M. le Duc d’Orleans accorded both the favours I asked, with many obliging remarks, and a hope that my absence would not be long.  I thought I had then done great things for my family, and went home much pleased.  But, mon Dieu! what are the projects and the successes of men!

Dubois, as I expected, was vexed beyond measure at my embassy, and resolved to ruin me and throw me into disgrace.  I was prepared for this, and I soon saw it was so.  At first, I received from him nothing but professions of friendship and of attachment for me, congratulations that M. le Duc d’Orleans had accorded to me an embassy my merit deserved, and which would be productive of such useful results for my children.  He took care, however, in the midst of these fine phrases, to introduce not one word upon my arrangements, so that he might be able to drive me into a corner at the last moment, and cause me all the inconvenience possible.  He slipped through my hands like an eel until the moment for my departure drew near.  As he saw it approach, he began to preach to me of magnificence, and wished to enter into details respecting my suite.  I described it to him, and everybody else would have been satisfied, but as his design was to ruin me, he cried out against it, and augmented it by a third.  I represented to him the excessive expense this augmentation would cause, the state of the finances, the loss upon the exchange:  his sole reply was that the dignity of the King necessitated this expense and show; and that his Majesty would bear the charge.  I spoke to M. le Duc d’Orleans, who listened to me with attention, but being persuaded by the Cardinal, held the same language.

This point settled, the Cardinal must needs know how many coats I should take, and how many I should give to my sons.—­in a word, there was not a single detail of table or stable that he did not enter into, and that he did not double.  My friends exhorted me not to be obstinate with a man so impetuous, so dangerous, so completely in possession of M. le Duc d’Orleans, pointing out to me that when once I was away he might profit by my absence, and that, meanwhile, everything relating to my embassy must pass through his hands.  All this was only too true.  I was obliged, therefore, to yield, although I felt that, once embarked, the King’s purse would be spared at the expense of mine.

As soon as the marriages were declared, I asked to be declared as ambassador, so that I might openly make my preparations, which, it will be remembered, I had been forbidden to do.  Now that there was no secret about the marriage, I fancied there need be no secret as to the ambassador by whom they were to be conducted.  I was deceived:  Whatever I might allege, the prohibition remained.  The Cardinal wished to put me to double the necessary expense, by compelling me to have my liveries, dresses, etc., made in the utmost precipitation; and this happened.  He thought, too, I should not be able to provide myself with everything in time; and that he might represent this to M. le Duc d’Orleans, and in Spain, as a fault, and excite envious cries against me.