the Duchess of Valentinois, and the Viscount de Chartres was her
enemy, which was a sufficient reason to hinder the Duke from
consenting to the marriage of his son, with a niece of the
Viscount's.

Madam de Chartres, who had taken so much care to inspire virtue
into her daughter, did not fail to continue the same care in a
place where it was so necessary, and where there were so many
dangerous examples. Ambition and gallantry were the soul of the
Court, and employed both sexes equally; there were so many
different interests and so many cabals, and the ladies had so
great a share in them, that love was always mixed with business,
and business with love: nobody was easy, or indifferent; their
business was to raise themselves, to be agreeable, to serve or
disserve; and intrigue and pleasure took up their whole time.
The care of the ladies was to recommend themselves either to the
Queen, the Dauphin-Queen, or the Queen of Navarre, or to Madame,
or the Duchess of Valentinois. Inclination, reasons of decorum,
resemblance of temper made their applications different; those
who found the bloom worn off, and who professed an austerity of
virtue, were attached to the Queen; the younger sort, who loved
pleasure and gallantry, made their Court to the Queen-Dauphin;
the Queen of Navarre too had her favourites, she was young, and
had great power with the King her husband, who was in the
interest of the Constable, and by that means increased his
authority; Madame was still very beautiful, and drew many ladies
into her party. And as for the Duchess of Valentinois, she could
command as many as she would condescend to smile upon; but very
few women were agreeable to her, and excepting some with whom she
lived in confidence and familiarity, and whose humour was