External Life of Louis XIV.--At the Army.--Etiquette of the King’s Table.--Court Manners and Customs.--The Rising of the King.--Morning Occupations.--Secret Amours.--Going to Mass.--Councils.--Thursdays.-- Fridays.--Ceremony of the King’s Dinner.--The King’s Brother.--After Dinner.--The Drive.--Walks at Marly and Elsewhere.--Stag--hunting.--Play- tables.--Lotteries.--Visits to Madame de Maintenon.--Supper.--The King Retires to Rest.--Medicine Days.--Kings Religious Observances.--Fervency in Lent.--At Mass.--Costume.--Politeness of the King for the Court of Saint-Germain.--Feelings of the Court at His Death.--Relief of Madame de Maintenon.--Of the Duchesse d’Orleans.--Of the Court Generally.--Joy of Paris and the Whole of France.--Decency of Foreigners.--Burial of the King. CHAPTER LXXIX Surprise of M. d’Orleans at the King’s Death.--My Interview with Him.-- Dispute about Hats.--M. du Maine at the Parliament.--His Reception.-- My Protest.--The King’s Will.--Its Contents and Reception.--Speech of the Duc d’Orleans.--Its Effect.--His Speech on the Codicil.--Violent Discussion.--Curious Scene.--Interruption for Dinner.--Return to the Parliament.--Abrogation of the Codicil.--New Scheme of Government.-- The Regent Visits Madame de Maintenon.--The Establishment of Saint-Cyr.-- The Regent’s Liberality to Madame de Maintenon. CHAPTER LXXX The Young King’s Cold.--‘Lettres des Cachet’ Revived.--A Melancholy Story.--A Loan from Crosat.--Retrenchments.--Unpaid Ambassadors.--Council of the Regency.--Influence of Lord Stair.--The Pretender.--His Departure from Bar.--Colonel Douglas.--The Pursuit.--Adventure at Nonancourt.--Its Upshot.--Madame l’Hospital.--Ingratitude of the Pretender. CHAPTER LXXXI Behaviour of the Duchesse de Berry.--Her Arrogance Checked by Public Opinion.--Walls up the Luxembourg Garden.--La Muette.--Her Strange Amour with Rion.--Extraordinary Details.--The Duchess at the Carmelites.-- Weakness of the Regent.--His Daily Round of Life.--His Suppers.-- How He Squandered His Time.--His Impenetrability.--Scandal of His Life.-- Public Balls at the Opera. CHAPTER LXXXII First Appearance of Law.--His Banking Project Supported by the Regent.-- Discussed by the Regent with Me.--Approved by the Council and Registered. --My Interviews with Law.--His Reasons for Seeking My Friendship.-- Arouet de Voltaire. CHAPTER LXXXIII Rise of Alberoni.--Intimacy of France and England.--Gibraltar Proposed to be Given Up.--Louville the Agent.--His Departure.--Arrives at Madrid.-- Alarm of Alberoni.--His Audacious Intrigues.--Louville in the Bath.-- His Attempts to See the King.--Defeated.--Driven out of Spain.--Impudence of Alberoni.--Treaty between France and England.--Stipulation with Reference to the Pretender. CHAPTER LXXXIV