The King, quietly attacked on all hands, was shaken; but he had many reasons for sticking to Chamillart.  He was his own choice.  No minister had stood aside so completely, and allowed the King to receive all the praise of whatever was done.  Though the King’s reason way, therefore, soon influenced, his heart was not so easily.  But Madame de Maintenon was not discouraged.  Monseigneur, urged by Mademoiselle Choin, had already spoken out to the King.  She laboured to make him speak again; for, on the previous occasion, he had been listened to attentively.

So many machines could not be set in motion without some noise being heard abroad.  There rose in the Court, I know not what confused murmurs, the origin of which could not be pointed out, publishing that either the State or Chamillart must perish; that already his ignorance had brought the kingdom within an ace of destruction; that it was a miracle this destruction had not yet come to pass; and that it would be madness to tempt Providence any longer.  Some did not blush to abuse him; others praised his intentions, and spoke with moderation of faults that many people reproached him bitterly with.  All admitted his rectitude, but maintained that a successor of some kind or other was absolutely necessary.  Some, believing or trying to persuade others that they carried friendship to as far a point as was possible, protested that they should ever preserve this friendship, and would never forget the pleasure and the services that they had received from Chamillart; but delicately confessed that they preferred the interests of the State to their own personal advantage and the support they would lose; that, even if Chamillart were their brother, they would sorrowfully admit the necessity of removing him!  At last, nobody could understand either how such a man could ever have been chosen, or how he could have remained so long in his place!  All his faults and all his ridicules formed the staple of Court conversation.  If anybody referred to the great things he had done, to the rapid gathering of armies after our disasters, people turned on their heels and walked away.  Such were the presages of the fall of Chamillart.

The Marechal de Boufflers, who had never forgiven the causes that led to the loss of Lille, joined in the attack on Chamillart; and assisted in exciting the King against him.  Chamillart has since related to me that up to the last moment he had always been received equally graciously by the King—­that is, up to two days before his fall.  Then, indeed, he noticed that the King’s countenance was embarrassed; and felt inclined to ask if he was displeasing to him, and to offer to retire.  Had he done so, he might, if we may judge from what transpired subsequently, have remained in office.  But now Madame de Maintenon had come personally into the field, and, believing herself sure of success, only attacked Chamillart.  What passed between her and the King was quite private and never related; but there seems reason to believe that she did not succeed without difficulty.