he would never
acknowledge her, and after his death the Princess Conti took care of her,
and married her to a gentleman of Vaugourg. The Dauphin was so tired of
the Duc du Maine that he had sworn never to acknowledge any of his
illegitimate children. This Raisin must have had very peculiar charms to
make an impression upon a heart so thick as that of the Dauphin, who
really loved her. One day he sent for her to Choisy, and hid her in a
mill without anything to eat or drink; for it was a fast day, and the
Dauphin thought there was no greater sin than to eat meat on a fast day.
After the Court had departed, all that he gave her for supper was some
salad and toast with oil. Raisin laughed at this very much herself, and
told several persons of it. When I heard of it I asked the Dauphin what
he meant by making his mistress fast in this manner.

"I had a mind," he said, "to commit one sin, but not two."

I cannot bear that any one should touch me behind; it makes me so angry
that I do not know what I do. I was very near giving the Dauphin a blow
one day, for he had a wicked trick of coming behind one for a joke, and
putting his fist in the chair just where one was going to sit down. I
begged him, for God's sake, to leave off this habit, which was so
disagreeable to me that I would not answer for not one day giving him a
sound blow, without thinking of what I was doing. From that time he left
me alone.

The Dauphin was very much like the Queen; he was not tall, but
good-looking enough. Our King was accustomed to say: "Monseigneur (for
so he always called him) has the look of a German prince." He had,
indeed, something of a German air; but it was only the air; for he had
nothing German besides. He did not dance well. The Queen-Dowager of
Spain flattered herself with the hope of marrying him.

He thought he should recommend himself to the King by not appearing to
care what became of his brothers.

When the Dauphin was lying sick of the small-pox, I went on the Wednesday
to the King.

He said to me, sarcastically, "You have been frightening us with the
great pain which Monseigneur would have to endure when the suppuration
commences; but I can tell you that he will not suffer at all, for the
pustules have already begun to dry."

I was alarmed at this, and said, "So much the worse; if he is not in pain
his state is the more dangerous, and he soon will be."

"What!" said the King, "do you know better than the do