I have received your letter of the 12th of this month, by which I see that the repairs which you have ordered to be made at Exiles will not permit you to leave Pignerol before the end of next month. As the service of the King will perhaps require that you should remain there all the following month, it would be well that you should advance the aforesaid repairs of Exiles as little as possible, in order that you may have a pretext for not leaving Pignerol till the first days of the month of October; taking care to act in such a manner, that your continuing to remain there may not appear to be the result of voluntary delay.
I am about to send the necessary order for the repayment of the money you have expended for your prisoners, and you will receive it by the next post.
You will find joined with this letter a packet for M. de Pianesse,[319] which I request you to deliver to him without fail.
De Louvois.[320]
[319] The Marquis de Pianesse was one of the Ministers of the Court of Turin.
[320] From the Archives of France.
No. 117.
LOUVOIS TO SAINT-MARS.
Fontainebleau, August 3d, 1681.
Your letter of the 23rd of last month has been delivered to me. The King approves of your going to see the Marquis de Pianesse at his country house, and of your making a journey to Turin, if you desire it, provided you do not sleep out of the citadel of Pignerol more than one night at a time. With regard to the journey to Exiles, and the leave of absence you ask for the Sieur Tourtebat, whom you wish to take with you, you will have seen by my former letters, that the intention of the King is that you should not go there.