Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 5

CHAPTER XXXVIII

Death and Last Days of Madame de Montespan.--Selfishness of the King.-- Death and Character of Madame de Nemours.--Neufchatel and Prussia.-- Campaign of Villars.--Naval Successes.--Inundations of the Loire.--Siege of Toulon.--A Quarrel about News.--Quixotic Despatches of Tesse.

CHAPTER XXXIII

Two very different persons died towards the latter part of this year. The first was Lamoignon, Chief President; the second, Ninon, known by the name of Mademoiselle de l'Enclos. Of Lamoignon I will relate a single anecdote, curious and instructive, which will show the corruption of which he was capable.

One day--I am speaking of a time many years previous to the date of the occurrences just related--one day there was a great hunting party