132

MEMOIRS OF THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON.

The Duchesse d'OrMans now returned once more to the
charge, in order to persuade my wife to be dame d'honneur to
her daughter. I refused as firmly as I could. But soon after
the King himself named Madame de Saint-Simon; and when
the Duchesse de Bourgogne suggested a doubt of her accept-
ance, exclaimed, almost piqued: "Refuse! O no ! not when she-
learns that it is my desire." In fact, I soon received so many
menacing warnings that I was obliged to give in; and Madame
de Saint-Simon received the appointment. This was made
publicly known by the King, who up to that very morning re-
mained doubtful whether he would be met by a refusal or not;,
and who, as he was about to speak, looked at me with a smile
that was meant to please and warn me to be silent. Madame
de Saint-Simon learned the news with tears. She was excel-
lently well received by the King, and complimented agreeably
by Madame de Main tenon.

The marriage took place with the usual ceremonies. The
Due de Beauvilliers and Madame de Saint-Simon drew the cur-
tains of the couple when they went to bed; and laughed to-
gether at being thus employed. The King, who had given a
very mediocre present of diamonds to the new Duchesse do
Berry, gave nothing to the Due de Berry. The latter had so
little money that he could not play during the first days of the
voyage to Marly. The Duchesse de Bourgogne told this to the
King, who feeling the state in which he himself was, said that
he had only five hundred pistoles to give him. He gave
them with an excuse on the misfortunes of the time, because
the Duchesse de Bourgogne thought with reason that a little
was better than nothing, and that it was insufferable not to be
able to play.

Madame de Mare was now set at liberty. The place of
Dame d'Atours was offered to her; but she advanced many
reasons for not accepting it, and on being pressed, refused with
an obstinacy that surprised every one. We were not long in
finding out the cause of her obstinate unwillingness to remain
with Madame la Duchesse de Berry. The more that Princesse
allowed people to see what she was—and she never concealed

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