At that moment a bed was to ourselves a delightful luxury, which M. de Fiesque and I were to share, so Nicolas could not do much for poor old Darpent, whom he found wet through from having waited so long in the snow, melting as it fell; but he did lend him his own dry cloak, and got some hot drink for him.  Clemet professed himself eternally grateful for this poor attention when in the morning I sent my son with another note in return to be sent to my mother and sister; and he promised to watch over them as his own life.

This was the last communication I had with my family for two months.  The Queen had declared that her absence would be only ’a little expedition of a week;’ but week after week passed on, and there we still were on the hill.  The troops could not entirely surround Paris, but no such thing.  I think we were, on the whole, more hungry than those whom we blockaded.

As each set of officials finished their time of waiting they retired, and nobody came to replace them, so our party became smaller from day to day, which was the less to be regretted as our Lent was Lent indeed.  Nobody had any money, and provisions ran very short; everybody grumbled but the Queen and Cardinal, and Mademoiselle, who enjoyed the situation and laughed at everybody.

In the intervals of grumbling every one was making love.  M. de Juvizy actually was presumptuous enough to make love to the Queen, or to boast that he did.  Mademoiselle, I am sorry to say, was in love, or, more truly, in ambition with the Prince of Conde; M. de S. Maigrin was said to be in love with the Princess, M. de Chatillon with Mademoiselle de Guerchy, and so on.

Even I, who had always declared that it was a woman’s own fault if she had a lover, did not escape.  I had not my mother to shield me, and nobody had anything to do, so it was the universal fashion; and M. de Lamont thought proper to pursue me.  I knew he was dissipated and good-for-nothing, and I showed the coldest indifference; but that only gave him the opportunity of talking of my cruelty, and he even persuaded Mademoiselle to assure me that he was in earnest.

‘No doubt,’ said I, ’he would like to meddle with the administration of Nid de Merle.  I have no doubt he is in earnest about that!’

But there was no escape, as we lived, from being beset.  We had all to attend the Queen to the Litanies at the chapel.  She used to remain in her little orator praying long after they were finished, Mademoiselle with her, and, by her own account, generally asleep.  I am ashamed to say how much chatter, and how many petits soins, went on among those waiting outside.  I used to kneel, as I heard people say, like a grim statue over my chair, with my rosary hanging from my hands, for if I did but hear a rustle and turn my head, there stood M. de Lamont with a bonbonniere, or an offer to shield me from the draught, and I could hear a tittering behind me.