MEMOIBS OF THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON'.

crash of the thunderbolt which fell upon France, and

all Europe.

To give some idea of the opposition from the King, M. du

and Madame de Maintenon had to overcome, and to

how reluctantly he consented to their wishes, more than

one incident may be brought forward. Some days before the

transpired, the King, full of the enormity of what he had

Just done for his bastards, looked at them in his cabinet, in

of the valets, and of D'Antin and D'O., and in a

manner, that told of vexation, and with a severe glance,

thus addressed himself to M. du Maine: " You have

it; but know that however great I may make you, and

be in my lifetime, you are nothing after me; and it

be for you then to avail yourself of what I have done for

if you can."

trembled at a thunder-clap so sudden, so

so entirely removed from the character and

of the Kiegj and which showed so clearly the extreme

of the Due du Maine, and the violence he had done to

the of the King, who seemed to reproach himself for

it, to reproach the bastard for his ambition and tyranny.

The consternation of 11. du Maine seemed extreme at this rough

which no previous remark had led to. The King had

a of it. Everybody fixed his eyes upon the

his breath. The silence was profound for a con-

: it finished only when the King passed into his

In his everybody breathed again. The

was full to bursting with what he had just been

to do; a woman who gives birth to two child-

he had at brought but one into the world, and bore

a of he be delivered, and of which he felt

all the relief from the suffering the first had

on the 27th August, the Chief-President and

the were for by the King. He was at

As as they were alone with Mm,, he took from

ft he a and thick packet* sealed