re in the Treaty of Utrecht--At
the culminating point of her greatness, a
humiliating catastrophe is impending--Philip
negotiates for the erection of a territory into
a sovereignty for Madame des Ursins--The sudden
death of Queen Marie Louise causes a serious
conjunction for the Princess--Her power begins
to totter 264

III.--The Princess finds herself friendless in
Spain--Suspicions and slanders rife with regard
to the relations existing between her and the
King--The projected creation of a sovereignty
fails, through the abandonment of England--Philip,
in consequence, refuses to sign the Treaty of
Utrecht, but Louis XIV. compels the King and
Princess to yield--Their _tetes-a-tetes_ causing
great scandal, the King suddenly orders the
Princess to find him a wife 272

IV.--Among the Princesses eligible to become Philip's
consort, he chooses the Princess of Parma--Alberoni
deceives Madame des Ursins as to the character of
Elizabeth Farnese--The Camerara-Mayor's prompt and
cruel disgrace at the hands of the new Queen--She
is arrested and carried to St. Jean de Luz--Her
courage under adversity--She returns to Rome, and
dies there 287

BOOK IV.

I.--_Closing Scenes_--The Princess des Ursins 301

II.--Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough 307

BOOK V.

(_Continued._)

POLITICAL WOMEN.

CHAPTER III.

THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN CONDE AND TURENNE AT PARIS--NOBLE CONDUCT OF
MADEMOISELLE DE MONTPENSIER--FALL OF THE FRONDE.

THE second-rate actors in this shifting drama presented no less
diversity in the motives of their actions. Beaufort, who commanded the
troops of Gaston, and Nemours those of Conde, although brothers-in-law,
weakened by their dissentions an army which their concord would have
rendered formidable. The necessity of military operations required their
absence from Paris; but they preferred rather to there exhibit
themselves to their mistresses, decked out in a general's uniform, and
graspin