"From just before Candlemas day to Easter of the year 1700," wrote
Saint-Simon, "nothing was heard of but balls and pleasures of the
Court. The King gave at Versailles and Marly several masquerades, by
which he was much amused under pretext of amusing the Duchesse de
Bourgogne.

"No evening passed on which there was not a ball. The chancellor's
wife gave one--which was a fête the most gallant and the most
magnificent possible. There were different rooms for the fancy-dress
ball, for the masqueraders, for a superb collation, for shops of all
countries, Chinese, Japanese, etc., where many singular and beautiful
things were sold, but no money taken; there were presents for the
Duchesse de Bourgogne and the ladies. Everybody was especially
diverted at this entertainment, which did not finish until eight
o'clock in the morning. Madame de Saint-Simon and I passed the last
three weeks of this time without ever seeing the day. Certain dancers
were allowed to leave off dancing only at the same time as the Duchesse
de Bourgogne. One morning, when I wished to escape too early, the
duchesse caused me to be forbidden to pass the doors of the salon;
several of us had the same fate. I was delighted when Ash Wednesday
arrived, and I remained a day or two dead-beat."

The _Mercure_ describes the fête given by the wife of the Chancellor of
France at her mansion beyond the palace grounds:

"Mme. la Duchesse de Bourgogne, learning that Mme. la Chancelière
wished to give her a ball, received the proposition with much joy.
Although there were but eight days in which to prepare for it, Mme. la
Chancelière resolved to give the princess in one evening all the