The Project Gutenberg EBook of From the Memoirs of a Minister of France, by
Stanley Weyman

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Title: From the Memoirs of a Minister of France

Author: Stanley Weyman

Posting Date: February 27, 2010 [EBook #2079]
Release Date: February, 2000

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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FROM THE MEMOIRS OF A MINISTER OF FRANCE

BY

STANLEY WEYMAN

CONTENTS.

I.--THE CLOCKMAKER OF POISSY
II.--THE TENNIS BALLS
III.--TWO MAYORS OF BOTTITORT
IV.--LA TOUSSAINT
V.--THE LOST CIPHER
VI.--THE MAN OF MONCEAUX
VII.--THE GOVERNOR OF GUERET
VIII.--THE OPEN SHUTTER
IX.--THE MAID OF HONOUR
X.--FARMING THE TAXES
XI.--THE CAT AND THE KING
XII.--AT FONTAINEBLEAU

I.

THE CLOCKMAKER OF POISSY.

Foreseeing that some who do not love me will be swift to allege that in
the preparation of these memoirs I have set down only such things as
redound to my credit, and have suppressed the many experiences not so
propitious which fall to the lot of the most sagacious while in power,
I take this opportunity of refuting that calumny. For the truth stands
so far the other way that my respect for the King's person has led me
to omit many things creditable to me; and some, it may be, that place
me in a higher light than any I have set down. And not only that: but
I propose in this very place to narrate the curious details of an
adventure wherein I showed to less advantage than usual; and on which I
should, were I moved by the petty feelings imputed to me by malice, be
absolutely silent.

One day, about a fortnight after the quarrel between the King and the
Duchess of Beaufort, which I have described, and which arose, it will
be remembered, out of my refusal to pay the christening expenses of her
second son on the scale of a child of France, I was sitting in my
lodgings at St. Germa