第65章

youngprincefrommorningtillnight，and。

frommorningtill

nighthewasincessantlyrepeatinginhisearsthathisfuture

subjectswerebornforhim，andthattheywerealldependenton

hisgoodandgraciouspleasure。

Suchlessonsdailyrepeated，

necessarilydestroyedthewiseinstructionsofMassillon。

When

grownup，LouisXVsawthelibertinismofcardinalDuboisand

theorgiesoftheregency:madamedeMaillis’shamelessconduct

wasbeforehiseyesandRichelieu’salso。

LouisXVcouldnot

conducthimselfdifferentlyfromhisministersandhisfamily。

His

timidcharacterwasformedupontheexampleofothers。

Atfirst

heselectedhisownmistresses，butafterwardshechosesomeone

whotookthattroubleoffhishands。

Lebelbecamepurveyorin

chieftohispleasures；andcontrolledinVersaillesthehouse

knownasthe。

Assoonasthecourtiersknewoftheexistenceandpurposesof

thishouse，theyintriguedforthecontrolofit。

Thekinglaughed

atalltheirefforts，andleftthewholemanagementtoLebel，under

thesuperintendenceofthecomtedeSaint-Florentin，ministerof

theroyalhousehold。

Theyinstalledthere，however，asortof

militarychief，formerlyamajorofinfantry，whowascalled，

jestingly，M。deCervieres；hisfunctionsconsistedinanactive

surveillance，andinpreventingyoungmenfrompenetratingthe

seraglio。

Thesoldiersattheneareststationhadordersto

obeyhisfirstsummons。

Hispaywastwelvethousandlivresayear。

Afemalestyledthehadthemanagementofthe

domesticaffairs；sheruledwithdespoticsway；controlledthe

expenses；preservedgoodorder；andregulatedtheamusementof

hercharges，takingcarethattheydidnotmixonewiththeother。

Shewasanelderlycanonessofanobleorder，belongingtooneof

thebestfamiliesinBurgundy。

Shewasonlyknownattheas

，andnooneventuredtogiveheranyothertitle。

Shortly

afterthedeceaseofMme。

DePompadour，shehadsucceededin

thisemployawomanoflowrank，whohadamostastonishingmind。

LouisXVthoughtveryhighlyofher，andsaidthatifshewerea

manhewouldhavemadeherhisminister。

Sheputtheharemon

anadmirablesystem，andinstructedthein

allthe

necessaryetiquette。

TheMadameofmytimewasawomanofnobleappearance，tall，

ascetic，withakeeneyeandimperiousmanner。

Sheexpresseda

sovereigncontempt

forallthelow-bornbeautiesconfidedtoher

trust。

However，shedidnottreatherwardsill，forsomeoneof

themmightproduceapassionintheheartoftheking，andshe

wasdeterminedtobepreparedforwhatevermightfallout。

Asto

thenobleladies，theywereherfavourites。

Madam