A serious and disastrous action that took place during these operations was actually kept a secret from the King, until the Duc de la Tremoille, whose son was engaged there, let out the truth.  Annoyed that the King said nothing to him on the way in which his son had distinguished himself, he took the opportunity, whilst he was serving the King, to talk of the passage of the Escaut, and said that his son’s regiment had much suffered.  “How, suffered?” cried the King; “nothing has happened.”  Whereupon the Duke related all to him.  The King listened with the greatest attention, and questioned him, and admitted before everybody that he knew nothing of all this.  His surprise, and the surprise it occasioned, may be imagined.  It happened that when the King left table, Chamillart unexpectedly came into his cabinet.  He was soon asked about the action of the Escaut, and why it had not been reported.  The minister, embarrassed, said that it was a thing of no consequence.  The king continued to press him, mentioned details, and talked of the regiment of the Prince of Tarento.  Chamillart then admitted that what happened at the passage was so disagreeable, and the combat so disagreeable, but so little important, that Madame de Maintenon, to whom he had reported all, had thought it best not to trouble the King upon the matter, and it had accordingly been agreed not to trouble him.  Upon this singular answer the King stopped short in his questions, and said not a word more.

The Escaut being forced, the citadel of Lille on the point of being taken, our army exhausted with fatigue was at last dispersed, to the scandal of everybody; for it was known that Ghent was about to be besieged.  The Princes received orders to return to Court, but they insisted on the propriety of remaining with the army.  M. de Vendome, who began to fear the effect of his rashness and insolence, tried to obtain permission to pass the winter with the army on the frontier.

He was not listened to.  The Princes received orders most positively to return to Court, and accordingly set out.

The Duchesse de Bourgogne was very anxious about the way in which the Duke was to be received, and eager to talk to him and explain how matters stood, before he saw the King or anybody else.  I sent a message to him that he ought to contrive to arrive after midnight, in order to pass two or three hours with the Duchess, and perhaps see Madame de Maintenon early in the morning.  My message was not received; at any rate not followed.  The Duc de Bourgogne arrived on the 11th of December, a little after seven o’clock in the evening, just as Monseigneur had gone to the play, whither the Duchess had not gone, in order to wait for her husband.  I know not why he alighted in the Cour des Princes, instead of the Great Court.  I was put then in the apartments of the Comtesse de Roncy, from which I could see all that passed.  I came down, and saw the Prince ascending the steps between