Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-08-25
CHAPTER ".

AAtlr u no very CndTlTAuIe
frame Of mind. as was easily 20
be seen from his clouded brow
and compressed lips he knew his late
favorite We'll her impulsiveness. her
audacity. her lack OF all restraint when
thwarted or opposed she was capable
OF making hideous scandal, OF turn
ing against him that bitter tongue
which had SO often made him laugh at
the expense Of others. perhaps even OF
making some public exposure which
would leave him the butt AID gossip OF
Europe. He shuddored at the thought.
At all costs such a catastrophe must be
averted. And yet how could he cut
the tie which bound them7 This wo-
man would struggle hard, fight 10 the
bitter end. before she would quit the
position which was 80 dear to her. She
spoke % her wrongs. What were her
WTronRsT
In his intense sel6shness. nurtured
by the eternal fattery which was the
very air he breathed. be could not see
that the fifteen years OF her life which
he had absorbed or the loss OF the hus-
band whom he had supplanted gave
her any claim upon him. In his view
he had raised her 10 the highest posi-
ton which a subject could occupy.
Now he was weary OF her. and 1t was
her duty = retire with resignation
nay. even with gratitude for past ia
vors. She should have a pension. and
the children should be cared for What
could a reasonable woman ask for
mOrel
On the whole. his conscience acQuit-
I'D him. But in this one matter he had
been lax. From the FIRST coming OF
bis gentle and forgiving young wife
from Spain he had never once permit
ted her 10 DE without a rival. Now
that she was dead the matter was no
better. One favorite had succeeded
another. and II DE Montespan had held
her own SO long Il was rather from her
audacity than from his affection But
now Father Ia Chaise and Bossuet
were ever reminding him that he had
topped the summit OF his life and was
already upon that downward path
which leads 20 the grave. The time
had come for gravity and for calm.
neither OF which was to be expected
In the company OF Nine. de Montespan.
But be had found out where they
were 20 be enjoyed. From the day
when De Montespan had introduced
the stately and silent widow as "A gov
erness for his children he had found a
never falling and ever increasing pleas
ure IN her society. For n time he had
thought that her piety and her talk OF
principle might be a mere mask, for
he was accustomed 90 hypocrisy all
round him. IL was surely unlikely that
q woman who was still beautiful. with
as bright an eye and as graceful a fg-
IRE as any IN bis eoart. could after q
life spent IN the gayest circles pre-
serve the spirit OF a nun. But on this
point he was soon undeceived, for
when his own language had become
warmer than that Of friendship he had
been met by an iciness OF manner and
a brevity OF speech which had shown
him that there was one woman at least
In his dominions who had higher re-
spect for herself than for him. And
perhaps IL was better so. The placid
pleasures or friendship were very
soothing after the storms Of passion
To sit in her room S~>ry afternoon, to
listen 20 talk which was not tainted
with fattery and 20 hear opinions
which We're not framed 20 please his
ear were the occupations now Of his
happiest hours And then her lndu-
ence over him was all so good,
And now he knew that the time had
come when be must choose between
her and he Montespan. Their infu-
ences were antagonistic. They couH
not continue together He stood be-
tween virtue and vice. and he must
choose.
Such We're the tlcar-hts which ran
through the kings head as he bent
over the rich crimson cushion which
topped his priedieu OF carved oak. He
knelt in his own Enclosure 10 the right
or the altar. with bis guards and ais
immediate household around him. while
the court. ladies snd cavaliers. filled
the chapel Piety was a fashion now.
ike dark overcoats aad lace cravats.
and no courtier was 30 worldly minded
as not 10 have had a touch OF grace
since the king had taken to religion.
1t was the habit II LOWS as he walk
ed back from the chapel TO receive pc
utions or 10 listen 20 any tales OF
wrong which his subjects might bring
20 him. ON this particular morning
there We're but two OF three-a Pa
Tisian who conceived himself injured
by the provost OF his guild, a peasant
whose COW had been torn by a hunts
mans dog and farmer who had bad
hard usage from his reudal lord. A
few questions aud then hurried order
TO his secretary disposed OF each case.
He was about 10 resume his way again
when an elderly man. clad ia the garb
OF respectable citizen and with a
strong, deep lined faee which marked
him as man Of character. darted for
ward and threw himself down upon
one knee in front OF the monarch.
What Is this7" asked Louis. "Vyho
are you, and. what is II that you
wantY
II am citizen OF Paris, and have
heAnr s~rxrallx,