The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-16

1858 10 you IInt 4 hNNAo hAAu AAiC0 NA"S ~
would 20 so far as to deprive me Of all con-
tentment when my time is employed In
anything else than in thinking Of you"
III.
Those who desire TO follow in detail the
amazing fortunes OF Mazarin's seven nieces
must read this entertaining volume for
themselves. We can but glance here and
there at the descriptions OF their beauty,
their character and their adventures. The
eldest Of the two little Mancini girls, who
arrived at Fontainebleau in lBt7, was azure
Eventually to be Duchess de Mercour),
a pleasing brunette, with a handsome face,
then about IL or Is years Of age. The
second, Olympic destined to be Comtesse
de Soissons), also a brunette, had a long
face and pointed chin. Her eyes we're
small, but lively, and it might be expected
that when IS years old she would rave
some charm. According to the rules OF
beauty, however, it was, then impossible
to grant Olympic any fascination except
that Of having dimples in her cheeks. The
cousin who accompanied them, Anne Marie
Martinozzi subsequently Princesse de
ContO, was blond; her features were beau
llluls III IN "a
ewes. The last two named were Of the
same age, about Q or 10 years old. See
those little girls" remarked the wife OF
Marechal de Villeroi to CASTOR d'Orleans,
the Kings uncle, who are now not rich;
they will soon have fine c~hAteaux, large
incomes, splendid jewels, beautiful silver
and, perhaps, great dignities.' The mare
chale was a true prophet.
Al ,aRa a. r.-ls-aI AAlarA1 HE
sister, Signora Mancini. to send him her
eldest remaining daughter, Marie, who was
to become the C~onstabless Colonna. She
was a girl OF remarkable intelligence ard
became one Of the most cultivated women
of her time. We are told that at The time
OF her appearance in the French Court
her features, though too irregular for
beauty, were good; h had large and brill
liant black eyes, splendid teeth and a de-
tight full smile. while the extreme mobility
OF her countenance endowed her with a
singular charm. Her complexion was OF
the purest olive, her hair jet black and
abundant, her figure supple and we'll made,
and she had very pretty hands and feet.
In a word, she had become a dangerously
attractive young woman, who, without
ever approaching the perfect loneliness OF
her sister Hortense, was. perhaps, more
capable OF inspiring a true passion. The
liking conceived for her at first sight by
the young Louis XIV. increased rapidly,
and there is no doubt hat she loved him in
return, loved, that is to say, the man, apart
from the King. The Memories OF heI
sister Hortense, who was her confidante,
leave us in no uncertainty on this point
Marie ult imately succeeded in making her
self 50 absolutely mist ress Of the Kings
, mind that he demanded OF the Cardinal
permission to espouse her. Some histor-
ians nave misunderstanding on the
strength Of a supposed conversation be-
tween the Cardinal and the Queen, reported
bv Nine. de Motteville in her Memories
that Mazarin was, fora moment, aIlured
by he prospect Of seeing his niece Queen o.
France, and that, had it not been for thu
renuou oppositio ion OF n OF Austria
he would have allowed o XIV. to have
his wav. The surer record Of his letters
and, indeed, his conduct throughout thu
AFFAIR, indicate that, on the contrary, he haC
always resolutely opposed the step which
would not only have been fraught witt
disaster to France but would have beer
fatal to his own interests. As his American
b~ioRrapher, Mr.. Perkins, has pointed out
Mazarin had nothing to gain by it anC
much to lose. He would become the uncl'
OF a Queen, instead OF the successor o
Richelieu. To nave his niece the Queen o
France might, under some circumstance
have gratihed his vanity, but the negotia
tons for a peace with Spain and the in
cidental marriage OF the young King to
Spanish Infanta had practically been ar
-. -Ann Nha aainn ~ I.Oufa XIV
for Marie Mancini reached its height. Hal
the latter's marriage to Marie been per
mitted the Cardinal would ave sacriice'
a treaty which he believed would help I,
assure to him permanent fame, while h
would nave incurred the enmity of tn
French nation for the cont inuance OF
costly war, the enmity. Of the Queen 70
interfering with her favorite scheme an
the enmity OF Louis himself so soon az hi
passion should have abated and he shout
have realized that the greatest prince i
the world had made a misalliance.
The truth is that Anne OF Austria, i
spite OF the horror with which such a mis-
alliance inspired her. was so moved b
her sons grief that she could not refrai
from begging the Cardinal not to insist o
exiting his niece from the court. Mazarir
however, remembering the vast interest
az stake, was not to be diverted from HI
purpose, and the utmost concession tbs
Louis could obtain was the promise Of
final interview with his beloved durin
his Journey to Bayonne, where the pesC
with Spain ives to be concluded. Ii was
an interview on June %, 1859, that Mar
Mancini addressed to her royal lover III
we'll known words. fraugbt. at once wit
tenderness and reproach: Sire, nous ca
roi, uoVs pIeurcz, Ell Je pdrsl" Subsequent
Louis XIV, finding he could not mari
, her, tried to prevail on her to become h
mistress. and finding her obdurate. resume
his former illicit relations with her s.ste