e sons, who were in the
direct line of succession to the crown. These were Louis, duke of
Burgoyne, Philip, duke of Anjou, and Charles, duke of Berri.

The eldest, the Duke of Burgoyne, who, of course, next to the dauphin,
was heir to the throne, was thirteen years of age. The king selected
for his wife Adelaide, the daughter of the Duke of Savoy, a remarkably
graceful, beautiful, and intelligent child of eleven years. The pretty
little girl was brought to France to spend a few months in the court
previous to her marriage, which was to take place as soon as she
should attain her twelfth year. She came in great splendor, with her
retinue, her court, and her ladies of honor. Both the king and Madame
de Maintenon were charmed with the princess. Sumptuous apartments were
assigned her in the palace of Versailles. Madame de Maintenon wrote to
the Duchess of Savoy,

"The king is enchanted with her. He expatiates on her deportment, her
grace, her courtesy, her reserve, and her modesty. She has all the
graces of girlhood, with the perfections of a more mature age. Her
temper appears as perfect as her figure promises one day to become.
She only requires to speak to display the extent of her intellect. I
can not resist thanking your royal highness for giving us a child who,
according to all appearance, will be the delight of the court, and the
glory of the century."

The king resolved that the festivities at the marriage of these two
children should be the most splendid which France had ever witnessed.
He announced the intention of appearing himself, upon the occasion, in
the most sumptuous apparel which the taste and art of the times could
furnish. This intimation was sufficient for the courtiers.
Preparations were made for such a display of folly and extravagance
as even alarmed the king. All ordinary richness of dress, of satin,
and velvet, and embroidery of gold, was discarded for fabrics of
unprecedented costliness, for bouquets of diamonds, and wreaths of the
most precious gems.

"I can not understand," exclaimed the king, "how husbands are mad
enough to suffer themselves to be ruined by the folly of their wives."

The marriage took place between the bride of twelve years and the
bridegroom of fourteen at six o'clock in the evening of the 7th of
December, 1697. The ceremony was performed in the chapel of the palace
at Versailles. The ensuing festivals exceeded in magnificence all that
Versailles had previously witnesse