de Richelieu, though gentlemen of good standing, had never built a town; they had been content with their village and with a mediocre house.

At the present time it is the most beautiful and most magnificent castle you could possibly see, and all the ornament that could be given to a house is found there.

This will not be difficult to believe if one considers that it is the work of the most ambitious and most ostentatious man in the world, premier minister of state too, who for a long while possessed absolute authority over affairs.

It is, nevertheless, inconceivable that the apartments should correspond so ill in size with the beauty of the outside.

I hear that this arose from the fact that the cardinal wished to have the chamber preserved in which he was born.