[290]. ‘Letters de Mme. de Villars.’ Paris, 1823.
[291]. Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid, MSS. C., 1–5, transcribed by the present writer.
[292]. ‘Mémoires de la Cour d’Espagne,’ par M. de Villars.
[293]. ‘Mémoires.’ Villars.
[294]. Lettres de Mme. Villars.
[295]. Mme. D’Aulnoy thus describes the King’s appearance at this first interview with his bride: ‘I have heard that the Queen was extremely surprised at his appearance. He had a very short, wide jacket (just au corps) of grey barracan; his breeches were of velvet, and his stockings of very loose spun silk. He wore a very beautiful cravat which the Queen had sent him, but it was fastened rather too loosely. His hair was put behind his ears, and he wore a light grey hat.’—‘Voyage d’Espagne.’ La Haye, 1692.
[296]. A note on a previous page explains the reason why these small villages were chosen for the marriage ceremonies of the Kings of Spain.
[297]. ‘Mémoires.’ Villars.
[298]. It will be seen that the sprightly letter-writer indulges here in an untranslatable pun. The carriage was without glass = glace, and she hoped the occupants would be without ice = glace.
[299]. Writing of this period, Mme. D’Aulnoy, who professes to have been in Madrid at the time, says that the Marchioness de la Fuente told her that: ‘the Queen had been much upset at the roughness of the Mistress of the Robes, who, seeing that her Majesty’s hair did not lie flat on the forehead, spat into her hand and approached for the purpose of sticking the straying lock down with saliva. The Queen resented this warmly, and rubbed hard with her pocket handkerchief upon the spot where this old woman had so dirtily wetted her forehead.... It is really quite pitiable the way this old Mistress of the Robes treats the Queen. I know for a fact that she will not allow her to have a single hair curled, and forbids her to go near a window or speak to a soul.’—‘Voyage d’Espagne.’