de Beaufort, his brother-in-law; the Prince of Conde's
rage at his defeat threw him into a malignant fever; the Duke of
Orleans was in despair at the death of his only son, a babe of five
years old; the Fronde was falling to pieces, and in the breathing
time, Eustace obtained a pass from our own King, and wrote to
Solivet, who was with the royal army outside, to get him another for
himself and me--explaining that he was bound by his promise to Madame
van Hunker, and that his health was in such a state that my care was
needful to him.
Solivet answered the letter, sending the passport, but urging on him
to remain at Paris, which would soon be at peace, since Mazarin was
leaving the Court, and a general amnesty was to be proclaimed if the
gates of Paris were opened to the King without the Cardinal.
But there were to be exceptions to this amnesty, and Solivet wrote at
the same time to my mother. I have not the letter, and cannot copy
it, but what he said was to urge her not to permit my brother to drag
me away to Holland, for when he was gone all might still be arranged
as she wished. As to 'ce coquina de Darpent,' as Solivet kindly
called him, he had made himself a marked man, whom it was dangerous
to leave at large, and his name was down for Vincennes or the
Bastille, if nothing worse, so that there need be no more trouble
about him. So said my half-brother, and he had no doubt made himself
certain of the fact, in which he somewhat prematurely exulted.
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