Chapter I: Front Matter

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* * * * * *

_By Frances Elliot_

Old Court Life in France

_2 vols. 8°._

Old Court Life in Spain

_2 vols. 8°._

* * * * * *

OLD COURT LIFE IN FRANCE

From the painting by P. C. Comte.

(With permission of Levy et Fils, Paris.)]

Title Page.]

OLD COURT LIFE IN FRANCE

by

FRANCES ELLIOT

Author of "Diary of an Idle Woman in Italy" "Picture of Old Rome," etc.

Colophon.]

Illustrated

VOLUME II.

G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press

Copyright, 1893, by G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS Entered at Stationers' Hall, London BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS

Made in the United States of America

The Knickerbocker Press, New York

Made in the United States of America

The Knickerbocker Press, New York

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I—TEMPTED 1

II—THE KEEPER OF THE ROYAL CONSCIENCE 13

III—A NOBLE RESOLVE 20

IV—THE SACRIFICE 27

V—MONSIEUR LE GRAND 32

VI—DEATH ON THE SCAFFOLD 45

VII—THE END OF THE CARDINAL 54

VIII—THE QUEEN-REGENT 59

IX—THE DUC DE BEAUFORT 70

X—MIDNIGHT VISITORS 84

XI—THE TWO DUCHESSES 91

XII—"PUT NOT THY TRUST IN PRINCES" 102

XIII—CHARLES STUART 112

XIV—THE LADIES' WAR 122

XV—MAZARIN PLAYED OUT 128

XVI—LOUISE DE LA VALLIÈRE 139

XVII—THE CONVENT OF CHAILLOT 156

XVIII—FOUQUET, SUPERINTENDENT OF FINANCE 167

XIX—DEATH AND POISON 179

XX—AT VERSAILLES 192

XXI—MADAME DE MONTESPAN 200

XXII—BROKEN-HEARTED 208

XXIII—M. DE LAUZUN AND "MADEMOISELLE" 220

XXIV—A FAIR SUITOR 230

XXV—UNDER A COUCH 242

XXVI—SIGNING THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT 252

XXVII—PLOT AND COUNTERPLOT 258

XXVIII—THE ROYAL GOVERNESS 268

XXIX—CONNUBIAL BLISS 283

XXX—FALL OF DE MONTESPAN 293

XXXI—QUEEN MAINTENON 302

XXXII—AT MARLY 311

XXXIII—"THE END" 317

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

INTERVIEW BETWEEN HENRY III. AND THE DUKE OF GUISE _Frontispiece_
From the painting by P. C. Comte.
(With permission of Levy et Fils, Paris.)

THE OLD LOUVRE 2
From an old print.

THE PALAIS ROYAL, PARIS 5

SALON OF LOUIS XIII. AT FONTAINEBLEAU 20

LOUISE DE LAFAYETTE 26
From Monmerqué's "Tallemant des Réaux."

MARQUIS DE CINQ-MARS 37
From a painting by Lenain.

VICOMTE DE TURENNE 62

PRINCE DE CONDÉ 69

CARDINAL MAZARIN AS AN ART COLLECTOR 70
From a painting by H. J. Vetter.
(By permission of Neurdein Frères, Paris.)

VINCENNES 84

CARDINAL DE RETZ 87

ANNE OF AUSTRIA 90

DUCHESSE DE CHEVREUSE 110

DUCHESSE DE LONGUEVILLE 123

MADEMOISELLE DE LA VALLIÈRE 158
From a steel engraving.

FOUQUET 168

COLBERT 176

MARIA THERESA 181

GALLERY OF HENRY II. AT FONTAINEBLEAU 191

VERSAILLES FROM THE PIÈCE D'EAU DES SUISSES 193
From an engraving by Rigaud.

MADAME DE MONTESPAN 211

VIEW OF THE LUXEMBOURG (LATER CALLED THE PALAIS, D'ORLÉANS)
IN THE 17TH CENTURY 242
From an old print.

LOUVOIS 258

BEDCHAMBER OF LOUIS XIV. AT VERSAILLES 259

LOUIS XIV. 266

MADAME DE SÉVIGNÉ 270
From an old engraving.

MADAME DE MAINTENON 286

DUC D'ORLÉANS 310

OLD COURT LIFE IN FRANCE.