The fine Season being come, Madame went to St. Cloud, and took with her Mademoiselle de Chartres now the Abbess of Chelles, and Mademoiselle de Valois now Princess of Modena. Madame spent all the Summer at St. Cloud, so that I
made several Trips thither. I told her my Case, and desir'd that she would please to intercede for me with the Duke her Son. She always promis'd me she would, but never did; and yet she said to every body who talk'd of me to her, That she wish'd me well; while, on the other hand, tho' this Princess mortally hated S—— a Prussian Gentleman, she earnestly importun'd the Duke her Son to serve him; and I was present one day when she sollicited for him. After the Duke of Orleans retir'd, she call'd me to her, and said, You heard how I espous'd the Interests of S——, yet I can assure you he does not deserve it. Then Madame told me strange Stories to the disadvantage of S——, upon which I took the Freedom to defend his Cause, and to assure her Royal Highness that he had been misrepresented to her. What! said Madame, will you offer to deny that he had his Hand cut off for counterfeiting the Sign-Manual of the King of Denmark? As I knew the Adventure of S—— at the Danish Court, and that his was not a Crime of such a nature; and as, moreover, I knew that the Loss of his Right Arm was owing to a Fall that he had receiv'd, I represented to Madame, that I should have thought the cutting off of his Hand Punishment enough in all reason for the Crime of which she suspected S——; but that nevertheless, his Arm was cut off near the Shoulder. Alas! said the Princess, that's because it was cut a second time. But, Madame, I instantly reply'd, How could your Royal Highness favor a Man that was capable of such a Fraud? I have my Reasons for it, said she. I did not venture to indulge my Curiosity further. But in fine, this M. de S—— who was to the last degree abhorr'd, obtain'd what he desir'd; whereas, for my part, as well as I
was wish'd, I could not possibly obtain so much as a positive Denial, which would at least have serv'd to undeceive me, and to make me look out for Preferment from another Quarter.
While Madame was at St. Cloud, the Duchess of Berry resided at Meudon, tho' sometimes she came to Paris. I had the Honor of paying my Compliments to this Princess very often. She was good-natur'd and generous, and very free to ask Favors of the Regent her Father, who seldom deny'd her; so that whoever had her Protection, was in a sure way to be advanc'd. The Count de R——, a young Man of Quality, and who was just enter'd as a Lieutenant in that Princess's Guards, knew better than any body how to gain his Mistress's Favor. I knew him some time before this Preferment of his, when he was a Lieutenant in the King's Regiment, very much out at heels, and by consequence not in a Condition to keep a certain Sett of Company; at least, in the manner that he would have desir'd: But by meer Chance he was quarter'd upon the Duchess of Berry, who wanted a Man of a good Family to be Lieutenant of her Guards; for till then those who officiated in that Post were only Persons of a common Extraction, for which reason few there were that strove to get it. R—— thought very prudently, that in his present Circumstances he was not oblig'd to mind such Scruples; and he spoke to his Sister, who was a Lady of the Bed-Chamber to the Duchess, of the Design he had to offer his Service. He actually did so, and was admitted. He perform'd the Duty of it a good while, and the Princess took no more Notice of him than she did of any of her other Officers. What began to make him known was this. One
day as the Princess was going out she observ'd that R—— was not on horseback by the side of her Coach, as his Duty demanded of him; and she complain'd of it to the Duke de la Rochefoucault the Captain of her Guards. This Officer, who was fond of R——, and was, moreover, naturally inclin'd to do him Service, said to the Princess that R—— was not well; but setting his Indisposition aside, as he had the Honor to be a Gentleman, he thought it hard to ride like a Stable-Boy by the side of her Coach, while several Officers of the Houshold, who were not equal to him, rode in the Coach that follow'd. The Duchess of Berry, who was a kind Mistress, immediately gave Orders, that the Lieutenant of her Guards should ride in the Waiting-Coach. R—— return'd her Thanks, and was more assiduous than ever in his Attendance on her. Madame de M—— spoke afterwards so much in Commendation of R——, that the Princess her self talk'd with him several times, and was convinc'd that Madame de M—— had told her the Truth, and that R—— deserv'd her Favor. He was quickly Master of a splendid Fortune, gay Furniture, Clothes and Equipage; and she also preferr'd him to several Regiments, which he always dispos'd of to his advantage. To the Honor of R—— be it said, that his Prosperity did not make him a jot the vainer; he was still as good-natur'd and civil as ever, his old Friends always found him the same, and very often he did them important Services. He had afterwards a Quarrel with the Regent, who caus'd him to be banish'd from his Regiment; and during his Exile the Duchess of Berry died at la Muette, the 20th of July, 1719, aged only 24.
