame de Pompadour outside upon the step listening to what passed between them.  But finding after a while that both were very much embarrassed, and that M. de Mantua did little but cry out for the company to return, she conferred with her sister, and they agreed to give him his liberty.  Immediately he had obtained it, he mounted his horse, though it was not early, and did not see them again until they reached Italy—­though all went the same road as far as Lyons.  The news of this strange celebration of marriage was soon spread abroad with all the ridicule which attached to it.

The King was very much annoyed when he learnt that his orders had been thus disobeyed.  The Lorraines plastered over the affair by representing that they feared an affront from M. de Mantua, and indeed it did not seem at all unlikely that M. de Mantua, forced as it were into compliance with their wishes, might have liked nothing better than to reach Italy and then laugh at them.  Meanwhile, Madame d’Elboeuf and her daughter embarked on board the royal galleys and started for Italy.  On the way they were fiercely chased by some African corsairs, and it is a great pity they were not taken to finish the romance.

However, upon arriving in Italy, the marriage was again celebrated, this time with all the forms necessary for the occasion.  But Madame d’Elboeuf had no cause to rejoice that she had succeeded in thus disposing of her daughter.  The new Duchesse de Mantua was guarded by her husband with the utmost jealousy.  She was not allowed to see anybody except her mother, and that only for an hour each day.  Her women entered her apartment only to dress and undress her.  The Duke walled up very high all the windows of his house, and caused his wife to, be guarded by old women.  She passed her days thus in a cruel prison.  This treatment, which I did not expect, and the little consideration, not to say contempt, shown here for M. de Mantua since his departure, consoled me much for the invincible