Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 4 | Page 6

upon the Duke
complaining of it to his brother. The Duke did in fact complain; but my
son laughed at him, and replied, "that the King himself could not
prevent that; that he should despise such things, and seem not to hear
them."

Madame Craon was my daughter's fille d'honneur; she was then called
Mademoiselle de Ligneville, and there it was that the Duke fell in love
with her. M. Craon was in disgrace with the Duke, who was about to
dismiss him as a rascal, for having practised a sharping trick at play;
but, as he is a cunning fellow, he perceived the Duke's love for
Mademoiselle de Ligneville, although he pretended to make a great
mystery of it. About this time Madame de Lenoncourt, my daughter's
dame d'atour, happened to die. The Duke managed to have
Mademoiselle de Ligneville appointed in her room; and Craon, who is
rich, offered to marry this poor lady. The Duke was delighted with the
plan of marrying her to one who would lend himself to the intrigue; and
thus she became Madame de Craon, and dame d'atour. The old
gouvernante dying soon afterwards, my daughter thought to gratify her
husband, as well as Madame de Craon, by appointing her dame
d'honneur; and this it is that has brought such disgrace upon her.
My daughter is in despair. Craon and his wife want to take a journey of
ten days, for the purpose of buying a marquisate worth 800,000 livres.
The Duke will not remain during this time with his wife, but chooses it
for an opportunity to visit all the strong places of Alsatia. He will stay
away until the return of his mistress and her husband; and this it is
which makes my poor daughter so unhappy. The Duke now neither
sees nor hears anything but through Craon, his wife, and their creatures.
I do not think that my daughter's attachment to her husband is so strong
as it used to be, and yet I think she loves him very much; for every
proof of fondness which he gives her rejoices her so much that she
sends me word of it immediately. He can make her believe whatever he
chooses; and, although she cannot doubt the Duke's passion for
Madame de Craon, yet, when he says that he feels only friendship for
her, that he is quite willing to give up seeing her, only that he fears by
doing so he would dishonour her in the eyes of the public, and that
there is nothing he is not ready to do for his wife's repose, she receives
all he says literally, beseeches him to continue to see Madame de Craon
as usual, and fancies that her husband is tenderly attached to her, while
he is really laughing at her. If I were in my daughter's place, the Duke's
falsehood would disgust me more than his infidelity.
What appears to me the most singular in this intrigue is that the Duke is
as fond of the husband as of the wife, and that he cannot live without

him. This is very difficult to comprehend; but M. de Craon understands
it well, and makes the most of it; he has already bought an estate for
1,100,000 livres.
[The Marquis de Craon was Grand Chamberlain and Prime Minister of
the Duc de Lorraine; who, moreover, procured for him from the
Emperor of Germany the title of Prince. This favourite married one of
his daughters to the Prince de Ligin, of the House of Lorraine.]
The burning of Lundville was not the effect of an accident; it is well
known that some of the people stopped a woman's mouth, who was
crying out "Fire!" A person was also heard to say, "It was not I who set
it on fire." My daughter thinks that Old Maintenon would have them all
burnt; for the person who cried out has been employed, it seems, in the
house of the Duc de Noailles. For my part, I am rather disposed to
believe it was the young mistress, Madame de Craon, who had a share
in this matter; for Luneville is my daughter's residence and dowry.

SECTION XXXVIII.
THE DUC DU MAINE, LOUIS-AUGUSTUS.
The Duc du Maine flattered himself that he would marry my daughter.
Madame de Maintenon and Madame de Montespan were arranging this
project in presence of several merchants, to whom they paid no
attention, but the latter, engaging in the conversation, said, "Ladies, do
not think of any such thing, for it will cost you your lives if you bring
about that marriage."
Madame de Maintenon was dreadfully frightened at this, and
immediately went to the King to persuade him to relinquish the affair.
The Duc du Maine possesses talent, which he displays particularly in
his manner