Maisons Seeks My Acquaintance.—His Mysterious Manner.—Increase of the
Intimacy.—Extraordinary News.—The Bastards Declared Princes of the
Blood.—Rage of Maisons and Noailles.—Opinion of the Court and Country.
CHAPTER LXVIII
The King Unhappy and Ill at Ease.—Court Paid to Him.—A New Scheme to
Rule Him.—He Yields.—New Annoyance.—His Will.—Anecdotes Concerning
It.—Opinions of the Court.—M. du Maine.
CHAPTER LXIX
A New Visit from Maisons.—His Violent Project.—My Objections.—He
Persists.—His Death and That of His Wife.—Death of the Duc de
Beauvilliers.—His Character.—Of the Cardinal d’Estrees.—Anecdotes.—
Death of Fenelon.
VOLUME 10.
CHAPTER LXX
Character and Position of the Duc d’Orleans—His Manners, Talents, and
Virtues.—His Weakness.—Anecdote Illustrative Thereof.—
The “Debonnaire”—Adventure of the Grand Prieur in England.—Education
of the Duc d’Orleans.—Character of Dubois.—His Pernicious Influence.—
The Duke’s Emptiness.—His Deceit.—His Love of Painting.—The Fairies at
His Birth.—The Duke’s Timidity.—An Instance of His Mistrustfulness.
CHAPTER LXXI
The Duke Tries to Raise the Devil.—Magical Experiments.—His Religious
Opinions.—Impiety.—Reads Rabelais at Church.—The Duchesse d’Orleans.—
Her Character.—Her Life with Her Husband.—My Discourses with the Duke
on the Future.—My Plans of Government.—A Place at Choice Offered Me.—
I Decline the Honour.—My Reason.—National Bankruptcy.—The Duke’s Anger
at My Refusal.—A Final Decision.