If Condé had hoped to play a prominent part in the public affairs of France after the death of Mazarin, he was mistaken; for the young King, himself full of ambition, announced at the outset that he meant henceforth to rule alone. In accordance with his famous saying "_L'Etat c'est moi_" Louis now began to reign himself. For Condé retirement from public life had come too early. His sword which had rendered such great services to France was no longer needed; and he therefore retired to his Château at Chantilly. Here he almost immediately began to make extensive restorations, the completion of which occupied over twenty years, and greatly changed the aspect of the old place, so long abandoned and unoccupied. The financial difficulties in which he found himself on his return were happily overcome by Gourville, who acted energetically as his agent. The celebrated Le Nôtre was called in to lay out the gardens; the vast grounds were converted into parks, interspersed by the charming pieces of water which still exist. With great ingenuity a channel was dug to receive the waters of the streamlet Nonette, an affluent of the Oise, and a hydraulic machine invented by Condé himself--who was as skilled an engineer as he was a soldier--was constructed by Le Manse, under whom all these wonderful waterworks were kept in order. The courtyard which forms the present entrance to the Château dates from that time. Letters have come down to us in which Condé expresses to Le Nôtre the highest satisfaction with his work. The latter was quite overcome by the Prince's appreciation, and replied to him: "_Jamais l'Honneur que je receu d'embraser nostre Saint Pere, le pape, et de baiser sa mule ne m'a fait tant de bien ny donne tant de joie que celle que je ressenty par la bonté que vous avez eu de me donner le benefice que votre Altesse a refusé a tant de testes couronnees.... Je continueray a eslever mes pensées pour l'embellissement de vos parterres, fontaines, cascades de vostre grand jardin de Chantilly._"