Madame d’Argenton, in despair at first, became more tractable as she learnt the provisions which had been made for her, and the delicacy with which she was treated.  She remained four days in Paris, and then returned to her father’s house near Port-Sainte-Maxence, the Chevalier d’Orleans, her son, remaining at the Palais Royal.  The King after his first surprise had worn away, was in the greatest joy at the rupture; and testified his gratification to M. d’Orleans, whom he treated better and better every day.  Madame de Maintenon did not dare not to contribute a little at first; and in this the Prince felt the friendship of the Jesuits, whom he had contrived to attach to him.

The Duchesse de Bourgogne did marvels of her own accord; and the Duc de Bourgogne, also, being urged by M. de Beauvilliers.  Monseigneur alone remained irritated, on account of the Spanish affair.

I must here mention the death of M. le Duc.  He was engaged in a trial which was just about to be pleaded.  He had for some time suffered from a strange disease, a mixture of apoplexy and epilepsy, which he concealed so carefully, that he drove away one of his servants for speaking of it to his fellows.

For some time he had had a continual headache.  This state troubled the gladness he felt at being delivered from his troublesome father and brother-in-law.  One evening he was riding in his carriage, returning from a visit to the Hotel de Coislin, without torches, and with only one servant behind, when he felt so ill that he drew the string, and made his lackey get up to tell him whether his mouth was not all on one side.  This was not the case, but he soon lost speech and consciousness after having requested to be taken in privately to the Hotel de Conde.  They there put him in bed.  Priests and doctors came.  But he only made horrible faces, and died about four o’clock in the morning.

Madame la Duchesse did not lose her presence of mind, and, whilst her husband was dying, took steps to secure her future fortune.  Meanwhile she managed to cry a little, but nobody believed in her grief.  As for M. le Duc, I have already mentioned some anecdotes of him that exhibit his cruel character.  He was a marvellously little man, short, without being fat.  A dwarf of Madame la Princesse was said to be the cause.  He was of a livid yellow, nearly always looked furious, and was ever so proud, so audacious, that it was difficult to get used to him.  His cruelty and ferocity were so extreme that people avoided him, and his pretended friends would not invite him to join in any merriment.  They avoided him:  he ran after them to escape from solitude, and would sometimes burst upon them during their jovial repasts, reproach them with turning a cold shoulder to him, and change their merriment to desolation.