The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-08-23

Behind the kings son ana the kings
brother there entered a little group Of
notables and of officials whom duty had
called to this daily ceremony. There
were the grand master of the robes, the
first lord of the bedchamber, the Due
du Maine, a pale youth clad in black
velvet, limping heavily with his left
leg, and his little brother, the young
Comte de Toulouse, both Of them the
illegitimate sons of Nine. de Monies
pan and the king. Such were the par
takers in the family entry, the highest
honor which the court of France could
aspire to-
Bontems had poured ON the kings
hands few drops of spirits of wine,
catching them again in a silver dish;
and the first lord Of the bedchamber
had presented the bowl Of holy water,
with which he made the sign of the
cross, muttering to himself the short
Office of the Holy Ghost. Then, with
a nod to his brother and short word
of greeting to the Dauphin and to the
Due du Maine, he swung his legs over
the side Of the bed and sat, In his long
silken nightdress, his little white feet
dangling from beneath it, perilous
position for any man to assume were
it not that he had SO heartfelt a sense
of his own dignity that he could not
realize that under any circumstances
1t might be compromised In the eyes Of
others. So he sat, the master Of France
and yet the slave to every puff Of wind,
for wandering draft had set him shiv-
ering and shaking NJ de ST. Quentin,
the noble barber, flung purple dress
ing gown over the royal shoulders and
placed a long, many curled court wig
upon his head, while Bontems drew on
his red stockings and laid before him
his slippers of embroidered velvet. The
monarch thrust his feet into them, tied
his dressing gown and passed out to
the fireplace. where he settled himself
down in his easy chair. holding out his
thin, delicate hands toward the blazing
logs, while the others stood round In
a semicircle, waiting for the grand
lever which was to follow.
= NJ. de st. Quentin, = is this not our
shaving mornfng?" said the king.
Eyes, sire; all is ready"
''Then why not proceed? 1t is three
minutes after the accustomed time. To
work, sir; and you. Bontems, give
word for the grand lever"
1t was obvious that the king was not
in very good humor that morning.
He darted little quick questioning
rrlop noc, q - bic brofhar ond OF b;S coy,o
but whatever complaint or sarcasm
may have trembled upon his lips was
effectually stif1ed by De ST. Quentin's
ministrations. With the nonchalance
born Of long custom, the official COW
cred the royal chin with soap, drew
the razor swiftly round it and sponged
over the surface with spirits of wine.
A nobleman then helped to draw on the
kings black velvet haut-de-chausses,
second assisted in arranging them,
while third drew the nightgown over
the shoulders and handed the royal
shirt, which had been warming before
the fire. His diamond buckled shoes,
his CATERS and his scarlet inner vest
were successfully fastened by noble
courtiers, each keenly jealous of bis
own privilege, and over the vest was
placed the blue ribbon with the cross
Of the Holy Ghost in diamonds. and
that of st. Louis tied with red. The
black undercoat was drawn on, the
cravat Of rich lace adjusted, the loose,
overcoat secured, two handkerchiefs of
costly point carried forward upon an
enameled saucer and thrust by sepa-
rate officials into each side pocket. the
silver and ebony cane laid to hand. and
the monarch was ready for the labors
Of the day.
During the half hour or so which had
been occupied in this manner there
had been constant opening and clos
ing Of the chamber door, and mutter-
ing Of names from the captain of the
guard to the attendant in charge, and
from the attendant in charge to the
first gentleman Of the chamber, ending
always in the admission of some new
visitor. Here, close by the king, was
the harsh but energetic Louvois, all
powerful now since the death Of his
rival Colbert. discussing a question of
military organization with two officers,
the one tall and stately soldier, the
other strange little figure. understood
and misshapen, but bearing the insig-
mia of marshal Of France, and own
ing name which was of evil omen
over the Dutch frontier, for Luxem-
bourg was looked upon already as the
successor of Conde even as his COM
panion Vauban was of Turenne Be
side them a small white haired clerical
with a kindly face, Pere la Chaise
confessor to the king, was whispering
his views upon Jansenism to the portly