. Versailles and the court under Louis XIV. y preparedfor this distressing journey, and God gave me the necessarystrength to execute it. I appeared in a long robe of goldand silver before the new wife of the monarch. The king,who was sitting at a table, rose for a moment and encouragedme by his greeting. I made the three pauses and the threereverences as I gradually approached Madame de Maintenon,who occupied a large and rich arm-chair of brocade. Shedid not rise; etiquette forbade it, and principally the presenceof the king. Her complexion, ordinarily pale, and with avery slight tone of pink,

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. Versailles and the court under Louis XIV. y preparedfor this distressing journey, and God gave me the necessarystrength to execute it. I appeared in a long robe of goldand silver before the new wife of the monarch. The king, who was sitting at a table, rose for a moment and encouragedme by his greeting. I made the three pauses and the threereverences as I gradually approached Madame de Maintenon, who occupied a large and rich arm-chair of brocade. Shedid not rise; etiquette forbade it, and principally the presenceof the king. Her complexion, ordinarily pale, and with avery slight tone of pink, was animated suddenly, and tookall the colors of the rose. She made me a sign to seat myselfon a stool, and it seemed to me that her amiable gaze apolo-gized to me. She spoke to me of Petit-Bourg, of the watersof Bourbon, of her country place, of my children, and saidto me, smiling, I am going to confide in you. M. le Princehas already asked Mile, de Nantes for his grandson, M. leDue de Bourbon, and His Highness promises us his grand- 232. By permission of Brauu, Ctemtnt If Co. Frangoise Athenais de Rochechouart, Marquise de Montespan Madame de Maintenon daughter for our Due du Maine. Two or three years more, and we shall see all that. It must have been extremelygratifying to Madame de Montespan to be told in confidencewhat the future of her children was to be. In the days ofher favor she had loyally helped and cherished Madame deMaintenon, praised her when the king disparaged her, re-tained her when the king wished to sengl her away, and madeher the governess of those very children whom Madame deMaintenon, with her our Due du Maine, now so coollyappropriated to the king and herself. The poor woman fromher stool could contemplate her work in the arm-chair ofbrocade, where sat her false friend, la Toute-Puissante. After half an hour spent thus, I rose from this uncomfort-able stool and made my farewell reverences. Madame deMaintenon, profiting by the kings having leaned over tow