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

1669.] monsieur's irritation. 281
" I went to the Palais Royal," writes she, " where I
found Monsieur very much out of temper. He complained
of his misfortunes, and said ' he had always lived with the
King, his brother, so as not to deserve the treatment he
had just received ; that he should go away to Villers
Coterets, for he could not stay at court.' Madame showed
sympathy with Monsieur's sorrow. She said to me, ' I have
no reason to love the Chevalier de Lorraine, because
we did not agree well together ; yet I pity him, and I am
heartily sorry for Monsieur's vexation.' She made this
speech, with the air of a person interested in everything
that could grieve him, yet in her secret heart she was very
glad of it, for she was in complete union with the King,
and no one doubts that she had a share in theChevalier de
Lorraine's disgrace."*
Thus we see Mademoiselle de Montpensier gave Henrietta
no credit for her gentle sympathising conduct to Monsieur,
on whom also it made no favourable impression. He
carried her off the next morning to Yillers Coterets, where
he gave vent to his anger in the following letter to his
brother's faithful minister, Colbert.
'•' From Villers Coterets,
«,, n « 2nd of Feb., 1670.
" Monsieur Colbert, j '
Since, for some time past, I have thought you one
of my friends, and you are the only person, amongst those
who have the honour of approaching his majesty, who have
given me marks of friendship, in the fearful calamity which
has just befallen me, I trust you will not be displeased at
my requesting you to say to the King, that I am come here
in an extremity of grief, and finding myself obliged to
leave him or to live at court with shame ; that I entreat
him to consider what the world would say, if I were seen
* ' Memoires de Mademoiselle de Montpensier,' vol. vii. p. 280.