The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-18

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| word for the grand lever"
1t was obvious that the king was not
in a very good humor that morning.
| He darted little quick questioning
| glances at his brother and at his sons.
but whatever complaint or sarcasm
| may have trembled upon his lips was
| effectualiy stided 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, a
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 his
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 I'm this manner there
had been a constant opening and clos
ing Of the chamber door, and a 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 a tall and stately soldier, the
other a strange little figure, understood
and misshapen, but bearing the insig-
mia Of marshal Of France, and own
ing a name which was of evil omen
over the Dutch frontier, for Luxem-
bourg was looked upon already as the
successor of Condo, even as his COM
panion Vauban was Of Turenne. Be
side them small white haired clerical
with kindly face, Pere la Chaise.
confessor to the king, was whispering
his views upon Jansenism to the portly
Bossuet. the eloquent bishop Of Meaux.
Close to the door Racine, with his hand
some face wreathed in smiles, was
chatting with the poet Boileau and the
architect Mansard, the three laughing
and jesting with the freedom which
was natural to the favorite servants of
the king
HE becomes harder and harder to
amuse," said Racine. II am to be at
Nine. de Maintenon's room at 3 to
see whether page or two Of the Phe-
Dire may not work change. Madame
is wonderful woman. She has brains,
she has heart, she has tact-she is ad-
mira le."
"And yet she has one gift too many
age"
pooh! What matter her years when
she can carry them like thirty? What
an eye, what an arm! And, besides, |
my friends, he is not himself boy
any longer
VERY true but a young man con-
suits his eye and an older man his ear.
Over forty, it is the clever tongue |
which wins; under it, the pretty face"
"Ah. you rascal, Then you have |
made up your mind that five and forty |
years with tact will hold the field |
against nine and thirty with beauty. |
Well, when your lady has won she will |
doubtless remember who were the first |
to pay court to her"
s.R,,f 7 fhfnL- ro,, aro vrronO Racine" |
"Well, what then?"
'sThen It may be little serious for |
you
"And whyT'
1.-THE Marquise de Montespan has a |
memory"
Her influence may soon be nothing |
more Maintenon is the cleverest wo- |
man in France"
"Pshaw. Racine. you know our dear |
master well, or you should, for you seem |
to have been at his elbow since the |
days of the Fronde. Is he a man, |
think you, to be amused forever by |
sermons? No. no; it will be the Mon |
tespan or, il not she, some younger |
beauty"
MY dear Boileau, I say again that |
her sun is setting. Have you not |
heard the news: Her brother, NJ. de |
vivonne has been refused the entree."
From whom had you it:''
From De Catinat, the captain Of the /
guard. He had his orders to bar the
way to him.
''Ha. then the king does indeed mean
mischief. That is why his brow is so
cloudy this morning then. By my
faith, if the marquise has the spirit
with which folk credit her, he may find
that it was easier to win her than to
slight her.
AYE, the Mortemarts are no easy
race to handle"
''Well, heaven send him a safe way
out Of it! But who is this gentleman?
His face. is somewhat grimmer than
those to which the court is accustomed.
Ha, the king catches sight ofShim, and
Louvois beckons to him to advance"
The stranger who had attracted Ra-
cine's attention was a tall, thin man.
with high aquiline nose, stern, fierce
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