Lives of the last four princesses of the royal house of Stuart

1669.] HEE INTERCESSIONS WITH LOUIS XIV. 271
French court, where he had been banished for exceeding
the latitude allowed in gambling, duelling, and other pro-
fligacies. He had retreated to the court of Charles II.
After five or six years spent there he fell honourably in
love with the fair Elizabeth Hamilton, one of the reigning
beauties of that court ; but she positively refused to marry
him, until he should be received, in Paris, with the distinc-
tion due to his early valour,, in the wars under the great
Conde.
The ceaseless exertions of his sister, and the intercessions
of Madame with the King, caused some hope that their
representations had not been in vain. Madame St.
Chaumont, indeed, urged him to cross the sea and plead
his own cause with the King. The fair Hamilton, whom
he consulted in the matter, urged him to lose no time in
complying with the advice of his loving sister. His recep-
tion, on his arrival at the Hotel de Gramont, was anything
but cheering. His elder brother, the Mareschal de Gra-
mont, appeared alarmed at the sight of him. The
Chevalier produced his sister's letter urging his return,
and dwelt on the good influence of her mistress, Madame.
" Do you wish to know the real state of the case ?"
said the Mareschal, in reply. "It is true that our
King told Madame, that you had declined some prefer-
ment offered to you by King Charles, and declared him-
self pleased with your conduct on that occasion. Madame
interpreted this into permission for your return. And our
sister, being very far from possessing the wisdom for which
she gives herself credit, writes to you as if she had obtained
leave for your recall. Listen to the truth. Madame
spoke to me yesterday, when the King was at dinner, in
congratulation, saying you would soon be here. While
his majesty on the contrary, when dinner was over, com-
manded me, if you arrived at home, to send you away