Savoie, because
Madame de Savoie, daughter of Henri IV., was still living, ruling her
estate like a woman of authority; and therefore, to this stepmother, a
king's daughter, Mademoiselle had to give way, she being but the daughter
of a French prince who died in disgrace and was forgotten.

Being refused by the elder princess, M. de Savoie, still quite young,
sought the hand of her sister, Mademoiselle de Valois. He wrote her a
letter which, unfortunately, was somewhat singular in style, and which,
unfortunately too, fell into the hands of Mademoiselle de Montpensier.
Like her late father, Gaston, she plumed herself upon her wit and
eloquence; she caused several copies of the effusion to be printed and
circulated at Court. I will include it in these Memoirs, as it cannot
but prove entertaining. The heroes of Greece, and even of Troy, possibly
delivered their compliments in somewhat better fashion, if we may judge
by the version preserved for us by Homer.

FROM HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUC DE SAVOIE TO HIS MOST HONOURED COUSIN,
MADEMOISELLE DE VALOIS.

MY DEAR COUSIN:--As the pen must needs perform the office of the tongue,
and as it expresses the feelings of my heart, I doubt not but that I am
at great disadvantage, since the depth of these feelings it cannot
express, nor rightly convince you that, having given all myself to you,
nothing remains either to give or to desire, save to find such affection
pleasantly reciprocated. Thus, in these lines, I earnestly beseech you
to return my love,--lines which give you the first hints of that fire
which your many lovely qualities have lighted in my soul. They create in
me an inconceivable impatience closely to contemplate that which now I
admire at a distance, and to convince you by various proofs that, with
matchless loyalty and passion,

I am, dear Cousin, Your most humble slave and servant, EMMANUEL.

Gentle as an angel, Mademoiselle de Valois desired just what everybody
else did. The youngest of the three princesses was named Mademoiselle
d'Alencon. With a trifle more wit and dash, she could have maintained
her position at Court, where so charming a face as hers was fitted to
make its mark; but her fine dark eyes did but express indifference and
vacuity, seemingly unconscious of the pleasure to be got in this world
when one is young, good-looking, shapely, a princess of the blood, and
cousin german of the King besides.

Marguerite de Lorraine, her mother, married