This　mention　of　La　Varenne　brings　to　my　recollection　a　very　pleasant
  anecdote　of　his　ancestor；　the　La　Varenne　so　known　in　all　the　memoirs　of
  the　time　as　having　risen　from　the　position　of　scullion　to　that　of　cook；
  and　then　to　that　of　cloak…bearer　to　Henry　IV。；　whom　he　served　in　his
  pleasures；　and　afterwards　in　his　state…affairs。　　At　the　death　of　the
  King；　La　Varenne　retired；　very　old　and　very　rich；　into　the　country。
  Birds　were　much　in　vogue　at　that　time；　and　he　often　amused　himself　with
  falconry。　　One　day　a　magpie　perched　on　one　of　his　trees；　and　neither
  sticks　nor　stones　could　dislodge　it。　　La　Varenne　and　a　number　of
  sportsmen　gathered　around　the　tree　and　tried　to　drive　away　the　magpie。
  Importuned　with　all　this　noise；　the　bird　at　last　began　to　cry　repeatedly
  with　all　its　might；　〃Pandar！　　Pandar！〃
  Now　La　Varenne　had　gained　all　he　possessed　by　that　trade。　　Hearing　the
  magpie　repeat　again　and　again　the　same　word；　he　took　it　into　his　head
  that　by　a　miracle；　like　the　observation　Balaam's　ass　made　to　his　master；
  the　bird　was　reproaching　him　for　his　sins。　　He　was　so　troubled　that　he
  could　not　help　showing　it；　then；　more　and　more　agitated；　he　told　the
  cause　of　his　disturbance　to　the　company；　who　laughed　at　him　in　the　first
  place；　but；　upon　finding　that　he　was　growing　really　ill；　they　endeavoured
  to　convince　him　that　the　magpie　belonged　to　a　neighbouring　village；　where
  it　had　learned　the　word。　　It　was　all　in　vain：　La　Varenne　was　so　ill　that
  he　was　obliged　to　be　carried　home；　fever　seized　him　and　in　four　days　he
  died。
  CHAPTER　XII
  Here　perhaps　is　the　place　to　speak　of　Charles　IV。；　Duc　de　Lorraine；　so
  well　known　by　his　genius；　and　the　extremities　to　which　he　was　urged。　　He
  was　married　in　1621　to　the　Duchesse　Nicole；　his　cousin…german；　but　after
  a　time　ceased　to　live　with　her。　　Being　at　Brussels　he　fell　in　love　with
  Madame　de　Cantecroix；　a　widow。　　He　bribed　a　courier　to　bring　him　news　of
  the　death　of　the　Duchesse　Nicole；　he　circulated　the　report　throughout　the
  town；　wore　mourning；　and　fourteen　days　afterwards；　in　April；　1637；
  married　Madame　de　Cantecroix。　　In　a　short　time　it　was　discovered　that　the
  Duchesse　Nicole　was　full　of　life　and　health；　and　had　not　even　been　ill。
  Madame　de　Cantecroix　made　believe　that　she　had　been　duped；　but　still
  lived　with　the　Duke。　　They　continued　to　repute　the　Duchesse　Nicole　as
  dead；　and　lived　together　in　the　face　of　the　world　as　though　effectually
  married；　although　there　had　never　been　any　question　either　before　or
  since　of　dissolving　the　first　marriage。　　The　Duc　Charles　had　by　this　fine
  marriage　a　daughter　and　then　a　son；　both　perfectly　illegitimate；　and
  universally　regarded　as　such。　　Of　these　the　daughter　married　Comte　de
  Lislebonne；　by　whom　she　had　four　children。　　The　son；　educated　under　his
  father's　eye　as　legitimate；　was　called　Prince　de　Vaudemont；　and　by　that
  name　has　ever　since　been　known。　　He　entered　the　service　of　Spain；
  distinguished　himself　in　the　army；　obtained　the　support　of　the　Prince　of
  Orange；　and　ultimately　rose　to　the　very　highest　influence　and　prosperity。
