[236] “I will tell you a great piece of news; it is that _Monsieur le Prince_ was shaved yesterday. This is no mere rumour or gossip; it is a fact; all the Court witnessed it; and Madame de Langeron, choosing the time when he had his paws folded like a lion, made him put on a _justaucorps_ with diamond buttons. A _valet de chambre_ also, taking advantage of his patience, curled his hair, powdered it, and at last reduced him into being only the best-looking man at Court, and with a head of hair that puts all wigs out of competition. This was the prodigy of the wedding.”--Letter of 17 January, 1680. [237] The Great Condé, who was tall, used to say, laughing, that, if his race thus continued to dwindle, it would at last come to nothing. [238] “Souvenirs et Correspondance de Madame de Caylus.” [239] “Souvenirs et Correspondance de Madame de Caylus.” [240] Louis Joseph de Bourbon, Prince de Condé, “Histoire de la Maison de Bourbon.” [241] Mademoiselle de Montpensier, “Mémoires.” [242] MM. Homberg & Jousselin, “la Femme du Grand Condé.” During the Revolution, some ruffians forced open the chapel in which was the tomb of the unfortunate princess, carried off the leaden coffin and scattered its contents. [243] Désormeaux, “Histoire de la Maison de Bourbon”; Stanhope, “Life of Louis, Prince de Condé, surnamed the Great.” [244] “Histoire de Madame de Muci,” par Mlle. B---- (Valdory), Amsterdam, 1731; “le Nouveau Siècle de Louis XIV.”; Desnoiresterres, “les Cours galantes.” [245] “Mémoires du Comte de Maurepas.” [246] Her chief pleasure appears to have been gambling, which is scarcely surprising, when we consider that she was the daughter of a woman who had been accustomed to win and lose several hundred thousand francs at a single sitting, and had on one memorable occasion lost over two million. In May, 1700, Dangeau informs us that _Madame la Duchesse_ wrote to Madame de Maintenon to tell her that she had lost “from 10,000 to 12,000 pistoles [from 100,000 to 120,000 livres], which it was impossible for her to pay just then.” Madame de Maintenon showed the letter to the King and begged him to come to his daughter’s assistance. His Majesty consented, and, after requesting that a detailed statement of the whole of the lady’s liabilities should be drawn up and submitted to him, paid them in full, without saying a word to her husband, which was distinctly kind of him. [247] In the _chansons_ attributed to her, some of which are undeniably clever, she exercised her satirical wit at the expense of the Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne, Madame de Maintenon, her husband, and even her royal father. [248] Saint-Simon. [249] Saint-Simon. [250] Ibid. [251] But, if we are to believe Saint-Simon, her heart was partially occupied by the Comte de Léon, a son of the amorous Lassay by his first marriage, who, “although he had the face of a monkey, was perfectly well-made.” [252] Here is the list: