SEVIGNE.

225

from their having fallen into the hands of the enemy,and thought it right to retire into the country. Bussy-Rabutin put himself forward at this moment to supporther: a reconciliation ensued between them, — not verycordial, but which, for some time, continued unin-terrupted.

Madame de Sevigne ’s retreat was not of long con-tinuance. It took place when Fouquet was first ar-rested, and she returned to court long before his trial.

Her daughter was presented in 1663. The followingyear was rendered remarkable by the brilliancy of the 1664 .fetes given at Versailles. * The carousals or tourn-aments were splendid, from the number of combatantsand the magnificence of the dresses and accoutrements.

The personages that composed the tournament passed inreview before the assembled court. The king repre- 1665sented Roger. All the diamonds of the crown were jEtat-lavished on his dress and the harness of his horse : his 39.page bore his shield, whose device was composed by Ben-serade, who had a happy talent for composing theseslight commemorations of the feelings and situation ofthe real person, mingled with an apt allusion to theperson represented. The queen, attended by threehundred ladies, witnessed the review from under tri-umphal arches. Amidst this crowd of ladies, lostin it to all but the heart of Louis, and shrinking fromobservation, was mademoiselle de la Valliere, the realobject of the monarch’s magnificent display. Thecavalcade was followed by an immense gilt car, repre-senting the chariot of the sun. It was surrounded bythe four Ages, the Seasons, and the Hours. Shepherdsarranged the lists, and other characters recited verseswritten for the occasion. The tournament over, thefeast succeeded, and, darkness being come, the place wasilluminated by 4000 flambeaux. Two hundred persons,dressed as fauns, sylvans, and dryads, together withshepherds, reapers, and vine-dressers, served at the

* Voltaire , Sifecle de Louis XIV. chap. xxv.

VOL. I. Q