At ten o’clock his supper was served.  The captain of the guard announced this to him.  A quarter of an hour after the King came to supper, and from the antechamber of Madame de Maintenon to the table—­again, any one spoke to him who wished.  This supper was always on a grand scale, the royal household (that is, the sons and daughters of France) at table, and a large number of courtiers and ladies present, sitting or standing, and on the evening before the journey to Marly all those ladies who wished to take part in it.  That was called presenting yourself for Marly.  Men asked in the morning, simply saying to the King, “Sire, Marly.”  In later years the King grew tired of this, and a valet wrote up in the gallery the names of those who asked.  The ladies continued to present themselves.

After supper the King stood some moments, his back to the balustrade of the foot of his bed, encircled by all his Court; then, with bows to the ladies, passed into his cabinet, where, on arriving, he gave his orders.

He passed a little less than an hour there, seated in an armchair, with his legitimate children and bastards, his grandchildren, legitimate and otherwise, and their husbands or wives.  Monsieur in another armchair; the Princesses upon stools, Monseigneur and all the other Princes standing.

The King, wishing to retire, went and fed his dogs; then said good night, passed into his chamber to the ‘ruelle’ of his bed, where he said his prayers, as in the morning, then undressed.  He said good night with an inclination of the head, and whilst everybody was leaving the room stood at the corner of the mantelpiece, where he gave the order to the colonel of the guards alone.  Then commenced what was called the ‘petit coucher’, at which only the specially privileged remained.  That was short.  They did not leave until be got into bed.  It was a moment to speak to him.  Then all left if they saw any one buckle to the King.  For ten or twelve years before he died the ‘petit coucher’ ceased, in consequence of a long attack of gout be had had; so that the Court was finished at the rising from supper.

On medicine days, which occurred about once a month, the King remained in bed, then heard mass.  The royal household came to see him for a moment, and Madame de Maintenon seated herself in the armchair at the head of his bed.  The King dined in bed about three o’clock, everybody being allowed to enter the room, then rose, and the privileged alone remained.  He passed afterwards into his cabinet, where he held a council, and afterwards went, as usual, to Madame de Maintenon’s and supped at ten o’clock, according to custom.