his Majesty that she cherished for him the tenderest love.  That is, I believe, the one trap that it is possible to set for him.  He is credulous on that head; he was speedily caught.  And every time that M. de Rohan was away, and there was freedom at the Hotel Soubise, the Princess came in person to Saint Germain or to Versailles, to show her necklace and pendant of emeralds to the King.  Such was the agreed signal.

The Abbe de Rohan was born of these emeralds.  The King displays conscience in all his actions, except in his wars and conquests.  When the little Soubise was grown up, his Majesty signified to the mother that this young man must enter the Church, not wishing to suffer the formation of a parasitical branch amongst the Rohans, which would have participated, without any right, in the legitimate sap.  It is asserted that the Abbe de Rohan only submitted with infinite regret to a sentence which neutralised him.  The King has promised him all possible consideration; he has even embraced him tenderly, an action which is almost equivalent to a “declaration of degree” made to the Parliament.

The other child alleged to the King is that handsome musketeer, who is so like him.  But, judging from the King’s character, which respects, and in some fashion almost admires itself, in everything which proceeds from it, I do not venture to believe in this musketeer.  The King wished one day to see him close by, and even accosted him by the orange-shrubbery; but this movement seemed to me one of pure curiosity.

The resemblance, I must confess, is the most striking that I have yet seen; for it is complete, even to the tone of the voice.  But a look might have operated this miracle.  Instance the little negress, the daughter of the poor Queen, that Queen so timid and entirely natural, who, to her happiness, as much as to her glory, has never looked at, approached, or distinguished any one except the King.

For the rest, we shall see and know well if the King does anything for his musketeer.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

The Young Nobility and the Turks.—­Private Correspondence.—­The Unlucky Minister and the Page of Strasburg.—­The King Judged and Described in All the Documents.—­The King Humiliated in His Affections.—­Scandal at Court.—­Grief of Fathers at Having Given Life to Such Children.—­Why Prince Eugene Was Not a Bishop.—­Why He Was Not a Colonel of France.—­Death of the Prince de Conti.

As France was at peace at the moment when the three hundred thousand Turks swarmed over Hungary and threatened Vienna, our young princes, and a fairly large number of nobles of about the same age, took it into their heads to go and exhibit their bravery in Germany; they asked permission of M. de Louvois to join the Imperialists.  This permission was granted to some amongst them, but refused to others.  Those whom it was thought fit to restrain took no notice of the words of the minister, and departed as resolutely as though the King had fallen asleep.  They were arrested on the road; but his Majesty, having reflected on the matter, saw that these special prohibitions would do harm to the intentions which he had with regard to his deference for Germany, and they were all allowed to go their own way.