Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/499

Rh taste for dominion; and the same princess, who had presided in Paris in the midst of a numerous court, composed of the most illustrious people in France, confined herself to one province, engaged in domestic duties, and abandoned to the rigours of penitence.

The sincerity of her conversion was at first doubted, and was spoken of with scorn; but her perseverance soon converted it into public esteem, and gained her the royal countenance. She was devout and benevolent, without those littlenesses which often disfigure piety; and the following trait of adherence to truth cannot be uninteresting.

Not having been able to obtain a favour for one of her people of the king, she was so much hurt, that very indiscreet words, to say no more, escaped her; which were reported by a gentleman present to the king, and from him to her brother, who assured him it could not be, and that his sister had not lost her senses. "I will believe her, if she herself denies it," said the king. The prince went to her, and she concealed nothing from him. In vain he tried, during a whole afternoon, to persuade her, that in this instance sincerity would be folly. That in justifying her to the king, he believed he had spoken truth, and that it would be even more grateful to his majesty for her to deny than own her fault. "Do you wish me to repair it," said she, "by a greater, not only towards God, but towards the king? I cannot lie to him, when he has the generosity to put faith in me, and believe me on my word. The man who has betrayed me is much to blame; but after all, I must not let him pass for a slanderer, which he is not."

She went the next day to court, and having obtained a private audience of the king, threw herself at his feet,