normous sums in adapting them to her taste. The cabinet of the
regent, in the gorgeousness of its adornments, was considered the
wonder of Paris.

[Illustration: THE PALAIS ROYAL.]

Cardinal Mazarin had also a suite of rooms assigned him in the palace
which looked out upon the Rue des bons Enfans. These households
were quite distinct, and they were all surrounded with much of the
pageantry of royalty. The superintendence of the education of the
young prince was intrusted to the cardinal. He had also his governor,
his sub-governor, his preceptor, and his valet de chambre, each of
whom must have occupied posts of honor rather than of responsibility.
The Marchioness de Senecey, and other ladies of high rank, were
intrusted with the special care of the dauphin until he should attain
the age of seven years.

Thus the court of the baby-king was quite imposing. From his earliest
years he was accustomed to the profoundest homage, and was trained to
the most rigid rules of etiquette. The dauphin early developed a
fondness for military exercises. Very eagerly he shouldered the
musket, brandished the sword, and beat the drum. The temperament of
his brother Philip, the duke of Anjou, was very different: he was
remarkably gentle, quiet, and affectionate. Gradually the baby-court
of the dauphin was increased by the addition of other lads. The young
king was the central luminary around whom they all revolved. By them
all the dauphin was regarded with a certain kind of awe, as if he
were a being of a superior, almost of a celestial race. These lads
were termed "children of honor." They always addressed the king, and
were addressed in return, with the formality of full-grown men. One
day a little fellow named Lomenie delighted the king with a gift. The
king was amusing himself with a cross-bow, which for the time being
happened to be in special favor. He loaned the bow for a few moments
to Lomenie. Soon, however, anxious to regain the valued plaything, he
held out his hand to take it back. His governess, the Marchioness de
Senecey, said to him, aside,

"Sire, kings give what they lend."

Louis, immediately approaching his companion, said, calmly, "Monsieur
de Lomenie, keep the cross-bow. I wish that it were something of more
importance; but, such as it is, I give it to you with all my heart."

This was a speech of a boy of five years old to a companion of the
same age. When the dauphin reached his seventh birthday, a great
chang