AMUSEMENTS AT COURT AGAIN. 22,9

sided in the salon at the public lansquenet and brelan, and tho
different gaming tables for all the Court. In a short time the
King dined in Madame de Maintenon's apartments once or
twice a week, and had music there. And all this, as I have
remarked with the corpse of the Dauphin and that of the
Dauphine still above ground!

The gap left by the death of the Dauphine could not, how-
ever, be easily filled up. Some months after her loss, the King
began to feel great ennui steal upon him in. tho hours when ho
had no work with his ministers. The few ladies admitted into
the apartments of Madame do Maintonon when he was there,
were unable to entertain him. Music, frequently introduced,
languished from that cause. Detached scenes from the comedies
of Moliere were thought of, and were played by tho King's
musicians, comedians for tho nonco. Madamo do Maintcnon
introduced, too, the Mardchal do Yilleroy, to amuso tho King
by relating their youthful adventures.

Evening amusements became more and more frequent in
Madamo de Maintenon's apartments, whoro, however, nothing
could fill up tho void left by tho poor Dauphine.

I have said little of the grief I felt at tho loss of the prince
whom everybody so deeply regretted. As will be believed, it
was bitter and profound. The day of his death, I barricaded
myself in my own house, and only left it for one instant in order
to join the King at his promenade in the gardens. The vexa-
tion I felt upon seeing him followed almost as usual, did not per-
mit me to stop more than an instant, All the rest of the stay at
Versailles, I scarcely left my room, except to visit M. do Bcau-
villiers, I will admit that, to reach M. de Beauvilliers' house,
I made a circuit between the canal and tho gardens of Versailles,
so as to spare myself the sight of the chamber of death, which
I had not force enough to approach. , I admib that I was weak.
I was sustained neither by the piety, superior to all things, of
M. de Beauvilliers, nor by that of Madame de Saint-Simon, who
nevertheless not tho loss suffered. The truth is, I was in
despair. To those who know my position, this will appear less
strange than my being able to support at all, so complete a mis-