Two cruel effects of gambling were noticed at this time.  Reineville, a lieutenant of the body-guard, a general officer distinguished in war, very well treated by the King, and much esteemed by the captain of the Guards, suddenly disappeared, and could not be found anywhere, although the utmost care was taken to search for him.  He loved gaming.  He had lost what he could not pay.  He was a man of honour, and could not sustain his misfortune.  Twelve or fifteen years afterwards he was recognised among the Bavarian troops, in which he was serving in order to gain his bread and to live unknown.  The other case was still worse.  Permillac, a man of much intelligence and talent, had lost more than he possessed, and blew his brains out one morning in bed.  He was much liked throughout the army; had taken a friendship for me, and I for him.  Everybody pitied him, and I much regretted him.

Nearly at the same time we lost the celebrated Racine, so known by his beautiful plays.  No one possessed a greater talent or a more agreeable mien.  There was nothing of the poet in his manners:  he had the air of a well-bred and modest man, and at last that of a good man.  He had friends, the most illustrious, at the Court as well as among men of letters.  I leave it to the latter to speak of him in a better way than I can.  He wrote, for the amusement of the King and Madame de Maintenon, and to exercise the young ladies of Saint Cyr, two dramatic masterpieces, Esther and Athalie.  They were very difficult to write, because there could be no love in them, and because they are sacred tragedies, in which, from respect to the Holy Scriptures, it was necessary rigidly to keep to the historical truth.  They were several times played at Saint Cyr before a select Court.  Racine was charged with the history of the King, conjointly with Despreaux, his friend.  This employment, the pieces I have just spoken of, and his friends, gained for Racine some special favours:  It sometimes happened that the King had no ministers with him, as on Fridays, and, above all, when the bad weather of winter rendered the sittings very long; then he would send for Racine to amuse him and Madame de Maintenon.  Unfortunately the poet was oftentimes very absent.  It happened one evening that, talking with Racine upon the theatre, the King asked why comedy was so much out of fashion.  Racine gave several reasons, and concluded by naming the principal,—­namely, that for want of new pieces the comedians gave old ones, and, amongst others, those of Scarron, which were worth nothing, and which found no favour with anybody.  At this the poor widow blushed, not for the reputation of the cripple attacked, but at hearing his name uttered in presence of his successor!  The King was also embarrassed, and the unhappy Racine, by the silence which followed, felt what a slip he had made.  He remained the most confounded of the three, without daring to raise his eyes or to open