Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 7 | Page 5

the window, and
said that the King was right by several inches. Louvois still wished to
argue, but the King silenced him, and commanded him to see that the
window was altered at once, contrary to custom abusing him most
harshly.
What annoyed Louvois most was, that this scene passed not only before
all the officers of the buildings, but in presence of all who followed the
King in his promenades, nobles, courtiers, officers of the guard, and
others, even all the rolete. The dressing given to Louvois was smart and
long, mixed with reflections upon the fault of this window, which, not
noticed so soon, might have spoiled all the facade, and compelled it to
be re-built.
Louvois, who was not accustomed to be thus treated, returned home in
fury, and like a man in despair. His familiars were frightened, and in
their disquietude angled to learn what had happened. At last he told
them, said he was lost, and that for a few inches the King forgot all his
services, which had led to so many conquests; he declared that
henceforth he would leave the trowel to the King, bring about a war,
and so arrange matters that the King should have good need of him!
He soon kept his word. He caused a war to grow out of the affair of the
double election of Cologne, of the Prince of Bavaria, and of the

Cardinal of Furstenberg; he confirmed it in carrying the flames into the
Palatinate, and in leaving, as I have said, all liberty to the project upon
England; he put the finishing touch to his work by forcing the Duke of
Savoy into the arms of his enemies, and making him become, by the
position of his country, our enemy, the most difficult and the most
ruinous. All that I have here related was clearly brought to light in due
time.
Boisseuil died shortly after D'Avaux. He was a tall, big man, warm and
violent, a great gambler, bad tempered,--who often treated M. le Grand
and Madame d'Armagnac, great people as they were, so that the
company were ashamed,--and who swore in the saloon of Marly as if
he had been in a tap-room. He was feared; and he said to women
whatever came uppermost when the fury of a cut-throat seized him.
During a journey the King and Court made to Nancy, Boisseuil one
evening sat down to play in the house of one of the courtiers. A player
happened to be there who played very high. Boisseuil lost a good deal,
and was very angry. He thought he perceived that this gentleman, who
was only permitted on account of his play, was cheating, and made
such good use of his eyes that he soon found this was the case, and all
on a sudden stretched across the table and seized the gambler's hand,
which he held upon the table, with the cards he was going to deal. The
gentleman, very much astonished, wished to withdraw his hand, and
was angry. Boisseuil, stronger than he, said that he was a rogue, and
that the company should see it, and immediately shaking his hand with
fury put in evidence his deceit. The player, confounded, rose and went
away. The game went on, and lasted long into the night. When finished,
Boisseuil went away. As he was leaving the door he found a man stuck
against the wall--it was the player--who called him to account for the
insult he had received. Boisseuil replied that he should give him no
satisfaction, and that he was a rogue.
"That may be," said the player, "but I don't like to be told so."
They went away directly and fought. Boisseuil received two wounds,
from one of which he was like to die. The other escaped without injury.
I have said, that after the affair of M. de Cambrai, Madame de

Maintenon had taken a rooted dislike to M. de Beauvilliers. She had
become reconciled to him in appearance during the time that
Monseigneur de Bourgogne was a victim to the calumnies of M. de
Vendome, because she had need of him. Now that Monseigneur de
Bourgogne was brought back to favour, and M. de Vendome was
disgraced, her antipathy for M, de Beauvilliers burst out anew, and she
set her wits to work to get rid of him from the Council of State, of
which he was a member. The witch wished to introduce her favourite
Harcourt there in his place, and worked so well to bring about this
result that the King promised he should be received.
His word given, or rather snatched from him, the King was
embarrassed as to how, to keep it, for he did not wish openly to
proclaim Harcourt minister. It was agreed, therefore,