now had an opportunity of seeing the good order that he maintained in his realm, which no one could leave without his consent; but that he only wanted him to remain ten days longer, when he would give him permission to go to Lorraine. He added that his stay would not be unprofitable; and he was as good as his word, for during this time the vexed question of the Saint-Sauveur lands was finally settled, to Bassompierre’s entire satisfaction. Before leaving for Lorraine, Bassompierre endeavoured to do a good turn to his friend the Prince de Joinville and Madame de Moret, who had been so imprudent as to fall in love with one another, and warned them that the King intended to surprise them together, in which event he had vowed to make a public example both of the presumptuous noble who had dared to violate the sanctity of the royal seraglio and of his faithless sultana. The lovers, however, did not profit by his warnings, and, while on his way to Nancy, he learned that, though the King had not succeeded in surprising them, he had discovered enough to confirm his suspicions, and had banished Joinville from the Court for the second time. Bassompierre at once turned back and came to Paris incognito, “in order to see Madame de Moret and offer to serve her in her affliction”; but his presence was discovered and reported to Madame d’Entragues, who, suspecting that he had returned with the object of paying surreptitious visits to her daughter, promptly locked that flighty young lady up until he had taken his departure. CHAPTER IX Amusements of Bassompierre during the winter of 1608--His gambling-parties--Embarrassment which the fact of having several love-affairs on his hands simultaneously sometimes occasions him--Death of Charles III of Lorraine--Bassompierre goes to Nancy to attend the Duke’s funeral--Gratifying testimony which he receives during his absence of the esteem in which he is held by the ladies of the Court of France--“The star of Venus is very much in the ascendant over him”--Marriage arranged between Marie d’Entragues and the Comte d’Aché, of Auvergne--The affair is broken off--Frenzied gambling at the Court: gains of Bassompierre--Secret visits paid by him and the Duc de Guise to Madame de Verneuil and Marie d’Entragues at Conflans--Visit of the Duke of Mantua to the Court of France. Bassompierre begins his journal for the year 1608 in the following strain:-- “In the year 1608 I embarked in an affair with a blonde lady. I won a great deal at play that year, and gave away much at the Foire. We danced a number of ballets.... I had more mistresses at the Court, and was on excellent terms with Antragues. M. de Vendôme also danced a ballet, in which the King would have Cramail, Termes, and myself, who were called _les dangereux_, assist. We went to dance it at M. de Montpensier’s, who rose to see it, though he was dying.”[54]