ported with joy. M. do Louvois on
her arrival went to call upon Madame de Maintenon; she supped at Madame
de Richelieu's, some kissing her hand, others her gown, and she making
fun of them all, if she is not much changed; but they say that she is."
The king's pleasure in conversing with the governess became more marked
every day; Madame de Montespan frequently burst out into bitter
complaints. "She reproaches me with her kindnesses, with her presents,
with those of the king, and has told me that she fed me, and that I am
strangling her; you know what the fact is; it is a strange thing that we
cannot live together and that we cannot separate. I love her, and I
cannot persuade myself that she hates me." They found themselves alone
together in one of the court carriages. "Let us not be duped by such a
thing as this," said Madame de Montespan, rudely; "let us talk as if we
had no entanglements between us to arrange; it being understood, of
course," added she, "that we resume our entanglements when we get back."
"Madame de Maintenon accepted the proposal," says Madame de Caylus, who
tells the story, "and they kept their word to the letter." Madame de
Maintenon had taken a turn for preaching virtue. "The king passed two
hours in my closet," she wrote to Madame de St. Geran; "he is the most
amiable man in his kingdom. I spoke to him of Father Bourdaloue. He
listened to me attentively. Perhaps he is not so far from thinking of
his salvation as the court suppose. He has good sentiments and frequent
reactions towards God." "The star of Quanto (Madame de Montespan) is
paling," writes Madame de Sevigne to her daughter; "there are tears,
natural pets, affected gayeties, poutings--in fact, my dear, all is
coming to an end. People look, observe, imagine, believe that there are
to be seen as it were rays of light upon faces which, a month ago, were
thought to be unworthy of comparison with others. If Quanto had hidden
her face with her cap at Easter in the year she returned to Paris, she
would not be in the agitated state in which she now is. The spirit,
indeed, was willing, but great is human weakness; one likes to make the
most of a remnant of beauty. This is an economy which ruins rather than
enriches." "Madame de Montespan asks advice of me," said Madame de
Maintenon; "I speak to her of God, and she thinks I have some
understanding with the king; I was present yesterday at a very animated
conversation between them.