The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-10
\ kings Mistress.

The Scrhners se,Ie Madame De Monies.
pan" by Mr.. n Noel Williams, in hand
some quar'o volume with sixteen photo
gravlre port rats, There is no lack Of
interest in the life story of the most cele-
brated Of the many mist stresses of lie Grand
Monnrouo. and since the recent puhlica-
ton Of NJ Ravaisson's reese arches among
The archives of the Bastile much new light
has been thrown on the subject. The
sentimental fiction that she was at first
an unwilling victim of the Kings atten-
tions has been disposed of, and we know
now that the lady laid her plans for the
subjugation of the impressonable Louis
XIV with as much deliberation as did
Nine. de Pompadour for that of his
Successor Al the very time when she
was supposed to have been implorng her
husband 10 take her out of mptation.
she was actually invoking the assistance
Of rnagicians and witches, to enable her to
sLpplant La VALERIE in the kings affections.
Il is small wonder that the royal digest ion
was occasionally out of order when We
read here that the lady used TO administer
to tile King love portions compounded ol
cantharides, the dust of dried lnoles, the
blood Of bats and other vile substances
When these failed a more potent charm
was tried, Of which the principal ingredients
were dried plums and iron filings.
Also the abominable ceremony Of the
Black Mass was performed over the body
OF Nine. de Montespan on several occasions,
and good deal OF the evidence given
in the celebrated poison trials il here eX
tracted from NJ. Ravaisson's Archives de la
Bastille.' The whole story q! ihl, " oman
who was the mother OF legitina IL NJ princes
and princasses, and whose blood flows to-
day in the veins of half the royal houses
in Europe, is an entertaining and instruc
tive one. Like many another follower OF
her ancient profession, she died in the
odor of sanctity, after some years OF pen
ance and good works, and that grim pic
ture OF the close of her career, drawn by
Saint-Sirnon in his Memories is here
quoted
Little by little she proceeded to give
nearly all she hadt to the poor. She worked
for them several hours a day at humble
and rough tasks, 10 wit shirts and such
like things, and she made those about her
work at them, too. Her table, which she
had loved to excess, became most frugal
her fasts were multiplied, and at all hours
Of the day she would leave whatever occu-
patton she happened to be engaged IN to
go and pray in her closet. Her mortif1ca-
tons of the flesh were constant; her chemises
and sheets were of the coarsest and rough
est unbleached linen, b ut concealed be-
meath ordinary sheets and underwear.
Size wore continually bracelets garters and
a girdle Of STEEL with iron points, and her
tongue, formerly so dreaded, had its PEN
ance also. She was further so tortured by
horror OF death that she paid several women
whose sole employment was to sit up with
her at night. She lay with her Ell curtains
drawn back, with her room ablaze with
candles, her watchers around her, whom,
whenever she woke up, she wished to find
talking, playing cards or eating. to assure
herself that they were not drowsy.'
When the news OF her death was brought
to the King that man Of many love affairs
merely remarked that when Nine. de
Montespan quilted the court he had
counted upon never seeing her again, and
from that moment she was dead to him.