rsailles. Then the Hall of Mirrors and Salons of War and Peace were
illumined by hundreds upon hundreds of twinkling tapers, while over the
floor glided a throng of slippered feet to the beat of strings and
hautboys. At the suppers, which preceded and followed the dancing,
seventy-two Swiss guards served the guests, each one distinguished by a
ribbon corresponding with the color of the table to whose service he
was assigned. It was the King's custom to retire from the revel with
regal formalities at one hour after midnight. But the feasting and
dancing continued many times until rosy dawn stole in the windows and
paled the candle-light. Besides balls, concerts, plays, games of
chance, masquerades, all the Court was invited every week--between
October and Easter--to take part in the _appartements_ or receptions
given by the King. These soirees began at seven o'clock and lasted
till ten. The chief diversion was card-playing. The King, the Queen
and all the princes so far unbent as to play with their guests at the
same tables, and move about without ceremony, conversing, listening to
the music of Lully's band, watching a minuet or a gavotte, eating and
drinking, or bestowing special favors upon courtiers that engaged their
momentary fancy.

Sometimes the losses of the players at the tables were enormous; again,
nobles counted their gains by the hundred thousands. The youthful
granddaughter of the King, the Duchess of Bourgogne, lost at one time a
sum equaling 600,000 francs, which her doting grandfather paid, as he
also paid debts of the Duke of Bourgogne. During one night's play the
King himself lost a sum totaling "many millions." On occasion the
courtiers were entertained at festivities arranged for the heir to the
throne, or by the cardinal that was in residence at the chateau.
During masked balls held in the carnival season dancers sometimes
changed their costumes two or three times in an evening--one worn under
another being revealed by pulling a silken cord. Often well-tempered
confusion was caused by gay subterfuges--an exchange of masks, or the
imposing of one mask on another. The costumes were sumptuous beyond
words. "It is impossible to witness at one time more jewelry," naively
recited the _Mercure_ in setting forth the richness of a _cercle_ at
which the Court was present in 1707.

Let us read further from the _Mercure_ of the diversions that drove
dull care away at a Court carnival: "There have