The history of the affair was, apparently, revealed by somebody to the deputies of Perigueux (for this very evening it was talked of in Paris), who came and offered me many thanks.  Noailles was so afraid of me, that he did not keep their business unsettled more than two days.

A few months afterwards Courson was recalled, amid the bonfires of his province.  This did not improve him, or hinder him from obtaining afterwards one of the two places of councillor at the Royal Council of Finance, for he was already Councillor of State at the time of this affair of Perigueux.

An amusement, suited to the King’s age, caused a serious quarrel.  A sort of tent had been erected for him on the terrace of the Tuileries, before his apartments, and on the same level.  The diversions of kings always have to do with distinction.  He invented some medals to give to the courtiers of his own age, whom he wished to distinguish, and those medals, which were intended to be worn, conferred the right of entering this tent without being invited; thus was created the Order of the Pavilion.  The Marechal de Villeroy gave orders to Lefevre to have the medals made.  He obeyed, and brought them to the Marechal, who presented them to the King.  Lefevre was silversmith to the King’s household, and as such under the orders of the first gentleman of the chamber.  The Duc de Mortemart, who had previously had some tiff with the Marechal de Villeroy, declared that it devolved upon him to order these medals and present them to the King.  He flew into a passion because everything had been done without his knowledge; and complained to the Duc d’Orleans.  It was a trifle not worth discussing, and in which the three other gentlemen of the chamber took no part.  Thus the Duc de Mortemart, opposed alone to the Marechal de Villeroy, stood no chance.  M. le Duc d’Orleans, with his usual love for mezzo termine, said that Lefevre had not made these medals, or brought them to the Marechal as silversmith, but as having received through the Marechal the King’s order, and that nothing more must be said.  The Duc de Mortemart was indignant, and did not spare the Marechal.

VOLUME 12.

CHAPTER LXXXVIII

The Abbe Alberoni, having risen by the means I have described, and acquired power by following in the track of the Princesse des Ursins, governed Spain like a master.  He had the most ambitious projects.  One of his ideas was to drive all strangers, especially the French, out of the West Indies; and he hoped to make use of the Dutch to attain this end.  But Holland was too much in the dependence of England.