Louis the Well Beloved (French Revolution, Book 1)
Jean Plaidy
Language: English
Pages: 212
ISBN: 0099493365
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Louis the Well Beloved (French Revolution #1)
by Jean Plaidy
First volume in the French Revolution series; the people wanted to see their Louis as king in his own right, bringing back glory to France and prosperity to their hearths, but Louis cared only for the thrills of hunting and gambling, the excitements of war, until even these paled before the sensual delights offered by a succession of mistresses from beautiful waiting women to the celebrated Marquise de Pompadour: the early years of Louis XV and the women who ruled him.(less)
Published (first published 1959)
original title
Louis the Well Beloved
ISBN
0330029223 (ISBN13: 9780330029223)
edition language
English
Anna waited for his favour. It would come to her, she was assured, because she was going to be Queen of France and Louis’ wife. All husbands loved their wives, so Louis must love her one day. In the meantime she was happy to bask in the caresses of the Court which could not do anything else but pet such a charming little creature – especially as she was destined for the throne. She and Louis were together at the revelries which were given in honour of the Spanish ambassador, and one day there
‘It has made the chase longer and more exciting and – happily, owing to the disaffection of my wicked nephew – not too fatiguing. It is well to remember that that is how the chase should be. It must be exciting and of sufficient duration. But never, never must the hunter become too tired to continue. You have two examples before you. Madame de Mailly was very foolish – there was no chase at all. Why hunt the tame hart? Madame de Vintimille . . . Oh, she died so soon. Who knows . . . His Majesty
and the people of Paris, who wanted to form processions that they might proclaim their delight in the death of this woman whom they hated, refrained from doing so. ‘She was arrogant and had an evil influence over the King,’ they said, ‘but for all that he loved her. To demonstrate against her cannot hurt her much now, but it would bring great pain to him.’ Hurt Louis! How could they? Was he not their adored young King, Louis le Bien-Aimé? Chapter IX MADEMOISELLE POISSON There was one
well. Louis was not yet awakened to sexual maturity, which seemed strange in a man of his nature. He was deeply sensual but there had been ingrained in his character a sentimentality which was incompatible with that deep physical need. It may have been due to his upbringing. He had been kept innocent under the alert eyes of Villeroi and Fleury, and he was taking a long time to throw off their influence. In the midst of his highly immoral Court he had remained a faithful husband, and only the
lack of response from the Queen had sent him to Madame de Mailly. To Madame de Mailly he had for long remained faithful, as he had to her sisters whom he had mourned sincerely and deeply for some time after their deaths, when he had abstained from love-making altogether. And now with the Pompadour he was the faithful lover. There had been temptations of course. It was remembered that at a recent ball he had shown some attention to a beautiful young woman. But the Pompadour’s spies had quickly