dramas such as “Absalon,” “Athalie,” &c.  Madame la Duchesse de Bourgogne, M. le Duc d’Orleans, the Comte and Comtesse d’Anjou, the young Comte de Noailles, Mademoiselle de Melun, urged by the Noailles, played the principal characters in very magnificent stage dresses.  Baron, the excellent old actor, instructed them and played with them.  M. de Noailles and his clever wife were the inventors and promoters of these interior pleasures, for the purpose of intruding themselves more and more into the society of the King, in support of the alliance of Madame de Maintenon.

Only forty spectators were admitted to the representations.  Madame was sometimes invited by the King, because she liked plays.  This favour was much sought after.  Madame de Maintenon wished to show that she had forgotten the past.

Longepierre had written a very singular piece called “Electra,” which was played on a magnificent stage erected in Madame de Conti’s house, and all the Court flocked several times to see it.  This piece was without love, but full of other passions and of most interesting situations.  I think it had been written in the hopes that the King would go and see it.  But he contented himself with hearing it talked about, and the representation was confined to the Hotel de Conti.  Longepierre would not allow it to be given elsewhere.  He was an intriguing fellow of much wit, gentle, insinuating, and who, under a tranquillity and indifference and a very deceitful philosophy, thrust himself everywhere, and meddled with everything in order to make his fortune.  He succeeded in intruding himself into favour with the Duc d’Orleans, but behaved so badly that he was driven away.

The death of the Abbe de Vatteville occurred at the commencement of this year, and made some noise, on account of the prodigies of the Abbe’s life.  This Vatteville was the younger son of a Franche-Comte family; early in life he joined the Order of the Chartreux monks, and was ordained priest.  He had much intellect, but was of an impetuous spirit, and soon began to chafe under the yoke of a religious life.  He determined, therefore, to set himself free from it, and procured some secular habits, pistols, and a horse.  Just as he was about to escape over the walls of the monastery by means of a ladder, the prior entered his cell.

Vatteville made no to-do, but at once drew a pistol, shot the prior dead, and effected his escape.

Two or three days afterwards, travelling over the country and avoiding as much as possible the frequented places, he arrived at a wretched roadside inn, and asked what there was in the house.  The landlord replied—­“A leg of mutton and a capon.”—­“Good!” replied our unfrocked monk; “put them down to roast.”