Monseigneur always played; also a billiard-table; in a word, every one was free to play with every one, and allowed to ask for fresh tables as all the others were occupied.  Beyond the billiards was a refreshment-room.  All was perfectly lighted.  At the outset, the King went to the “apartments” very often and played, but lately he had ceased to do so.  He spent the evening with Madame de Maintenon, working with different ministers one after the other.  But still he wished his courtiers to attend assiduously.

This evening, directly after the music had finished, the King sent for Monseigneur and Monsieur, who were already playing at ‘lansquenet’; Madame, who scarcely looked at a, party of ‘hombre’ at which she had seated herself; the Duc de Chartres, who, with a rueful visage, was playing at chess; and Mademoiselle de Blois, who had scarcely begun to appear in society, but who this evening was extraordinarily decked out, and who, as yet, knew nothing and suspected nothing; and therefore, being naturally very timid, and horribly afraid of the King, believed herself sent for in order to be reprimanded, and trembled so that Madame de Maintenon took her upon her knees, where she held her, but was scarcely able to reassure her.  The fact of these royal persons being sent for by the King at once made people think that a marriage was in contemplation.  In a few minutes they returned, and then the announcement was made public.  I arrived at that moment.  I found everybody m clusters, and great astonishment expressed upon every face.  Madame was walking in the gallery with Chateauthiers—­her favourite, and worthy of being so.  She took long strides, her handkerchief in her hand, weeping without constraint, speaking pretty loudly, gesticulating; and looking like Ceres after the rape of her daughter Proserpine, seeking her in fury, and demanding her back from Jupiter.  Every one respectfully made way to let her pass.  Monsieur, who had returned to ‘lansquenet’, seemed overwhelmed with shame, and his son appeared in despair; and the bride-elect was marvellously embarrassed and sad.  Though very young, and likely to be dazzled by such a marriage, she understood what was passing, and feared the consequences.  Most people appeared full of consternation.

The Apartment, which, however heavy in appearance, was full of interest to, me, seemed quite short.  It finished by the supper of the King.  His Majesty appeared quite at ease.  Madame’s eyes were full of tears, which fell from time to time as she looked into every face around, as if in search of all our thoughts.  Her son, whose eyes too were red, she would not give a glance to; nor to Monsieur:  all three ate scarcely anything.  I remarked that the King offered Madame nearly all the dishes that were before him, and that she refused with an air of rudeness which did not, however, check his politeness.  It was furthermore noticeable that, after leaving the table, he made to Madame a very marked and very low reverence, during which she performed so complete a pirouette, that the King on raising his head found nothing but her back before him, removed about a step further towards the door.