File:Versailles and the court under Louis XIV (1905) (14579507860).jpg

Identifier: versaillescourtu00farm (find matches)
Title: Versailles and the court under Louis XIV
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Farmer, James Eugene, 1867-1915
Subjects: Versailles (France) -- Description France -- Court and courtiers
Publisher: New York, The Century co.
Contributing Library: Wellesley College Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Wellesley College Library

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sitting,he said that he felt convinced that it was scrupulousness alonewhich had hindered the king from consenting to so necessaryan act as the burning of Treves, and that he had, therefore,taken the responsibility on himself by sending a courier withorders to set fire to the place at once. The king was im-mediately, and contrary to his nature, so transported withanger that he seized the tongs, and was about to make a runat Louvois, when Madame de Maintenon placed herself be-tween them, crying, Oh, Sire, what are you going to do ? and took the tongs from his hands. Louvois, meanwhile,gained the door. The king cried after him to recall him,and said, with flashing eyes, * Despatch a courier instantlywith a counter-order, and let him arrive in time; for, knowthis: if a single house is burned, your head shall answerfor it! Louvois, more dead than alive, hastened away atonce. Of course he had sent off no courier. He said he had,believing that by this trick the king, though he might be 192
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His Personal Appearance and Character angry, would be led to give way. He had reckoned wrongly,however, as we have seen/ In this case certainly the kingswrath was justified, for the ministers conduct was withoutexcuse. On the second occasion, Louiss pride was cut to the quickby the disgraceful exhibition of cowardice shown by his fa-vorite son, the Due du Maine, when with the army. He feltdeeply for that dear son whose troops had become the laugh-ing-stock of the army; he felt the railleries that, as the ga-zettes showed him, foreigners were heaping upon his forces;and his vexation was inconceivable. The king, so equal inhis manners, so thoroughly master of his lightest movements,even upon the gravest occasions, succumbed under this event.On rising from the table at Marly he saw a servant who,while taking away the dessert, helped himself to a biscuit,which he put in his pocket. On the instant, the king for-got his dignity, and cane in hand ran to this valet (wholittle suspected what w

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