POSITION OF THE DUC DE BOURGOGNE.

CHAPTER V.

Equivocal position of the Due de Bourgogne—His weak conduct—Conceal-
ment of a battle from the King—Return of the Due de Bourgogne to
Court—Incidents of his reception—Monseigneur—Eeception of the Due
de Berry—Behaviour of the Due de Bourgogne—Anecdotes of Gamaches
—Return of Vendome to Court—His star begins to wane—Contrast of
Boufflers and Yend6me—Chamillart's project for retaking Lille—How it
was defeated by Madame de Maintenon.

THE position of Monseigneur le Due de Bourgogne at the army
continued to be equivocal. He was constantly in collision with
M. de Vend6me. The latter, after the loss of Lille, wished to
defend the Escaut, without any regard to its extent of forty
miles. The Due de Bourgogne, as far as he dared, took the
part of Berwick, who maintained that the defence was impos-
sible. The King, hearing of all these disputes, actually sent
Chamillart to the army to compose them; and it was a curious
sight to "behold this penman, this financier, acting as arbiter
between generals on the most delicate operations of war.
Chamillart continued to admire Vend6me, and treated the Due
de Bourgogne with little respect, both at the army, and, after
his return, in conversation with the King. His report was
given in presence of Madame de Maintenon, who listened with-
out daring to say a word, and repeated everything to the
Duchesse de Bourgogne. We may imagine what passed be-
tween them, and the anger of the Princesse against the
minister. For the present, however, nothing could be done.
Berwick was soon afterwards almost disgraced. As soon as he
was gone, M. de VendSme wrote to the King, saying, that he
was sure of preventing the enemy from passing the Escaut—