The prince de
Soubise, the ducs de la Trimoulle, d'Ayen, d'Aiguillon, and the
marquis de Chauvelin, were also to attend the king. The king
remained nearly the whole time with me, and the < entree > to my
apartment became a favor not accorded to every body. A small
committee met there, and talked of every thing except what is
rational; and I can assure you that with such conversation time
passes very quickly.
One day the king entered my apartment holding in his hand a letter.
"I am about to receive," said he, "a visit that will not give me
much pleasure. My brother of Denmark is traversing Europe, and
is about to come to France.
! what inconvenient
persons are your travelling kings! Why do they leave their
kingdoms? I think they are very well at home."
"Yes, sire, but there is an excuse for them: they are weary of
admiring your majesty at a distance, and wish for the happiness
of knowing you."
At this compliment the king rubbed his hands with a smile, which
he always did when he was satisfied, and then said,
"There is not in the hearts of foreign potentates the same
affection towards my person as you feel. It is not me but France
they wish to see. I remember that when very young I received a
visit from the czar Peter the Great, Peter the First I mean to
say. He was not deficient in sense, but yet behaved like a boor:
he passed his time in running over the academies, libraries, and
manufactories: I never saw such an ill-bred man.
Pages:
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98