eur ran rather
than walked, towards the ante-chamber, where, noticing an usher in
attendance, he gave him some directions in a low tone of voice.
Then, turning back again, but avoiding passing through the breakfast
apartment, he crossed several rooms, with the intention of seeking the
queen-mother in her oratory, where she usually remained.

It was about ten o'clock in the morning. Anne of Austria was engaged in
writing as Monsieur entered. The queen-mother was extremely attached to
her son, for he was handsome in person and amiable in disposition. He
was, in fact, more affectionate, and it might be, more effeminate
than the king. He pleased his mother by those trifling sympathizing
attentions all women are glad to receive. Anne of Austria, who would
have been rejoiced to have had a daughter, almost found in this, her
favorite son, the attentions, solicitude, and playful manners of a
child of twelve years of age. All the time he passed with his mother he
employed in admiring her arms, in giving his opinion upon her cosmetics,
and recipes for compounding essences, in which she was very particular;
and then, too, he kissed her hands and cheeks in the most childlike and
endearing manner, and had always some sweetmeats to offer her, or some
new style of dress to recommend. Anne of Austria loved the king,
or rather the regal power in her eldest son; Louis XIV. represented
legitimacy by right divine. With the king, her character was that of
the queen-mother, with Philip she was simply the mother. The latter
knew that, of all places, a mother's heart is the most compassionate and
surest. When quite a child he always fled there for refuge when he and
his brother quarreled, often, after having struck him, which constituted
the crime of high treason on his part, after certain engagements with
hands and nails, in which the king and his rebellious subject indulged
in their night-dresses respecting the right to a disputed bed, having
their servant Laporte as umpire,--Philip, conqueror, but terrified at
victory, used to flee to his mother to obtain reinforcements from her,
or at least the assurance of forgiveness, which Louis XIV. granted with
difficulty, and after an interval. Anne, from this habit of peaceable
intervention, succeeded in arranging the disputes of her sons, and in
sharing, at the same time, all their secrets. The king, somewhat jealous
of that maternal solicitude which was bestowed particularly on his
brother, felt d