power exercised by the sultans of Turkey. Several very striking
examples were given. The young prince, who had listened attentively,
remarked,

"That is as it should be; that is really reigning."

"Yes, sire," pertinently replied Marshal d'Estrees, "but two or three
of those sultans have, within my memory, been strangled."

The Prince de Conde inquired of Laporte, the first valet of the king,
respecting the character his young majesty was developing. Upon being
told that he was conscientious and intelligent, he replied, "So much
the better. There would be no pleasure in obeying a fool, and no honor
in being commanded by a bad man."

Cardinal Mazarin, the prime minister, who looked with jealousy upon
any development of superior intelligence in the dauphin, said to
Marshal de Grammont, "Ah! sir, you do not know his majesty. There is
enough stuff in him to make four kings and an honest man."

There had gradually sprung up a deadly feud between the court, headed
by the tyrannical minister Mazarin on the one side, and by the
Parliament on the other. The populace of Paris were in sympathy with
the Parliament. Many of the prominent nobles, some even of royal
blood, detesting the haughty prime minister, espoused the
Parliamentary cause. There were riots in Paris. Affairs looked very
threatening. Mazarin was alarmed, and decided to escape from Paris
with the court to the palace of St. Germain. There he could protect
the court with an ample military force. He thought, also, that he
should be able to cut off the supply of provisions from the capital,
and thus starve the city into subjection.

It was necessary to move with much caution, as the people were greatly
agitated, were filling the streets with surging crowds, and would
certainly prevent the removal of the king should they suspect the
design. The night of the 5th of January was selected as a time in
which to attempt the escape. The matter was kept profoundly secret
from most of the members of the royal household.

At three o'clock in the morning a carriage was drawn up in the gate of
the royal garden. The queen regent, who, to avoid suspicion, had
retired to bed at the usual hour, had in the mean time risen and was
prepared for her flight. The young king and his brother were awoke
from their sleep, hurriedly dressed, and conveyed to the carriage in
waiting. The queen regent, with several other prominent members of the
court, descended the back stairs which led fro