But another bitter draught was to be mixed for him.  Banished from Marly, he had yet the privilege of going to Meudon.  He did not fail to avail himself of this every time Monseigneur was there, and stopped as long as he stopped, although in the times of his splendour he had never stayed more than one or two days.  It was seldom that Monseigneur visited Meudon without Madame la Duchesse de Bourgogne going to see him.  And yet M. de Vendome never failed audaciously to present himself before her, as if to make her feel that at all events in Monseigneur’s house he was a match for her.  Guided by former experience, the Princess gently suffered this in silence, and watched her opportunity.  It soon came.

Two months afterwards it happened that, while Monseigneur was at Meudon, the King, Madame de Maintenon; and Madame de Bourgogne, came to dine with him.  Madame de Maintenon wished to talk with Mademoiselle Choin without sending for her to Versailles, and the King, as may be believed, was in the secret.  I mention this to account for the King’s visit.  M. de Vendome;:  who was at Meudon as usual, was stupid enough to present himself at the coach door as the King and his companions descended.  Madame de Bourgogne was much offended, constrained herself less than usual, and turned away her head with affectation, after a sort of sham salute.  He felt the sting, but had the folly to approach her again after dinner, while she was playing.  He experienced the same treatment, but this time in a still more marked manner.  Stung to the quick and out of countenance, he went up to his chamber, and did not descend until very late.  During this time Madame de Bourgogne spoke to Monseigneur of the conduct of M. de Vendorne, and the same evening she addressed herself to Madame de Maintenon, and openly complained to the King.  She represented to him how hard it was to her to be treated by Monseigneur with less respect than by the King:  for while the latter had banished M. de Vendome from Marly, the former continued to grant him an asylum at Meudon.

M. de Vendome, on his side, complained bitterly to Monseigneur of the strange persecution that he suffered everywhere from Madame de Bourgogne; but Monseigneur replied to him so coldly that he withdrew with tears in his eyes, determined, however, not to give up until he had obtained some sort of satisfaction.  He set his friends to work to speak to Monseigneur; all they could draw from him was, that M. de Vendome must avoid Madame de Bourgogne whenever she came to Meudon, and that it was the smallest respect he owed her until she was reconciled to him.  A reply so dry and so precise was cruelly felt; but M. de Vendome was not at the end of the chastisement he had more than merited.  The next day put an end to all discussion upon the matter.

He was card-playing after dinner in a private cabinet, when D’Antin arrived from Versailles.  He approached the players, and asked what was the position of the game, with an eagerness which made M. de Vendome inquire the reason.  D’Antin said he had to render an account to him of the matter he had entrusted him with.