o her signature when communicating with
understrappers at the palace. Ludwig, however, thought this going too
far, and peremptorily forbade the practice. Lola gave way. Perhaps the
only time on record. In return, however, she advanced a somewhat
embarrassing demand.

"My position as a king's favourite," she said, "entitles me to the
services of a confessor and a private chapel."

Ludwig was quite agreeable, and instructed Count Reisach, the
Ultramontane Archbishop of Munich, to select a priest for this
responsible office. His Grace, however, reported that all the clergy
in a body had protested to him that, "fearing for their virtue, they
could not conscientiously accept the post."

Disappointed at the rebuff, Lola herself then applied to Dr.
Windischmann, the Vicar-General, telling him that if he would
undertake the office she would reciprocate by securing him a
bishopric. This dignitary, however, was not to be tempted. "Madame,"
he said, "my confessional is in the Church of Notre-Dame; and you can
always go there when you want to accuse yourself of any of the
numerous sins you have committed."

Nor would His Eminence, the Primate of Poland, give any help. All he
would do was to get into his carriage and set off to expostulate with
the King. But it was a wasted effort, for Ludwig insisted that his
relations with the conscience-stricken postulant were "nothing more
than platonic." Thereupon, "the superior clergy announced that the
designs of Providence were indeed inscrutable to mere mortals, but
they trusted that His Majesty would at any rate change his mistress."
Ludwig, however, brooking no interference with his amours, refused to
do anything of the kind.

"What are you thinking about?" he stormed. "How dare you hint that I
am the man to roll myself in the mud of the gutter? My feelings for
this lady are of the most lofty and high-minded description. If you
drive me to extremes, heaven alone knows what will happen!"

His Eminence met the outburst by whispering in the ear of the Bishop
of Augsburg that the King was "possessed." As for the Bishop of
Augsburg, he "wept every day." A leaky prelate.

"It is a paradox," was the expert opinion of Archbishop Diepenbrock,
"that the more shameful she is, the more beautiful is a courtesan." A
"Day of Humiliation," with a special prayer composed by himself, was
his suggestion for mending matters; and Madame von Kruedener, not to be
outdone in coming to the rescue, preach