  People　were　astonished　this　year；　that　while　the　Princess　of　Savoy　was　at
  Fontainebleau；　just　before　her　marriage；　she　was　taken　several　times　by
  Madame　de　Maintenon　to　a　little　unknown　convent　at　Moret；　where　there　was
  nothing　to　amuse　her；　and　no　nuns　who　were　known。　　Madame　de　Maintenon
  often　went　there；　and　Monseigneur　with　his　children　sometimes；　the　late
  Queen　used　to　go　also。　　This　awakened　much　curiosity　and　gave　rise　to
  many　reports。　　It　seems　that　in　this　convent　there　was　a　woman　of　colour；
  a　Moorish　woman；　who　had　been　placed　there　very　young　by　Bontems；　valet
  of　the　King。　　She　received　the　utmost　care　and　attention；　but　never　was
  shown　to　anybody。　　When　the　late　Queen　or　Madame　de　Maintenon　went；　they
  did　not　always　see　her；　but　always　watched　over　her　welfare。　　She　was
  treated　with　more　consideration　than　people　the　most　distinguished；　and
  herself　made　much　of　the　care　that　was　taken　of　her；　and　the　mystery　by
  which　she　was　surrounded。　　Although　she　lived　regularly；　it　was　easy　to
  see　she　was　not　too　contented　with　her　position。　　Hearing　Monseigneur
  hunt　in　the　forest　one　day；　she　forgot　herself　so　far　as　to　exclaim；
  〃My　brother　is　hunting！〃　　It　was　pretended　that　she　was　a　daughter　of　the
  King　and　Queen；　but　that　she　had　been　hidden　away　on　account　of　her
  colour；　and　the　report　was　spread　that　the　Queen　had　had　a　miscarriage。
  Many　people　believed　this　story；　but　whether　it　was　true　or　not　has
  remained　an　enigma。
  The　year　1698　commenced　by　a　reconciliation　between　the　Jesuits　and　the
  Archbishop　of　Rheims。　　That　prelate　upon　the　occasion　of　an　ordinance　had
  expressed　himself　upon　matters　of　doctrine　and　morality　in　a　manner　that
  displeased　the　Jesuits。　　They　acted　towards　him　in　their　usual　manner；　by
  writing　an　attack　upon　him；　which　appeared　without　any　author's　name。
  But　the　Archbishop　complained　to　the　King；　and　altogether　stood　his
  ground　so　firmly；　that　in　the　end　the　Jesuits　were　glad　to　give　way；
  disavow　the　book；　and　arrange　the　reconciliation　which　took　place。
  The　Czar；　Peter　the　Great；　Emperor　of　Russia；　had　at　this　time　already
  commenced　his　voyages；　he　was　in　Holland；　learning　ship…building。
  Although　incognito；　he　wished　to　be　recognised；　but　after　his　own
  fashion；　and　was　annoyed　that；　being　so　near　to　England；　no　embassy　was
  sent　to　him　from　that　country；　which　he　wished　to　ally　himself　with　for
  commercial　reasons。
  At　last　an　embassy　arrived；　he　delayed　for　some　time　to　give　it　an
  audience；　but　in　the　end　fixed　the　day　and　hour　at　which　he　would　see　it。
  The　reception；　however；　was　to　take　place　on　board　a　large　Dutch　vessel
  that　he　was　going　to　examine。　　There　were　two　ambassadors；　they　thought
  the　meeting…place　rather　an　odd　one；　but　were　obliged　to　go　there。　　When
  they　arrived　on　board　the　Czar　sent　word　that　he　was　in　the　〃top；〃　and
  that　it　was　there　he　would　see　them。　　The　ambassadors；　whose　feet　were
  unaccustomed　to　rope…ladders；　tried　to　excuse　themselves　from　mounting；
  but　it　was　all　in　vain。　　The　Czar　would　receive　them　in　the　〃top〃　or　not
