Fascination of the Duchesse de Bourgogne.—­Fortunes of Nangis.—­He Is
Loved by the Duchesse and Her Dame d’Atours.—­Discretion of the Court.—­
Maulevrier.—­His Courtship of the Duchess.—­Singular Trick.—­Its Strange
Success.—­Mad Conduct of Maulevrier—­He Is Sent to Spain.—­His Adventures
There.—­His Return and Tragical Catastrophe.

CHAPTER XXXII

Death of M. de Duras.—­Selfishness of the King.—­Anecdote of Puysieux.—­
Character of Pontchartrain.—­Why He Ruined the French Fleet.—­Madame des
Ursins at Last Resolves to Return to Spain.—­Favours Heaped upon Her.—­
M. de Lauzun at the Army.—­His bon mot.—­Conduct of M. de Vendome.—­
Disgrace and Character of the Grand Prieur.

Volume5.

CHAPTER XXXIII

A Hunting Adventure.—­Story and Catastrophe of Fargues.—­Death and
Character of Ninon de l’Enclos.—­Odd Adventure of Courtenvaux.—­Spies at
Court.—­New Enlistment.—­Wretched State of the Country.—­Balls at Marly.

CHAPTER XXXIV

Arrival of Vendome at Court.—­Character of That Disgusting Personage.—­
Rise of Cardinal Alberoni.—­Vendome’s Reception at Marly.—­His Unheard-of
Triumph.—­His High Flight.—­Returns to Italy.—­Battle of Calcinato.—­
Condition of the Army.—­Pique of the Marechal de Villeroy.—­Battle of
Ramillies.—­Its Consequences.

CHAPTER XXXV

Abandonment of the Siege of Barcelona.—­Affairs of Italy.—­ La Feuillade.—­Disastrous Rivalries.—­Conduct of M. d’Orleans.—­The Siege of Turin.—­Battle.—­Victory of Prince Eugene.—­Insubordination in the Army.—­Retreat.—­M. d’Orleans Returns to Court.—­Disgrace of La Feuillade

CHAPTER XXXVI

Measures of Economy.—­Financial Embarrassments.—­The King and
Chamillart.—­Tax on Baptisms and Marriages.—­Vauban’s Patriotism.—­
Its Punishment.—­My Action with M. de Brissac.—­I Appeal to the King.—­
The Result.—­I Gain My Action.

CHAPTER XXXVII

My Appointment as Ambassador to Rome.—­How It Fell Through.—­Anecdotes of the Bishop of Orleans.—­A Droll Song.—­A Saint in Spite of Himself.—­ Fashionable Crimes.—­A Forged Genealogy.—­Abduction of Beringhen.—­ The ‘Parvulos’ of Meudon and Mademoiselle Choin.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

Death and Last Days of Madame de Montespan.—­Selfishness of the King.—­ Death and Character of Madame de Nemours.—­Neufchatel and Prussia.—­ Campaign of Villars.—­Naval Successes.—­Inundations of the Loire.—­Siege of Toulon.—­A Quarrel about News.—­Quixotic Despatches of Tesse.

Volume6.

CHAPTER XXXIX