Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 1 | Page 8

The Regent's Liberality
to Madame de Maintenon.
CHAPTER LXXX
The Young King's Cold.--'Lettres des Cachet' Revived.--A Melancholy
Story.--A Loan from Crosat.--Retrenchments.--Unpaid
Ambassadors.--Council of the Regency.--Influence of Lord Stair.--The
Pretender.--His Departure from Bar.--Colonel Douglas.--The
Pursuit.--Adventure at Nonancourt.--Its Upshot.--Madame
l'Hospital.--Ingratitude of the Pretender.
CHAPTER LXXXI
Behaviour of the Duchesse de Berry.--Her Arrogance Checked by
Public Opinion.--Walls up the Luxembourg Garden.--La Muette.--Her
Strange Amour with Rion.--Extraordinary Details.--The Duchess at the
Carmelites.-- Weakness of the Regent.--His Daily Round of Life.--His
Suppers.-- How He Squandered His Time.--His
Impenetrability.--Scandal of His Life.-- Public Balls at the Opera.
CHAPTER LXXXII
First Appearance of Law.--His Banking Project Supported by the
Regent.-- Discussed by the Regent with Me.--Approved by the Council
and Registered. --My Interviews with Law.--His Reasons for Seeking
My Friendship.-- Arouet de Voltaire
CHAPTER LXXXIII
Rise of Alberoni.--Intimacy of France and England.--Gibraltar
Proposed to be Given Up.--Louville the Agent.--His
Departure.--Arrives at Madrid.-- Alarm of Alberoni.--His Audacious
Intrigues.--Louville in the Bath.-- His Attempts to See the

King.--Defeated.--Driven out of Spain.--Impudence of
Alberoni.--Treaty between France and England.--Stipulation with
Reference to the Pretender.
CHAPTER LXXXIV
The Lieutenant of Police.--Jealousy of Parliament.--Arrest of Pomereu
Resolved On.--His Imprisonment and Sudden Release.--Proposed
Destruction of Marly.--How I Prevented It.--Sale of the Furniture.--I
Obtain the 'Grandes Entrees'.--Their Importance and
Nature.--Afterwards Lavished Indiscriminately.--Adventure of the
Diamond called "The Regent."--Bought for the Crown of France.
CHAPTER LXXXV
Death of the Duchesse de Lesdiguieres.--Cavoye and His Wife.--Peter
the Great.--His Visit to France.--Enmity to England.--Its
Cause.--Kourakin, the Russian Ambassador.--The Czar Studies
Rome.--Makes Himself the Head of Religion.--New Desires for
Rome--Ultimately Suppressed.--Preparations to Receive the Czar at
Paris.--His Arrival at Dunkerque.--At Beaumont.-- Dislikes the Fine
Quarters Provided for Him.--His Singular Manners, and Those of His
Suite.
CHAPTER LXXXVI
Personal Appearance of the Czar.--His Meals.--Invited by the Regent.--
His Interview with the King--He Returns the Visit.--Excursion in
Paris.-- Visits Madame.--Drinks Beer at the Opera.--At the
Invalides.--Meudon.-- Issy.--The Tuileries.--Versailles.--Hunt at
Fontainebleau.--Saint--Cyr.-- Extraordinary Interview with Madame de
Maintenon.--My Meeting with the Czar at D'Antin's.--The Ladies
Crowd to See Him.--Interchange of Presents.--A Review.--Party
Visits.--Desire of the Czar to Be United to France.
CHAPTER LXXXVII

Courson in Languedoc.--Complaints of Perigueux.--Deputies to Paris.--
Disunion at the Council.--Intrigues of the Duc de Noailles.--Scene.-- I
Support the Perigueux People.--Triumph.--My Quarrel with Noailles.--
The Order of the Pavilion.

