Rupert was in the meanwhile, exerting himself in the service of the Prince of Wales. It was the ambition of Henrietta to unite her eldest son to her niece, the daughter of the Duke of Orleans, known as La Grande Mademoiselle. This lady, as heiress of the Montpensiers, had inherited an enormous fortune, which Henrietta desired to acquire for her son's benefit. But young Charles did not care for his pompous cousin, and, in order to avoid the trouble of love-making, declared that he could not speak French. Though Rupert himself had obstinately declined to mend his fortunes by marriage, he seems to have been very anxious to overcome his cousin's contumacy. He became his interpreter, in which _role_ he was obliged not merely to translate, but to invent pretty speeches for the refractory Charles. The task was a difficult one, for Mademoiselle was not stupid, and observed that when her supposed lover {219} wished to discuss dogs and horses with the young King of France he could speak French well enough.[11] Moreover, neither Rupert nor Henrietta could make Prince Charles dance with his cousin if he did not choose to do so. Mademoiselle pointed out his neglect of her to Rupert, "who," says she, "immediately made me all the excuses imaginable."[12] But neither Rupert's excuses, nor Henrietta's protestations could bring the affair to the desired conclusion. An occupation more natural and congenial to Rupert than making love on behalf of an unwilling lover, was the settling of old scores, for which he now found leisure and opportunity. It was not to be expected that he should meet Digby peaceably, and when the Secretary arrived in France in September 1647, a duel was universally expected. "My Lord Digby, at his coming from Rouen towards Paris, received news of Prince Rupert being, two nights before, come from the army to St. Germains," wrote O'Neil to Ormonde. "His Highness and his dependants being the only persons from whom his Lordship could suspect any resentment, his Lordship prepared himself by the best forethought he could for any accident that night happen to him in that way."[13]