Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Complete eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,495 pages of information about Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Complete.

Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Complete eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,495 pages of information about Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Complete.
by a perfect acquiescence and submission to the judgment the Pope had just pronounced.  Two days afterwards he published his retraction, condemned his book, prohibited the reading of it, acquiesced and submitted himself anew to his condemnation, and in the clearest terms took away from himself all means of returning to his opinions.  A submission so prompt, so clear, so perfect, was generally admired, although there were not wanting censors who wished he had shown less readiness in giving way.  His friends believed the submission would be so flattering to the Pope, that M. de Cambrai might rely upon advancement to a cardinalship, and steps were taken, but without any good result, to bring about that event.

CHAPTER XIII

About this time the King caused Charnace to be arrested in a province to which he had been banished.  He was accused of many wicked things, and; amongst others, of coining.  Charnace was a lad of spirit, who had been page to the King and officer in the body-guard.  Having retired to his own house, he often played off many a prank.  One of these I will mention, as being full of wit and very laughable.

He had a very long and perfectly beautiful avenue before his house in Anjou, but in the midst of it were the cottage and garden of a peasant; and neither Charnace, nor his father before him, could prevail upon him to remove, although they offered him large sums.  Charnace at last determined to gain his point by stratagem.  The peasant was a tailor, and lived all alone, without wife or child.  One day Charnace sent for him, said he wanted a Court suit in all haste, and, agreeing to lodge and feed him, stipulated that he should not leave the house until it was done.  The tailor agreed, and set himself to the work.  While he was thus occupied, Charnace had the dimensions of his house and garden taken with the utmost exactitude; made a plan of the interior, showing the precise position of the furniture and the utensils; and, when all was done, pulled down the house and removed it a short distance off.

Then it was arranged as before with a similar looking garden, and at the same time the spot on which it had previously stood was smoothed and levelled.  All this was done before the suit was finished.  The work being at length over on both sides, Charnace amused the tailor until it was quite dark, paid him, and dismissed him content.  The man went on his way down the avenue; but, finding the distance longer than usual, looked about, and perceived he had gone too far.  Returning, he searched diligently for his house, but without being able to find it.  The night passed in this exercise.  When the day came, he rubbed his eyes, thinking they might have been in fault; but as he found them as clear as usual, began to believe that the devil had carried away his house, garden and all.  By dint of wandering to and fro, and casting his eyes in every direction,

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Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Complete from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.