VOLUME 12.
CHAPTER LXXXVIII
Policy and Schemes of Alberoni.--He is Made a Cardinal.--Other
Rewards Bestowed on Him.--Dispute with the Majordomo.--An
Irruption into the Royal Apartment.--The Cardinal
Thrashed.--Extraordinary Scene.
CHAPTER LXXXIX
Anecdote of the Duc d'Orleans.--He Pretends to Reform --Trick Played
upon Me.--His Hoaxes.--His Panegyric of Me.--Madame de
Sabran.--How the Regent Treated His Mistresses.
CHAPTER XC
Encroachments of the Parliament.--The Money Edict.--Conflict of
Powers-- Vigorous Conduct of the Parliament.--Opposed with Equal
Vigour by the Regent.--Anecdote of the Duchesse du Maine.--Further
Proceedings of the Parliament.--Influence of the Reading of
Memoirs.--Conduct of the Regent.--My Political
Attitude.--Conversation with the Regent on the Subject of the
Parliament.--Proposal to Hang Law.--Meeting at My House.-- Law
Takes Refuge in the Palais Royal.
CHAPTER XCI
Proposed Bed of Justice.--My Scheme.--Interview with the Regent.--
The Necessary Seats for the Assembly.--I Go in Search of Fontanieu.--
My Interview with Hini.--I Return to the Palace.--Preparations.--

Proposals of M. le Duc to Degrade M. du Maine.--My Opposition.--My
Joy and Delight.--The Bed of Justice Finally Determined On.--A
Charming Messenger.--Final Preparations.--Illness of the
Regent.--News Given to M. du Maine.--Resolution of the
Parliament.--Military Arrangements.--I Am Summoned to the
Council.--My Message to the Comte de Toulouse.
CHAPTER XCII
The Material Preparations for the Bed of Justice--Arrival of the Duc
d'Orleans:--The Council Chamber.--Attitude of the Various
Actors.--The Duc du Maine.--Various Movements.--Arrival of the Duc
de Toulouse.-- Anxiety of the Two Bastards.--They Leave the
Room.--Subsequent Proceedings.--Arrangement of the Council
Chamber.--Speech of the Regent. --Countenances of the Members of
Council.--The Regent Explains the Object of the Bed of
Justice.--Speech of the Keeper of the Seals.--Taking the
Votes.--Incidents That Followed.--New Speech of the Duc d'Orleans.--
Against the Bastards.--My Joy.--I Express My Opinion
Modestly.--Exception in Favour of the Comte de Toulouse.--New
Proposal of M. le Duc.--Its Effect.--Threatened Disobedience of the
Parliament.--Proper Measures.-- The Parliament Sets Out.
CHAPTER XCIII
Continuation of the Scene in the Council Chamber.--Slowness of the
Parliament.--They Arrive at Last.--The King Fetched.--Commencement
of the Bed of Justice.--My Arrival.--Its Effect.--What I
Observed.--Absence of the Bastards Noticed.--Appearance of the King.
The Keeper of the Seals.-- The Proceedings Opened.--Humiliation of
the Parliament.--Speech of the Chief-President.--New
Announcement.--Fall of the Duc du Maine Announced. --Rage of the
Chief-President.--My Extreme joy.--M. le Duc Substituted for M. du
Maine.--Indifference of the King.--Registration of the Decrees.
CHAPTER XCIV

My Return Home.--Wanted for a New Commission.--Go to the Palais
Royal.-- A Cunning Page.--My journey to Saint-Cloud.--My
Reception.--Interview with the Duchesse d'Orleans.--Her Grief.--My
Embarrassment.--Interview with Madame.--Her Triumph.--Letter of the
Duchesse d'Orleans.--She Comes to Paris.--Quarrels with the Regent.
CHAPTER XCV
Intrigues of M. du Maine.--And of Cellamare, the Spanish
Ambassador.-- Monteleon and Portocarrero.--Their Despatches.--How
Signed.--The Conspiracy Revealed.--Conduct of the Regent.--Arrest of
Cellamare.--His House Searched.--The