Produced by David Widger
MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV AND HIS COURT AND OF THE REGENCY
BY THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON
VOLUME 9.
CHAPTER LXI
Let me here relate an incident which should have found a place earlier,but which has been omitted in order that what has gone before might beuninterrupted. On the 16th of the previous July the King made a journeyto Fontainebleau, where he remained until the 14th of September. Ishould suppress the bagatelle which happened on the occasion of thisjourney, if it did not serve more and more to characterize the King.
Madame la Duchesse de Berry was in the family way for the first time,had been so for nearly three months, was much inconvenienced, and had apretty strong fever. M. Fagon, the doctor, thought it would be imprudentfor her not to put off travelling for a day or two. Neither she nor M,d'Orleans dared to speak about it. M. le Duc de Berry timidly hazarded aword, and was ill received. Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans more timidstill, addressed herself to Madame, and to Madame de Maintenon, who,indifferent as they might be respecting Madame la Duchesse de Berry,thought her departure so hazardous that, supported by Fagon, they spokeof it to the King. It was useless. They were not daunted, however, andthis dispute lasted three or four days. The end of it was, that the Kinggrew thoroughly angry and agreed, by way of capitulation, that thejourney should be performed in a boat instead of a coach.
It was arranged that Madame la Duchesse de Berry should leave Marly,where the King then was, on the 13th, sleep at the Palais Royal thatnight and repose herself there all the next day and night, that on the15th she should set out for Petit-Bourg, where the King was to halt forthe night, and arrive like him, on the 16th, at Fontainebleau, the wholejourney to be by the river. M. le Duc de Berry had permission toaccompany his wife; but during the two nights they were to rest in Paristhe King angrily forbade them to go anywhere, even to the Opera, althoughthat building joined the Palais Royal, and M. d'Orleans' box could bereached without going out of the palace.
On the 14th the King, under pretence of inquiry after them, repeated thisprohibition to M. le Duc de Berry and Madame his wife, and also to M.d'Orleans and Madame d'Orleans, who had been included in it. He carriedhis caution so far as to enjoin Madame de Saint-Simon to see that Madamela Duchesse de Berry obeyed the instructions she had received. As may bebelieved, his orders were punctually obeyed. Madame de Saint-Simon couldnot refuse to remain and sleep in the Palais Royal, where the apartmentof the queen-mother was given to her. All the while the party was shutup there was a good deal of gaming in order to console M. le Duc de Berryfor his confinement.
The provost of the merchants had orders to prepare boats for the trip toFontainebleau. He had so little time that they were ill chosen. Madamela Duchesse de Berry embarked, however, on the 15th, and arrived, withfever, at ten o'clock at night at Petit-Bourg, where the King appearedrejoiced by an obedience so exact.
On the morrow the journey recommenced. In passing Melun, the boat ofMadame la Duchesse de Berry struck against the bridge, was nearlycapsized, and almost swamped, so that they were all in great danger.They got off, however, with fear and a delay. Disembarking in greatdisorder at Valvin, where their equipages were waiting for there, theyarrived at Fontainebleau two hours after midnight. The King, pleasedbeyond measure, went the next morning t