FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   422   423   424   425   426   427   428   429   430   431   432   433   434   435   436   437   438   439   440   441   442   443   444   445   446  
447   448   449   450   451   452   453   454   455   456   457   458   459   460   461   462   463   464   465   466   467   468   469   470   471   >>   >|  
reted in the old Louvre, at Courbevoie and the other country seats. But the millions in gold, hidden in the bastions of La Fere, fell into the hands of heirs, who, a few moments after the commencement of the Cardinal's death-agony, sent off a valet post-haste. The Cardinal's family pretended to know nothing of this affair; but they could never bear M. Colbert nor any of his kinsfolk. The King, being of a generous nature, distributed all this wealth in the best and most liberal manner possible. M. Colbert told him to what use Mazarin meant to put all these riches; he hoped to have prevailed upon the Conclave to elect him Pope, with the concurrence of Spain, France, and the Holy Ghost. CHAPTER XI. The Young Queen.--Her Portrait.--Her Whims.--Her Love for the King.--Her Chagrin. MARIA THERESA, the King's new consort, was the daughter of the King of Spain and Elizabeth of France, daughter of Henri IV. At the time of her marriage she had lost her mother, and it was King Philip, Anne of Austria's brother, who himself presented her to us at Saint Jean de Luz, where he signed the peace-contract. The Spanish monarch admired his nephew, the King, whose stalwart figure, comely face, and polished manners, were, indeed, well calculated to excite surprise. Anne of Austria had said to him, "My brother, my one fear during your journey was lest your ailments and the hardships of travel should hinder you from getting back here again." "Was such your thought, sister?" replied the good man. "I would willingly have come on foot, so as to behold with my own eyes the superb cavalier that you and I are going to give to my daughter." After the oath of peace had been sworn upon the Gospels, there was a general presentation before the two Kings. Cantocarrero, the Castilian secretary of state, presented the Spanish notabilities, while Cardinal Mazarin, in his pontifical robes, presented the French. As he announced M. de Turenne, the old King looked at him repeatedly. "There's one," quoth he, "who has given me many a sleepless night." M. de Turenne bowed respectfully, and both courts could perceive in his simple bearing his unaffected modesty. On leaving Spain and the King, young princess was moved to tears. Next day she thought nothing of it at all. She was wholly engrossed by the possession of such a King, nor was she at any pains to hide her glee from us. Of all her Court ladies I was the most youthful and, perhaps,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   422   423   424   425   426   427   428   429   430   431   432   433   434   435   436   437   438   439   440   441   442   443   444   445   446  
447   448   449   450   451   452   453   454   455   456   457   458   459   460   461   462   463   464   465   466   467   468   469   470   471   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

presented

 

Cardinal

 
daughter
 

Colbert

 

France

 

Turenne

 

Mazarin

 

thought

 

Spanish

 

Austria


brother

 
superb
 
ailments
 

behold

 
cavalier
 

journey

 

sister

 

replied

 

travel

 

hardships


hinder

 

willingly

 

secretary

 

leaving

 
princess
 

modesty

 
unaffected
 

respectfully

 

courts

 

perceive


bearing

 
simple
 

ladies

 

youthful

 

wholly

 
engrossed
 

possession

 
Cantocarrero
 

Castilian

 

notabilities


Gospels

 

general

 
presentation
 

pontifical

 

sleepless

 
repeatedly
 

French

 
announced
 

looked

 

kinsfolk