Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 11 | Page 6

saloon; at Trianon in the
front rooms as at Meudon; at Fontainebleau in the chamber and
ante-chamber. During this pause the King gave audiences when he
wished to accord any; spoke with whoever he might wish to speak

secretly to, and gave secret interviews to foreign ministers in presence
of Torcy. They were called "secret" simply to distinguish them from
the uncommon ones by the bedsides.
The King went to mass, where his musicians always sang an anthem.
He did not go below--except on grand fetes or at ceremonies. Whilst he
was going to and returning from mass, everybody spoke to him who
wished, after apprising the captain of the guard, if they were not
distinguished; and he came and went by the door of the cabinet into the
gallery. During the mass the ministers assembled in the King's chamber,
where distinguished people could go and speak or chat with them. The
King amused himself a little upon returning from mass and asked
almost immediately for the council. Then the morning was finished.
On Sunday, and often on Monday, there was a council of state; on
Tuesday a finance council; on Wednesday council of state; on Saturday
finance council: rarely were two held in one day or any on Thursday or
Friday. Once or twice a month there was a council of despatches on
Monday morning; but the order that the Secretaries of State took every
morning between the King's rising and his mass, much abridged this
kind of business. All the ministers were seated accordingly to rank,
except at the council of despatches, where all stood except the sons of
France, the Chancellor, and the Duc de Beauvilliers.
Thursday morning was almost always blank. It was the day for
audiences that the King wished to give--often unknown to
any--back-stair audiences. It was also the grand day taken advantage of
by the bastards, the valets, etc., because the King had nothing to do. On
Friday after the mass the King was with his confessor, and the length of
their audiences was limited by nothing, and might last until dinner. At
Fontainebleau on the mornings when there was no council, the King
usually passed from mass to Madame de Maintenon's, and so at
Trianon and Marly. It was the time for their tete-a-tete without
interruption. Often on the days when there was no council the dinner
hour was advanced, more or less for the chase or the promenade. The
ordinary hour was one o'clock; if the council still lasted, then the dinner
waited and nothing was said to the King.

The dinner was always 'au petit couvert', that is, the King ate by
himself in his chamber upon a square table in front of the middle
window. It was more or less abundant, for he ordered in the morning
whether it was to be "a little," or "very little" service. But even at this
last, there were always many dishes, and three courses without
counting the fruit. The dinner being ready, the principal courtiers
entered; then all who were known; and the gentleman of the chamber
on duty informed the King.
I have seen, but very rarely, Monseigneur and his sons standing at their
dinners, the King not offering them a seat. I have continually seen there
the Princes of the blood and the cardinals. I have often seen there also
Monsieur, either on arriving from Saint-Cloud to see the King, or
arriving from the council of despatches (the only one he entered), give
the King his napkin and remain standing. A little while afterwards, the
King, seeing that he did not go away, asked him if he would not sit
down; he bowed, and the King ordered a seat to be brought for him. A
stool was put behind him. Some moments after the King said, "Nay
then, sit down, my brother." Monsieur bowed and seated himself until
the end of the dinner, when he presented the napkin.
At other times when he came from Saint-Cloud, the King, on arriving
at the table, asked for a plate for Monsieur, or asked him if he would
dine. If he refused, he went away a moment after, and there was no
mention of a seat; if he accepted, the King asked for a plate for him.
The table was square, he placed himself at one end, his back to the
cabinet. Then the Grand Chamberlain (or the first gentleman of the
chamber) gave him drink and plates, taking them from him as he
finished with them, exactly as he served the King; but Monsieur
received all this attention with strongly marked politeness. When he
dined thus with the King he much enlivened the conversation. The
King ordinarily spoke little at table unless some family favourite was
near. It was the same at hid rising.