Her body was laid out with great state, watched for several days, two hours at a time, by a duchess or a princess, and by two ladies of quality.  The Comtesse de Soissons refused to take part in this watching, and would not obey until the King threatened to dismiss her from the Court.  A very ridiculous accident happened in the midst of this ceremony.  The urn containing the entrails fell over, with a frightful noise and a stink sudden and intolerable.  The ladies, the heralds, the psalmodists, everybody present fled, in confusion.  Every one tried to gain the door first.  The entrails had been badly embalmed, and it was their fermentation which caused the accident.  They were soon perfumed and put in order, and everybody laughed at this mishap.  These entrails were in the end carried to the Celestins, the heart to Val de Grace, and the body to the Cathedral of Saint Denis, followed by a numerous company.

CHAPTER III

On May 3d 1693, the King announced his intention of placing himself at the head of his army in Flanders, and, having made certain alterations in the rule of precedence of the marechale of France, soon after began the campaign.  I have here, however, to draw attention to my private affairs, for on the above-mentioned day, at ten o’clock in the morning, I had the misfortune to lose my father.  He was eighty-seven years of age, and had been in bad health for some time, with a touch of gout during the last three weeks.  On the day in question he had dined as usual with his friends, had retired to bed, and, while talking to those around him there, all at once gave three violent sighs.  He was dead almost before it was perceived that he was ill; there was no more oil in the lamp.

I learned this sad news after seeing the King to bed; his Majesty was to purge himself on the morrow.  The night was given to the just sentiments of nature; but the next day I went early to visit Bontems, and then the Duc de Beauvilliers, who promised to ask the King, as soon as his curtains were opened, to grant me the—­offices my father had held.  The King very graciously complied with his request, and in the afternoon said many obliging things to me, particularly expressing his regret that my father had not been able to receive the last sacraments.  I was able to say that a very short time before, my father had retired for several days to Saint Lazare, where was his confessor, and added something on the piety of his life.  The King exhorted me to behave well, and promised to take care of me.  When my father was first taken ill; several persons, amongst others, D’Aubigne, brother of Madame de Maintenon, had asked for the governorship of Blaye.  But the King refused them all, and said very bluntly to D’Aubigne, “Is there not a son?” He had, in fact, always given my father to understand I should succeed him, although generally he did not allow offices to descend from father to son.