whatever was most accomplished at Court, it could not be but that
they must mutually receive the greatest pleasure from such a
commerce.

The Duchess of Valentinois made one in all parties of pleasure;
and the King was still as passionately fond of her as in the
beginning of his love. The Princess of Cleves being at those
years, wherein people think a woman is incapable of inciting love
after the age of twenty-five, beheld with the utmost astonishment
the King's passion for the Duchess, who was a grandmother, and
had lately married her granddaughter: she often spoke on this
subject to Madam de Chartres. "Is it possible, Madam," said
she, "that the King should still continue to love? How could he
take a fancy to one, who was so much older than himself, who had
been his father's mistress, and who, as I have heard, is still
such to many others?" " 'Tis certain," answered Madam de
Chartres," it was neither the merit nor the fidelity of the
Duchess of Valentinois, which gave birth to the King's passion,
or preserved it; and this is what he can't be justified in; for
if this lady had had beauty and youth suitable to her birth; and
the merit of having had no other lover; if she had been exactly
true and faithful to the King; if she had loved him with respect
only to his person, without the interested views of greatness and
fortune, and without using her power but for honourable purposes
and for his Majesty's interest; in this case it must be
confessed, one could have hardly forbore praising his passion for
her. If I was not afraid," continued Madam de Chartres, "that
you would say the same thing of me which is said of most women of
my years, that they love to recount the history of their own
times, I would inform you how the King's passion for this Duchess