CHAPTER XXIII

_Monsieur le Duc_ and Madame de Prie determine to break off the marriage of Louis XV. and the Infanta, and to marry the young King to a princess capable of at once giving him an heir--Double interest of the favourite in the accomplishment of this design--Question of the remarriage of _Monsieur le Duc_--Madame de Prie, unable to oppose this, selects Marie Leczinska--Rupture of the Spanish marriage--Exasperation of the Court of Madrid--Difficulty of finding a suitable consort for Louis XV.--Madame de Prie accused of having barred the way of Mlle. de Vermandois to the crown matrimonial--The favourite advocates the claims of Marie Leczinska, who is eventually chosen--Triumph of Madame de Prie--Arrival of the new Queen--A model husband--Growing unpopularity of the Government and increasing influence of Fleury--An unsuccessful intrigue--Madame de Prie retires from Court, but _Monsieur le Duc_ insists on her return--Disgrace of _Monsieur le Duc_--His mother and his mistress follow him to Chantilly--Madame de Prie is exiled to Normandy--A touching farewell--Chivalrous behaviour of the prince--Death of Madame de Prie--Remarriage of _Monsieur le Duc_--His death 332–350

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

AGNÈS BERTHELOT DE PLÉNEUF, MARQUISE DE PRIE _Frontispiece_ From a Painting by an unknown artist, in the collection of M. de Quatrebarbes

_By permission of MM. Plon Nourrit_

FACING PAGE

LOUIS I. DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ 26 From an Engraving after a Drawing by JANET

ÉLÉONORE DE ROYE, PRINCESSE DE CONDÉ 72 From a Drawing by an unknown artist

HENRI I. DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ 102 From an Engraving by DELPECH, after the Painting by MAUZAISSE

CHARLOTTE CATHERINE DE LA TRÉMOILLE, PRINCESSE DE CONDÉ 134 From an Engraving by MIGER, after the Painting by LE MONNIER

HENRI II. DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ 164 From an Engraving by MATHONIER

LOUIS II. DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ (THE GREAT CONDÉ) 182 From an Engraving by JACQUES LUBIN

CLAIRE CLÉMENCE DE MAILLÉ-BRÉZÉ, PRINCESSE DE CONDÉ 198 From an Engraving by MONCORNET

NINON DE L’ENCLOS 210 From a Miniature in the South Kensington Museum

ANNE OF BAVARIA, DUCHESSE D’ENGHIEN (AFTERWARDS PRINCESSE DE CONDÉ) 238 From an Engraving by MONCORNET

HENRI JULES DE BOURBON, DUC D’ENGHIEN (AFTERWARDS PRINCE DE CONDÉ) 252 From an Engraving by POILLY, after the Painting by MIGNARD

DIANE GABRIELLE DE THIANGES, DUCHESSE DE NEVERS 254 From a Contemporary Print

LOUIS III., DUC DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ (CALLED MONSIEUR LE DUC) 264 From a Contemporary Print

LOUISE FRANÇOISE, DUCHESSE DE BOURBON (CALLED MADAME LA DUCHESSE) 276 From a Contemporary Print

LOUIS HENRI, DUC DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ (CALLED MONSIEUR LE DUC) 300 From an Engraving by P. DREVET, after the Painting by GOBERT

ANDRÉ HERCULE, CARDINAL DE FLEURY 316 From an Engraving by DREVET, after the Painting by HYACINTHE RIGAUD

CLAUDE LE BLANC 330 From an Engraving by DREVET, after the Painting by LE PRIEUR

THE

LOVE-AFFAIRS OF THE CONDÉS

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