258 MEMOIRS OF THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON'.

flatteries upon my intelligence, praying me to reflect well upon
the matter; I replying that my reflections were all made, and
that my capacity could not go farther. I let him out by the
little back door of my cabinet, so that nobody perceived him,
and as soon as I had closed it, I threw myself into a chair like
a man out of breath, and I remained there a long time alone,
reflecting upon the strange kind of ecstacy I had been, in, and
the horror it had caused me.

The results of this constitution were, as I have said, terrible
to the last degree; every artifice, every cruelty was used, in
order to force it down the throats of the clergy, and hence the
confusion and sore trouble which arose all over the realm. But
it is time now for me to touch upon other matters.

Towards the close of this year, 1713, peace with the Emperor
seemed so certain, that the King disbanded sixty battalions and
eighteen men per company of the regiment of the guards, and
one hundred and six squadrons; of which squadrons twenty-
seven were dragoons. At peace now with the rest of Europe
he had no need of so many troops, even although the war
against the Empire had continued; fortunately, however, it did
not. Negotiations were set on foot, and on the 6th of March
of the following year, 1714, after much debate, they ended suc-
cessfully. On that day, in fact, peace was signed at Rastadt.
It was shortly afterwards published at Paris, a Te Deum sung,
and bonfires lighted at night; a grand collation was given at
the Hotel de Yille by the Due de Tresmes, who at midnight
also gave, in his own house, a splendid banquet, at which were
present many ladies, foreigners, and courtiers.

This winter was fertile in balls at the Court; there were
several, fancy-dress and masked, given by M. le Due de Berry,
by Madame la Duchesse de Berry,|M. le Due, and others. There
were some also at Paris, and at Sceaux, where Madame du
Maine gave many f&tes and played many comedies, everybody
going there from Paris and the Court—M. du Maine doing the
honours. Madame la Duchesse de Berry was in the family way
and went to no dances out of her own house. The King per-
mitted her, on account of her condition, to sup with him in a