But, however great a woman's strength may be, there is a limit to it, and she cannot hold out long under such a system.

As for Monsieur, he had not even the satisfaction of witnessing Madame's abdication of her royalty in the evening, for she lived in the royal pavilion with the young queen and the queen-mother.

As a matter of course, the Chevalier de Lorraine did not quit Monsieur, and did not fail to distil drops of gall into every wound the latter received.

The result was, that Monsieur--who had at first been in the highest spirits, and completely restored since Guiche's departure--subsided into his melancholy state three days after the court was installed at Fontainebleau.
It happened, however, that, one day, about two o'clock in the afternoon, Monsieur, who had risen late, and had bestowed upon his toilet more than his usual attention,--it happened, we repeat, that Monsieur, who had not heard of any plans having been arranged for the day, formed the project of collecting his own court, and of carrying Madame off with him to Moret, where he possessed a charming country house.

He accordingly went to the queen's pavilion, and was astonished, on entering, to find none of the royal servants in attendance.