with the amorous temperament of Henry IV. In order to
strengthen that ascendency and to remain exclusive mistress of a
confidence of which power was the price, the Princess des Ursins
flinched neither under fatigue calculated to exhaust the sturdiest
frame, nor before services the nature of which would have outraged her
pride, had it not been to her, as Saint-Simon says, _une meme chose
d'etre et de gouverner_. That gilded servitude is described with a
charmingly punctilious complaisance in her letters to the Marechale de
Noailles and the Marquis de Torcy, and notwithstanding the commiseration
which she claims for it, it may be clearly seen that Madame des Ursins
enters into the details of her domestic service far less for the purpose
of carrying a complaint to Versailles, than to have it there set down to
her credit.

"Gracious Heaven! to what sort of occupation, madame, have you destined
me? I have not a moment's repose, and cannot find time even to speak to
my secretary. There is no longer any question about resting after
dinner, nor of eating when I am hungry. I am but too glad to be able to
make a bad dinner standing, and moreover it is very rare that I am not
summoned away before swallowing the first mouthful. In truth, Madame de
Maintenon would laugh heartily if she knew all the details of my office.
Tell her, I beseech you, that it is I who have the honour of receiving
the King of Spain's dressing-gown when he gets into bed, and of handing
it to him along with his slippers when he rises. So far as that goes I
don't lose my patience; but every night when the King enters the Queen's
chamber to go to bed, the Count de Benavente confides to my care the
King's sword, a certain utensil, and a lamp, the contents of which I
generally manage to spill over my dress,--rather too good a joke. The
King would never rise were I not to go and draw aside the bed-curtains,
and it would be a sacrilege if anybody but myself were to enter the
Queen's chamber whilst they were abed. Very lately, the lamp went out
because I had spilled half the oil. I could not find where the windows
were, and thought that I should have broken my neck against the wall,
and we were--the King of Spain and I--near a quarter of an hour
stumbling against each other in trying to find them. Her Majesty has got
so used to me that sometimes she is good enough to call me up two hours
earlier than I should otherwise care to rise.... The Queen delights in
this so