must either, of her
own accord, immediately and forever retire from Versailles, or submit
to the indignity of being arrested by the police and removed by them.

Madame de Montespan was in a fearful rage. Though fully aware of her
waning power over the king, the menace of arrest and banishment was an
indignity the thought of which had never entered her mind. But the
calm firmness of her brother soon convinced her of the impotence of
all exhibitions of indignation. The splendor-loving marchioness was,
as we have mentioned already, wealthy. She was, however, informed that
the king had decided to settle upon her an annual pension of six
hundred thousand livres. When we consider the comparative value of
money then and now, it is estimated that this amount was equivalent to
about four hundred and eighty thousand dollars at the present day.

"Madame de Montespan," writes Miss Pardoe, "buried her face in her
hands, and remained for a considerable time lost in thought. When, at
length, she looked up, her lips were pale and her voice trembled. She
had not shed a tear, but her breast heaved, and she had evidently come
to a decision. Folding her shawl about her, she requested the marquis
immediately to drive her to Versailles, it being necessary, as she
asserted, that she should collect her money, her jewels, and her
papers, after which she declared that she was ready, for the sake of
her family, to follow his advice."

[Illustration: PARTERRE OF VERSAILLES.]

They returned to the palace. Madame de Maintenon hastened to her
apartments. The Marquis de Vivonne informed her of the success of his
mission, and she communicated the intelligence to the king.

The marchioness had been in her apartments but about twenty minutes,
when, to her surprise, the door opened, and the king entered
unannounced. The marchioness, with her own graphic pen, has given an
account of the singular and characteristic interview which ensued.

The king came forward smiling very complacently at the thought that
with so little embarrassment he was to get rid of a companion whose
presence had become an annoyance to him--that he could discard her as
easily as he could lay aside a pair of soiled gloves. He congratulated
the marchioness upon the great good sense she had shown in thus
readily sundering ties which, after existing for eighteen years, had
become embarrassing. He spoke of their children as his property, and
assured her that he should do all in his p