England that he would never more see any one of them.' Charles was,
therefore, provided by his English friends with 15,000l., and the
King's timid party of men with much to lose won a temporary triumph.
He sent 21,000 livres to his Avignon household, adding, 'I received
yours with a list of my bookes: I find sumne missing of them.
Particularly Fra Paulo [Sarpi] and Boccaccio, which are both rare.
If you find any let me know it.'

Charles was more of a bibliophile than might be guessed from his
orthography.

On November 22, 1749, Charles, from Luneville, wrote a long letter
to a lady, speaking of himself in the third person. All approaches
to Avignon are guarded, to prevent his return thither. 'Despite the
Guards, they assure me that he is in France, and not far from the
capital. The Lieutenant of Police has been heard to say, by a person
who informed me, that he knew for certain the Prince had come in
secret to Paris, and had been at the house of Monsieur Lally. The
King winks at all this, but it is said that M. de Puysieux and the
Mistress (Madame de Pompadour) are as ill disposed as ever. I know
from a good source that 15,000l. has been sent to the Prince from
England, on condition of his dismissing his household.' {91}

The spelling of this letter is correct, and possibly the Prince did
not write it, but copied it out. That Louis XV. winked at his
movements is probable enough; secretive as he was, the King may have
known what he concealed even from his Minister, de Puysieux.

On December 19, the Prince, who cannot have been far from Paris,
sent Goring thither 'to get my big Muff and portfeul.' I do not know