Page:Secret History of the French Court under Richelieu and Mazarin.djvu/180

166 all the designs of Richelieu, and, like him, he strove to detach the Duke of Lorraine from his two allies. The duke was then madly enamored with the beautiful Beatrix de Cusance, Princess de Cantecroix. Mazarin endeavored to gain the lady, and he proposed to the ambitious and enterprising Charles IV., to break with Spain, and to enter into Franche-Comté with the aid of France, promising to leave to him all that he should acquire. He succeeded in bringing into his interest the Princess de Phalzbourg, the sister of Charles and the former mistress of Puylaurens, but then very much fallen in favor, who rendered him a secret and faithful account of all that passed about her brother. Mazarin especially demanded to be kept informed of the slightest movements of Madame de Chevreuse; he knew that she corresponded with the Duke de Bouillon, that she held the Imperial General Piccolomini at her disposal through her friend, Madame de Strozzi, and that she still preserved all her influence over the Duke of Lorraine, despite the charms of the beautiful Beatrix. With the aid of the Princess de Phalzbourg, he followed all her movements and disputed step by step the possession of the fickle Charles IV.,—sometimes victorious, but oftener vanquished in this uncertain struggle.

The victory remained with Madame de Chevreuse. Her ascendency over Charles IV., born of love but surviving it, and stronger than all the new amours of this inconstant prince, retained him in the service of Spain, and foiled all the projects of Mazarin. By degrees, she again became the soul of every intrigue plotted against the French Government. She not only combated it from without, but she continually excited new difficulties within. Surrounded by a few ardent and persevering refugees, among whom was the Count de