I comprehend what passion means in a woman of the age and temperament of Mademoiselle, who has preserved her heart hitherto untouched, and I confess that this tale arouses my pity. Love seems to me a malady like the small-pox; the later it attacks the victim, the more severe the illness. The writer had indeed well understood the characteristics of late love on only its displeasing side. But his attitude was, unfortunately, the one adopted by almost every one. Regarded half-pityingly, but with an undercurrent of ridicule, the Grande Mademoiselle ceased to be interesting to the fickle French public. The fall from favour was very definite. The heroine of the Fronde was effaced in the eyes of contemporaries, and remained only a ridiculous old maid, whose woes amused the gallery. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 209: The Grande Equerry, Louis de Lorraine, Comte d' Armagnac.] [Footnote 210: The Marquis de Puyguilhem (written Peguilin) had taken the name of Comte de Lauzun the following January. The latter title will be used in this volume.] [Footnote 211: See the portrait of Straton in the chapter entitled "De la Cour."] [Footnote 212: Saint-Simon, _Ecrits inedits_.] [Footnote 213: Lauzun became Captain of the Body Guard in July, 1669.] [Footnote 214: Letter to Mme. de Sevigne, dated February 2, 1669.] [Footnote 215: _Memoires et Reflexions_ of the Marquis de la Fare.] [Footnote 216: The sister of the Grand Conde. Upon her part in the Fronde, see _The Youth of La Grande Mademoiselle_.] [Footnote 217: M. de Saint-Paul began toward this time to bear the name of de Longueville.] [Footnote 218: This conversation, which gives the key to the conduct of Lauzun, is reported in _Le Perroquet or Les amours de Mademoiselle_, an anonymous recital printed by M. Livet following the _Histoire amoureuse des Gaules_ (Paris, Jannet, 1857); and in the _Histoire de Mademoiselle et du Comte de Losun_ (Bibl. Saint-Genevieve MS. 3208), not always sources to be relied on, but to be trusted here.] [Footnote 219: War between relatives for the succession.] [Footnote 220: _Lettres historiques._ Pellison accompanied the Court as historiographer.] [Footnote 221: Plaques: pieces of embossed silver, at the lower part of which was placed a chandelier.] [Footnote 222: _Memoires_ of Mademoiselle.] [Footnote 223: _De La Valliere a Montespan_, by Jean Lemoine and Andre Lichtenberger.] [Footnote 224: Emmanuel II. de Crussol, Duc d'Uzes. He married the daughter of the Duc de Montausier and of Julie d'Angennes.] [Footnote 225: Probably the uncle by marriage of Bussy-Rabutin.] [Footnote 226: Romecourt was Lieutenant of the King's Guards.] [Footnote 227: It is evident that these last were carried in the private carriages, ready for any accident.] [Footnote 228: _Gazette de Renaudot._] [Footnote 229: Captain of the Body Guard. Afterward, Duc de Noailles, and Marshal of France.] [Footnote 230: First physician to the King.]