Precedence at the Communion Table.—­The King Offended with Madame de
Torcy.—­The King’s Religion.—­Atheists and Jansenists.—­Project against
Scotland.—­Preparations.—­Failure.—­The Chevalier de St. George.—­His
Return to Court.

CHAPTER XL

Death and Character of Brissac.—­Brissac and the Court Ladies.—­The Duchesse de Bourgogne.—­Scene at the Carp Basin.—­King’s Selfishness.—­ The King Cuts Samuel Bernard’s Purse.—­A Vain Capitalist.—­Story of Leon and Florence the Actress.—­His Loves with Mademoiselle de Roquelaure.—­ Run—­away Marriage.—­Anger of Madame de Roquelaure.—­A Furious Mother.—­ Opinions of the Court.—­A Mistake.—­Interference of the King.—­ Fate of the Couple .

CHAPTER XLI

The Duc d’Orleans in Spain.—­Offends Madame des Ursins and Madame de
Maintenon.—­Laziness of M. de Vendome in Flanders.—­Battle of Oudenarde. 
—­Defeat and Disasters.—­Difference of M. de Vendome and the Duc de
Bourgogne.

CHAPTER XLII

Conflicting Reports.—­Attacks on the Duc de Bourgogne.—­The Duchesse de Bourgogne Acts against Vendome.—­Weakness of the Duke.—­Cunning of Vendome.—­The Siege of Lille.—­Anxiety for a Battle.—­Its Delay.—­Conduct of the King and Monseigneur.—­A Picture of Royal Family Feeling.—­Conduct of the Marechal de Boufflers.

CHAPTER XLIII

Equivocal Position of the Duc de Bourgogne.—­His Weak Conduct.—­ Concealment of a Battle from the King.—­Return of the Duc de Bourgogne to Court.—­Incidents of His Reception.—­Monseigneur.—­Reception of the Duc de Berry.—­Behaviour of the Duc de Bourgogne.—­Anecdotes of Gamaches.—­ Return of Vendome to Court.—­His Star Begins to Wane.—­Contrast of Boufflers and Vendome.—­Chamillart’s Project for Retaking Lille.—­How It Was Defeated by Madame de Maintenon.

CHAPTER XLIV

Tremendous Cold in France.—­Winters of 1708-1709—­Financiers and the
Famine.—­Interference of the Parliaments of Paris and Dijon.—­Dreadful
Oppression.—­Misery of the People.—­New Taxes.—­Forced Labour.—­General
Ruin.—­Increased Misfortunes.—­Threatened Regicide.—­Procession of Saint
Genevieve.—­Offerings of Plate to the King.—­Discontent of the People.—­
A Bread Riot, How Appeased.

CHAPTER XLV

M. de Vendome out of Favour.—­Death and Character of the Prince de
Conti.—­Fall of Vendome.—­Pursegur’s Interview with the King.—­Madame de
Bourgogne against Vendome.—­Her Decided Conduct.—­Vendome Excluded from
Marly.—­He Clings to Meudon.—­From Which He is also Expelled.—­His Final
Disgrace and Abandonment.—­Triumph of Madame de Maintenon.

CHAPTER XLVI