  at　all。　　At　last　they　were　compelled　to　ascend；　and　the　meeting　took
  place　on　that　narrow　place　high　up　in　the　air。　　The　Czar　received　them
  there　with　as　much　majesty　as　though　he　had　been　upon　his　throne；
  listened　to　their　harangue；　replied　very　graciously；　and　then　laughed　at
  the　fear　painted　upon　their　faces；　and　good…humouredly　gave　them　to
  understand　that　he　had　punished　them　thus　for　arriving　so　late。
  After　this　the　Czar　passed　into　England；　curious　to　see　and　learn　as　much
  as　possible；　and；　having　well　fulfilled　his　views；　repaired　into　Holland。
  He　wished　to　visit　France；　but　the　King　civilly　declined　to　receive　him。
  He　went；　therefore；　much　mortified；　to　Vienna　instead。　　Three　weeks　after
  his　arrival　he　was　informed　of　a　conspiracy　that　had　been　formed　against
  him　in　Moscow。　　He　hastened　there　at　once；　and　found　that　it　was　headed
  by　his　own　sister；　he　put　her　in　prison；　and　hanged　her　most　guilty
  accomplices　to　the　bars　of　his　windows；　as　many　each　day　as　the　bars
  would　hold。　　I　have　related　at　once　all　that　regards　the　Czar　for　this
  year；　in　order　not　to　leap　without　ceasing　from　one　matter　to　another；　I
  shall　do　this；　and　for　the　same　reason；　with　that　which　follows。
  The　King　of　England　was；　as　I　have　before　said；　at　the　height　of
  satisfaction　at　having　been　recognised　by　the　King　（Louis　XIV。）；　and　at
  finding　himself　secure　upon　the　throne。　　But　a　usurper　is　never　tranquil
  and　content。　　William　was　annoyed　by　the　residence　of　the　legitimate　King
  and　his　family　at　Saint　Germains。　　It　was　too　close　to　the　King　（of
  France）；　and　too　near　England　to　leave　him　without　disquietude。　　He　had
  tried　hard　at　Ryswick　to　obtain　the　dismissal　of　James　II。　　from　the
  realm；　or　at　least　from　the　Court　of　France；　but　without　effect。
  Afterwards　he　sent　the　Duke　of　St。　Albans　to　our　King　openly；　in　order　to
  compliment　him　upon　the　marriage　of　the　Duc　de　Bourgogne；　but　in　reality
  to　obtain　the　dismissal。
  The　Duke　of　St。　Albans　meeting　with　no　success；　the　Duke　of　Portland　was
  sent　to　succeed　him。　　The　Duke　of　Portland　came　over　with　a　numerous　and
  superb　suite；　he　kept　up　a　magnificent　table；　and　had　horses；　liveries；
  furniture；　and　dresses　of　the　most　tasteful　and　costly　kind。　　He　was　on
  his　way　when　a　fire　destroyed　Whitehall；　the　largest　and　ugliest　palace
  in　Europe；　and　which　has　not　since　been　rebuilt；　so　that　the　kings　are
  lodged；　and　very　badly；　at　St。　James's　Palace。
  Portland　had　his　first　audience　of　the　King　on　the　4th　of　February；　and
  remained　four　months　in　France。　　His　politeness；　his　courtly　and　gallant
  manners；　and　the　good　cheer　he　gave；　charmed　everybody；　and　made　him
  universally　popular。　　It　became　the　fashion　to　give　fetes　in　his　honour；
  and　the　astonishing　fact　is；　that　the　King；　who　at　heart　was　more
  offended　than　ever　with　William　of　Orange；　treated　this　ambassador　with
  the　most　marked　distinction。　　One　evening　he　even　gave　Portland　his
  bedroom　candlestick；　a　favour　only　accorded　to　the　most　considerable
  persons；　and　always　regarded　as　a　special　mark　of　the　King's　bounty。
  Notwithstanding　all　these　attentions；　Port