While the persecution of His Majesty’s Protestant subjects was being ruthlessly carried on by fire and sword, and _dragonnading_ generally, a matter of the gravest moment was under consideration at Versailles, and there was wide division of opinion in high places. It was on the question of the _Fontanges_ head-gear, and for once the king openly set his face against that of Madame de Maintenon, which, he declared, now appeared in the middle of her body, and, he added, by no means enhanced its charm; for the height of the ugly head-dress had risen to two feet. Eloquence, mild argument, raillery and angry words from the Grand Monarque, however, simply fell on stony ground. Two gauze horns had been added to the abominable structure of whalebone, ribbon, horsehair, etc., etc. These projections were fixed behind the ears, and carried upward, crowning the work. The Sun-King’s defeat was complete, “_Vires acquirit eundo. Nec pluribus impar_”: his mottoes were ever mocking him, and lest the _Fontanges_ should mount higher still, he said no more. He had better success on the frontiers, where Catinat in Piedmont, and Luxembourg in Flanders, brilliant pupil of Condé, routed the enemy. In this expedition Madame de Maintenon secured the advancement of de Villars, the lover who had consoled her days of widowhood; and the first step to glory made, he mounted rapidly, proving himself one of the bravest of the campaign. Another thorn in the side of Louis, or rather more absolutely of Madame, was her brother. Years had not mended d’Aubigné’s ways; he was just the same _vaurien_ of a _bon viveur_ and gourmet, he had been in his bouts with Scarron. De Santeuil, the poet-canon who had been one of the party when Ninon travelled to Rome, was now d’Aubigné’s _Fidus Achates_, and they were fairly evenly matched in their modes of life. Santeuil was invited one morning by Ninon to breakfast with her. D’Aubigné naturally came too, expressing himself delighted, he said, to kiss Ninon’s hand once more after such an interval of years. He inquired whether she still kept up her acquaintance with his _bégueule_ of a sister. “Is it so you speak of a person who has made the glory of your family?” demanded Ninon.