y, who had intended to remain a week away from the
Tuileries, was recalled on the fourth day by a letter from his wife, who
wrote to him that his presence was more than ever necessary near the
king, the measles having declared itself at Paris, and having already
attacked several persons in the Palais Royal. Monsieur de Villeroy came
back directly, for, it will be remembered, that all those successive
deaths which three or four years before had afflicted the kingdom, had
been attributed to the measles, and the marshal would not lose this
opportunity of parading his vigilance. It was his privilege, as governor
of the king, never to leave him except by an order from himself, and to
remain with him whoever entered, even though it was the regent himself.
It was especially with regard to the regent that the marshal affected
such extraordinary precaution; and as this suited the hatred of Madame
de Maine and her party, they praised Monsieur de Villeroy highly, and
spread abroad a report that he had found on the chimney piece of Louis
XV. some poisoned bon-bons which had been placed there.

The result of all this was an increase of calumny against the Duc
d'Orleans, and of importance on the part of the marshal, who persuaded
the young king that he owed him his life. By this means he acquired
great influence over the king, who, indeed, had confidence in no one but
M. de Villeroy and M. de Frejus. M. de Villeroy was then the man they
wanted for the message; and it was agreed that the following Monday, a
day when the regent rarely saw the king, the two letters of Philip V.
should be given to him, and M. de Villeroy should profit by his solitude
with the king to make him sign the convocation of the States-General,
and that it should be made public the next day before the hour of the
regent's visit, so that there should be no means of drawing back.

While all these things were plotting against him, the regent was leading
his ordinary life in the midst of his work, his studies, and his
pleasures, and above all, of his family bickerings. As we have said,
three of his daughters gave him serious trouble. Madame de Berry, whom
he loved the best, because he had saved her when the most celebrated
doctors had given her up, throwing off all restraint, lived publicly
with Riom, whom she threatened to marry at every observation her father
made. A strange threat, but which, if carried out, would at that time
have caused far more scandal than the