Mean time the King who had been at Paris ever since his Return from Vincennes, was removed out of the hands of the Women into those of the Men, and the Person appointed for his Governor was the Marshal de Villeroy. The Choice of him was the more applauded, because he was one of the old experienced Courtiers, and a Man whose Zeal and Attachment to the King's Person no body question'd. The Constitution of this young Prince was so tender, that they could not be too careful of it. The Marshal, as old as he was, fully answer'd what was expected of him: He gave extraordinary Application to the discharge of his Duty, and was never out of his Majesty's sight. This Nobleman's Post being the most honorable that can be desir'd in France, there quickly arose envious Persons, who strove, tho' in vain, to depreciate him in the Esteem of the Public. They confess'd that he was a very proper Person to teach the young Monarch to walk and make his Salute like a King, to put his Hat on with a Grace, to accost a Lady in the politest manner, and other things of that nature; but that he was by no means fit to inspire him with Ideas suitable to his Rank, and that he could never make him think like a King. But the consequence shew'd what the Marshal was capable of, and the young Prince quickly gave Proofs that he had learnt of the Marshal not only to walk, but to think like a King. I remember one Passage, which is a very plain Indication of his being fully persuaded that he was the sole Master in his Kingdom, and that there was no Person above him. When Madame came to the Thuilleries, she made but a very short Visit at Court, because she went to hear Mass; and she said to the King as she retired,
That she was going to wait on a greater Lord than he. The young Prince seem'd a little surpriz'd at first, but after a Moment's Reflexion he made her Answer, Undoubtedly, Madame, you are going to pray to God. Another day the French Comedians having play'd the Tragedy of Athalia before his Majesty, 'tis said the Prince could not bear with any Patience to see young Joas seated on the Throne, for he had a Fancy that he was a second King; nor would he so much as applaud the Lad who so perfectly well play'd the Part of Joas. These Passages are a sufficient Demonstration, that he had been inspir'd with Sentiments suitable to his Dignity; and that in time, perhaps, he will not be inferior in any respect to his August Great-Grandfather.
As to my own Affairs, I had the Mortification to find them still in the same Situation. 'Tis certain that no Sollicitation was wanting on my part, nor Promises on the part of the Regent; but after all, nothing was concluded, and I was then not a whit forwarder than when I arriv'd in France, tho' I had not near so much Money. Mean time I was too earnest for entring into the Service to be disheartened, and shutting my Eyes against the Improbability of Success, I renew'd my Sollicitation. My Residence at Paris being extremely ruinous to me, my particular Acquaintance could not conceive how I was able to support my self. Mademoiselle de Pollnitz soon heard that I had not yet obtain'd any thing in France, and that nevertheless I was obstinately bent on staying there: She could not bear the Thoughts of the Expence, which she was sensible I was oblig'd to be at; and as my Estate was entail'd upon her, she imagin'd that the Money I spent in
France was so much taken out of her Pocket. She resolv'd therefore to make me quit Paris, knowing very well that 'twas cheaper to live elsewhere. For this end she desir'd the Princess de G——, who corresponded by Letters with Madame, to write to her Royal Highness, and to intreat her to protect me no longer, because I did not deserve her Favors. The Letter was accordingly written and sent to Madame, who told me the whole Contents of it. 'Twas so well cook'd up, that my Cousin might boast of having a good Secretary. But her Royal Highness assur'd me, that this Letter should make no Impression upon her, and that she would always be my Friend. I most humbly thank'd the Princess, withdrew in a terrible Pet with my Cousin; and in the first transport of my Passion I wrote her a Letter, in which I did not spare her. As she was really a Woman of very good Sense, she answer'd me in the same Style. I replied; she did the same; and thus we carried on a Literary Correspondence, in which there were very pretty Sayings on both sides.