I had often warned Madame de Dreux of the enmity of the Duchesse de Bourgogne; and she had spoken to her on the subject.  The Princess had answered very coldly that she was mistaken, that she had no such enmity.  At last I succeeded, in this indirect way, in forcing Chamillart to speak to the King on the reports that were abroad; but he did so in a half-and-half way, and committed the capital mistake of not naming the successor which public rumour mentioned.  The King appeared touched, and gave him all sorts of assurances of friendship, and made as if he liked him better than ever.  I do not know if Chamillart was then near his destruction, and whether this conversation set him up again; but from the day it took place all reports died away, and the Court thought him perfectly re-established.

But his enemies continued to work against him.  Madame de Maintenon and the Duchesse de Bourgogne abated not a jot in their enmity.  The Marechal d’Harcourt lost no opportunity of pulling him to pieces.  One day, among others, he was declaiming violently against him at Madame de Maintenon’s, whom he knew he should thus please.  She asked him whom he would put in his place.  “M.  Fagon, Madame,” he replied coldly.  She laughed, but said this was not a thing to joke about; but he maintained seriously that the old doctor would make a much better minister than Chamillart, for he had some intelligence, which would make up for his ignorance of many matters; but what could be expected of a man who was ignorant and stupid too?  The cunning Norman knew well the effect this strange parallel would have; and it is indeed inconceivable how damaging his sarcasm proved.  A short time afterwards, D’Antin, wishing also to please, but more imprudent, insulted the son of Chamillart so grossly, and abused the father so publicly, that he was obliged afterwards to excuse himself.

The King held, for the first time in his life, a real council of war.  He told the Duc de Bourgogne of it, saying rather sharply:  “Come, unless you prefer going to vespers.”  The council lasted nearly three hours; and was stormy.  The Marechals were freer in their, language than usual, and complained of the ministers.  All fell upon Chamillart, who was accused, among other things, of matters that concerned Desmarets, on whom, he finished by turning off the King’s anger.  Chamillart defended himself with so much anger that his voice was heard by people outside.

But he had of late heaped fault on fault.  Besides setting Madame de Maintenon and the Duchesse de Bourgogne against him, he rather wantonly irritated Monseigneur, at that time more than ever under the government of Mademoiselle Choin.  The latter had asked him a favour, and had been refused even with contempt.  Various advances at reconciliation she made were also repulsed with contumely.  Yet every one, even the Duchesse de Bourgogne, crawled before this creature—­the favourite of the heir to the throne.  Madame de Maintenon actually caused the King to offer her apartments at Versailles, which she refused, for fear of losing the liberty she enjoyed at Meudon.  D’Antin, who saw all that was going on, became the soul of a conspiracy against Chamillart.  It was infinitely well managed.  Everything moved in order and harmony—­always prudently, always knowingly.