Chapter XXIII

_Monsieur le Duc_ and Madame de Prie determine to break
off the marriage of Louis XV. and the Infanta, and to
marry the young King to a princess capable of at once
giving him an heir--Double interest of the favourite in the
accomplishment of this design--Question of the remarriage
of _Monsieur le Duc_--Madame de Prie, unable to oppose
this, selects Marie Leczinska--Rupture of the Spanish
marriage--Exasperation of the Court of Madrid--Difficulty
of finding a suitable consort for Louis XV.--Madame de Prie
accused of having barred the way of Mlle. de Vermandois to
the crown matrimonial--The favourite advocates the claims
of Marie Leczinska, who is eventually chosen--Triumph
of Madame de Prie--Arrival of the new Queen--A model
husband--Growing unpopularity of the Government and
increasing influence of Fleury--An unsuccessful
intrigue--Madame de Prie retires from Court, but _Monsieur
le Duc_ insists on her return--Disgrace of _Monsieur
le Duc_--His mother and his mistress follow him to
Chantilly--Madame de Prie is exiled to Normandy--A touching
farewell--Chivalrous behaviour of the prince--Death of
Madame de Prie--Remarriage of _Monsieur le Duc_--His death 332–350

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

AGNÈS BERTHELOT DE PLÉNEUF, MARQUISE DE PRIE _Frontispiece_
From a Painting by an unknown artist, in the
collection of M. de Quatrebarbes

_By permission of MM. Plon Nourrit_

FACING
PAGE

LOUIS I. DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ 26
From an Engraving after a Drawing by JANET

ÉLÉONORE DE ROYE, PRINCESSE DE CONDÉ 72
From a Drawing by an unknown artist

HENRI I. DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ 102
From an Engraving by DELPECH, after the Painting
by MAUZAISSE

CHARLOTTE CATHERINE DE LA TRÉMOILLE, PRINCESSE DE CONDÉ 134
From an Engraving by MIGER, after the Painting by
LE MONNIER

HENRI II. DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ 164
From an Engraving by MATHONIER

LOUIS II. DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ (THE GREAT CONDÉ) 182
From an Engraving by JACQUES LUBIN

CLAIRE CLÉMENCE DE MAILLÉ-BRÉZÉ, PRINCESSE DE CONDÉ 198
From an Engraving by MONCORNET

NINON DE L’ENCLOS 210
From a Miniature in the South Kensington Museum

ANNE OF BAVARIA, DUCHESSE D’ENGHIEN (AFTERWARDS PRINCESSE DE
CONDÉ) 238
From an Engraving by MONCORNET

HENRI JULES DE BOURBON, DUC D’ENGHIEN (AFTERWARDS PRINCE DE
CONDÉ) 252
From an Engraving by POILLY, after the Painting by
MIGNARD

DIANE GABRIELLE DE THIANGES, DUCHESSE DE NEVERS 254
From a Contemporary Print

LOUIS III., DUC DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ (CALLED MONSIEUR
LE DUC) 264
From a Contemporary Print

LOUISE FRANÇOISE, DUCHESSE DE BOURBON (CALLED MADAME LA
DUCHESSE) 276
From a Contemporary Print

LOUIS HENRI, DUC DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ (CALLED
MONSIEUR LE DUC) 300
From an Engraving by P. DREVET, after the Painting
by GOBERT

ANDRÉ HERCULE, CARDINAL DE FLEURY 316
From an Engraving by DREVET, after the Painting by
HYACINTHE RIGAUD

CLAUDE LE BLANC 330
From an Engraving by DREVET, after the Painting by
LE PRIEUR

THE

LOVE-AFFAIRS OF THE CONDÉS