his lavish
expenditure and his creditors. I know that the purses of forty women
were at his disposal. I know, moreover, that he used to gamble like a
prince, and I would never marry my waiting-maid to a gambler and a rake.

Both Madame de Thianges and myself rejected his proposals, and though
resolved to let him have continued proofs of our good-will, we were
equally determined never to accept such a man as son-in-law and nephew.

Hereupon the letter which I am about to transcribe was sent to me by a
messenger:

PRINCE CHARLES DE LORRAINE TO MADAME LA MARQUISE DE MONTESPAN.

MADAME:--My unfortunate uncle and I have always loved France, but France
has forced us both to break off all relations with her and to become
exiles!!! Despite the kindness and generosity wherewith the Imperial
Court seeks to comfort us in our misfortune, the perpetual cry of our
hearts calls us back to our fatherland,--to that matchless land where my
ancestors have ever been beloved.

My uncle is guilty of no crime but that of having formerly received in
his palace a son of good King Henri IV., after his humiliation by a
shameless minister. My dear uncle proposed to resign all his property in
my favour, and to meet the wishes of his Majesty as to the wife that
should be mine.

When my uncle asked for the hand of Mademoiselle de Montpensier, on my
behalf, my cousin replied that a ruined and dismantled throne did not
augur well for a dowry, and she further remarked that we were not on good
terms with the King.

When I begged Cardinal Mazarin to grant me the hand of the present Madame
de Mazarin, his Eminence replied, "Would you like to be a cardinal? I
can manage that; but as regards my niece, the Queen is going to get her
married immediately."

When, before God and man, I wedded Mademoiselle de Nemours, whose worthy
mother led her to the altar, his Majesty refused to sign the marriage
contract, and told Madame de Nemours that it would never be considered
valid.

Soon afterwards the Bishop of Laon, who has complete influence over
Madame de Vendome, declared as null and void--a marriage negotiated and
consecrated by himself, and thus a bond made in heaven has been broken on
earth.

Such treatment as this, I confess, seemed to us to exceed the bounds of
humanity and of justice. My uncle and I quitted France,--the France that
persecutes and harasses us, that desires the destruction of our family
and the forcible union of our territor