DISGRACE OF THE DtJC D'ORLEANS.

113

CHAPTER XII.

Disgrace of tlie Due d'Orl&ms—I endeavour to separate him from Madame
d'Argenton—Extraordinary Beports—My various Colloquies with him
—The Separation—Conduct of Madame d'Argenton—Death and Cha-
racter of M. le Due—The After-suppers of the King.

I HA YE described in its proper place the profound fall of M. le
Due d'Orl^ans and the neglect in which he lived,, out of all
favour -with the King, hated by Madame de Maintenou and
Monseigneur, and regarded with an unfavourable eye by the
public,, on account of the scandals of his private life. I had
long seen that the only way in which he could hope to recover
his position "would be to give up his mistress, Madame d'Argen-
ton, with whona he had been on terms of intimacy for many
years past, to the knowledge and the scandal of all the world.
I knew it would be a bold and dangerous game to play, to try
to persuade Mm to separate himself from a woman he had
known and-loved so long; but I determined to engage in it,
nevertheless, and I looked about for some one to assist me in
this enterprise. At once I cast my eyes upon the Marechal de
Besons, who for many long years had been the bosom friend of
M. d'OrMans. He applauded the undertaking, but doubted, he
said, its success; nevertheless he promised to aid me to the
utmost of his power, and, it will be seen, was as good as his
•word. For some time I had no opportunity of accosting M.
d'Orleans, and was obliged to keep my project in abeyance, but
I did not lose sight of it; and when I saw my way clear, I took
the matter in hand, determined to strain every nerve in order
to succeed.

VOL. II. 8

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