On my arrival at Marly, I found everything in trouble there:  the King so chagrined that he could not hide it—­although usually a master of himself and of his face:  the Court believing that some new disaster had happened which would unwillingly be declared.  Four or five days passed in this way:  at last it became known what was in the wind.  The King, informed that Paris and all the public were murmuring loudly about the expenses of Marly—­at a time when it was impossible to meet the most indispensable claims of a necessary and unfortunate war—­was more annoyed this time than on any other occasion, although he had often received the same warnings.  Madame de Maintenon had the greatest difficulty to hinder him from returning straight to Versailles.  The upshot was that the King declared with a sort of bitter joy, that he would no longer feed the ladies at Marly; that for the future he would dine alone, simply, as at Versailles; that he would sup every day at a table for sixteen with his family, and that the spare places should be occupied by ladies invited in the morning; that the Princesses of his family should each have a table for the ladies they brought with them; and that Mesdames Voysin and Desmarets should each have one for the ladies who did not choose to eat in their own rooms.  He added bitterly, that by making retrenchments at Marly he should not spend more there than at Versailles, so that he could go there when he pleased without being exposed to the blame of any one.  He deceived himself from one end of this business to the other, but nobody but himself was deceived, if indeed he was in any other way but in expecting to deceive the world.  The truth is, that no change was made at Marly, except in name.  The same expenses went on.  The enemies insultingly ridiculed these retrenchments.  The King’s subjects did not cease to complain.

About this time an invitation to Marly having been obtained by Madame la Duchesse for her daughters, Mademoiselles de Bourbon and de Charolois, the King offered one to Mademoiselle.  This offer was discussed before the Duc and Duchesse d’Orleans and me.  We at last resolved to leave Mademoiselle at Versailles; and not to be troubled by seeing Mademoiselle de Bourbon passing her days in the same salon, often at the same play-table with the Duc de Berry, making herself admired by the Court, fluttering round Monseigneur, and accustoming the eye of the King to her.  We knew that these trifles would not bring about a marriage; and it was still more important not to give up Mademoiselle to the malignity of the Court, to exposure, and complaints, from which it might not always be possible to protect her.