liked Vichi,
and whether the place did me good. She said that Bourbon, instead
of curing the pain in one of her knees, did mischief to both. Her
size is reduced one half, and yet her complexion, her eyes, and
her lips, are as fine as ever. She was dressed all in French
point, her hair in a thousand ringlets, the two side ones hanging
low on her cheeks, black ribbons on her head, pearls,--the same
that belonged to Madame de l'Hopital,--the loveliest diamond
ear-rings, three or four bodkins, nothing else on the head; in
short, a triumphant beauty, worthy the admiration of all foreign
ambassadors. She was accused of preventing the whole French nation
from seeing the king; she has restored him, you see, to their
eyes; and you cannot conceive the joy it has given all the world,
and the splendor it has thrown upon the court. This charming
confusion, without confusion, of all which is the most select,
continues from three to six. If couriers arrive, the king retires
a moment to read the despatches, and returns. There is always some
music going on, to which he listens, and which has an excellent
effect. He talks with such of the ladies as are accustomed to
enjoy that honor. In short, they leave play at six; there is no
trouble of counting, for there is no sort of counters; the pools
consist of five or six Louis; the bigger one, of a thousand or
twelve hundred. Talking is incessantly going on, and there is no
end of _hearts_. 'How many hearts have you?' 'I have two;' 'I have
three;' and Dangeau is delighted with all this chatter; he sees
through the game; he draws his conclusions; he discovers which is
the person he wants: truly he is your man for holding the cards.
At six the carriages are at the door. The king is in one of them,
with Madame de Montespan, Monsieur and Madame de Thianges, and
honest D'Heudicourt, in a fool's paradise on the stool. You know
how those open carriages are made; they do not sit face to face,
but all looking the same way. The queen occupies another, with the
princess; and the rest come flocking after, as it may happen.
There are then gondolas on the canal; and music; and at ten they
come back, and then there is a play; and twelve strikes, and they
go to supper; and thus rolls round the Saturday."

And thus rolled round every day; and to support this wanton and
profligate expenditure of money, the people were ground to the dust
wi