Notwithstanding these indignant protestations, the Cardinal, who, while naturally very anxious for a marriage which would connect him with the Royal House itself and serve to consolidate his power, was anxious also to assure the happiness of his niece, was still somewhat uneasy. In consequence, he showed himself a trifle cold when the marriage was mentioned, to the profound alarm of _Monsieur le Prince_, who redoubled his attentions both to his Eminence and his niece, and was as impatient for the conclusion of the affair “as if his son were about to espouse the queen of all the world.” The marriage was finally fixed for 11 February, 1641. Early in January, the Duc d’Enghien arrived in Paris with his father, who accompanied him everywhere he went, apparently from fear lest he should fail to manifest sufficient enthusiasm for the fate in store for him. Mlle. de Brézé had already arrived and was lodged at the Hôtel d’Aiguillon, in charge of Madame Bouthillier; and, on 14 January, Richelieu gave a magnificent fête in honour of the young couple at the Palais-Cardinal. The principal attraction of this entertainment was the representation of “Mirame,” a “_tragi-comédie_” which his Eminence had written in collaboration with Desmarets. Richelieu had spared no expense to give his work--which was probably neither better nor worse than the mediocre pieces of the time--a setting in every way worthy of it. The theatre, constructed expressly for it, had cost 200,000 écus; the scenery had been brought from Italy, and the costumes had been designed by the Cardinal himself. All the effective passages in the play were rapturously applauded by the spectators, which is scarcely surprising, since the celebrated author, carried away by admiration for his own genius, invariably gave them the signal; and if the fall of the curtain did not leave his Eminence under the pleasing illusion that he was not only a great statesman, but a great poet as well, it was certainly not the fault of his guests. The play was followed by a grand ball, in which the little Mlle. de Brézé appeared in a marvellous toilette and decorated with a part of the Queen’s jewels, which her Majesty had lent her for the occasion. _Monsieur le Prince_, who, with some of his intimates, watched the scene from the gallery, pretended to be in raptures of admiration, and every time that his future daughter-in-law danced, kept repeating: “Ah! how pretty she is! Ah! how pretty she is!” It is to be hoped that the report of these praises served to console their object for a trifling but ludicrous mishap of which she was the victim, and which must have occasioned her profound mortification.