Page:Secret History of the French Court under Richelieu and Mazarin.djvu/135

Rh received an order to quit the court and repair to one of her estates near Rochefort. The friends and admirers of the lady uttered loud complaints; the whole party of Importants were roused, and the affair changed its aspect; from a private it became a general quarrel, as often in war a private engagement or a precipitate manœuvre involves a whole army and determines a battle.

It was difficult to be placed on worse ground. In the first place, the Duchess de Montbazon was as much despised for her manners and her character as celebrated for her beauty; and the object of her attack was a young woman who had but just appeared in society, and who was already the object of universal admiration; of a beauty so dazzling and ethereal that every one on seeing her compared her with an angel; of brilliant talents and a noble heart; the person, indeed, of all others, whom the Importants should have endeavored the most to gain, especially as her natural generosity did not lead her toward the side of the court, and had even given some umbrage to the prime minister. Madame de Longueville was then only occupied with wit, innocent coquetry, and, above all, the glory of her brother, the Duke d'Enghien. It must be confessed, however that there were then in her heart some germs of an Important which La Rochefoucauld afterwards knew but too well how to develop. The injury which had been done her, the shameful