Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Volume 12 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 109 pages of information about Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Volume 12.

Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Volume 12 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 109 pages of information about Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Volume 12.
she was being led to.  She was simply told that she would sleep at Essonne, nothing more.  Her three guardians maintained profound silence.  At night all possible precautions were taken.  When she set out the next day, the Duc d’Ancenis took leave of her, and left her to the lieutenant and to the exempt of the body-guards, with troops to conduct her.  She asked where they were leading her to:  he simply replied, “To Fontainebleau.”  The disquietude of Madame du Maine augmented as she left Paris farther behind, but when she found herself in Burgundy, and knew at last she was to go to Dijon, she stormed at a fine rate.

It was worse when she was forced to enter the castle, and found herself the prisoner of M. le Duc.  Fury suffocated her.  She raged against her nephew, and the horrible place chosen for her.  Nevertheless, after her first transports, she returned to herself, and began to comprehend that she was in no place and no condition to play the fury.  Her extreme rage she kept to herself, affected nothing but indifference for all, and disdainful security.  The King’s lieutenant of the castle, absolutely devoted to M. le Duc, kept her fast, and closely watched her and her chambermaids.  The Prince de Dombes and the Comte d’Eu (her sons) were at the same time exiled to Eu, where a gentleman in ordinary always was near them; Mademoiselle du Maine was sent to Maubuisson.

Several other people were successively arrested and placed either in the Bastille or Vincennes.  The commotion caused by the arrest and imprisonment of M. and Madame du Maine was great; many faces, already elongated by the Bed of justice, were still further pulled out by these events.  The Chief-President, D’Effiat, the Marechal de Villeroy, the Marechal de Villars, the Marechal d’Huxelles, and other devoted friends of M. du Maine, were completely terrified; they did not dare to say a word; they kept out of the way; did not leave their houses except from necessity; fear was painted upon their faces.  All their pride was put aside; they became polite, caressing, would have eaten out of your hand; and by this sudden change and their visible embarrassment betrayed themselves.

As for the Comte de Toulouse he remained as upright and loyal as ever.  The very day of the double arrest he came to M. le Duc d’Orleans and said that he regarded the King, the Regent, and the State as one and the same thing; that he should never be wanting in his duty or in his fidelity towards them; that he was very sorry at what had happened to his brother, but that he was in no way answerable for him.  The Regent stated this to me the same day, and appeared, with reason, to be charmed with such straightforward honesty.

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Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Volume 12 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.