She was very good-natured, provided she thought herself
obeyed, and she promised that my turn should always come at the same
time as my son's, so that I might be at home with him. I was a
little laughed at, and my former name of Gildippe was made to
alternate with that of Cornelia; but French mothers have always been
devoted to their sons, and there was some sympathy with me among the
ladies.
I owned that my presence was required at home, for Gaspard generally
came back a much naughtier boy than he went, and with a collection of
bad words that I had to proscribe. Before the Queen-Regent, the
little King and the Duke of Anjou were the best boys in the world,
and as stately and well-mannered as become the first gentlemen of
France; but when once out of her sight they were the most riotous and
mischievous children in the world, since nobody durst restrain, far
less punish them. They made attacks on the departments of the
stewards and cooks, kicking and biting any one who tried to stop
them, and devouring fruit and sweetmeats till their fine clothes were
all bedaubed, and they themselves indisposed, and then their poor
valets suffered for it. The first time this happened my poor Gaspard
was so much shocked that he actually told the King that it was
dishonourable to let another suffer for his fault.
'I would have you to know, Monsieur le Marquis,' said Louis XIV.,
drawing himself up, 'that the King of France is never in fault.
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