She was nevertheless constantly in view of the Court;
she frequented the Courts of the two Queens, and of Madame: all the
people of gallantry saw her both there and at her brother-in-law the
Duke of Never's, whose house was open to the whole world; but she had
an air which inspired so great respect, and had in it something so
distant from gallantry, that the Mareschal de St. Andre, a bold man and
supported by the King's favour, became her lover without daring to let
her know it any otherwise than by his cares and assiduities. A great
many others were in the same condition: and Madam de Chartres had added
to her daughter's discretion so exact a conduct with regard to
everything of decorum, that everybody was satisfied she was not to be
come at. The Duchess of Loraine, while she was employed in negotiating the
peace, had applied herself to settle the marriage of the Duke her son:
a marriage was agreed upon between him and Madam Claude of France, the
King's second daughter; and the month of February was appointed for the
nuptials. In the meantime the Duke of Nemours continued at Brussels, his thoughts
being wholly employed on his design in England; he was continually
sending or receiving couriers from thence; his hopes increased every
day, and at last Lignerolly sent him word that it was time to finish by
his presence what was so well begun; he received this news with all the
joy a young ambitious man is capable of, who sees himself advanced to a
throne merely by the force of his personal merit; his mind insensibly
accustomed itself to the grandeur of a Royal State; and whereas he had
at first rejected this undertaking as an impracticable thing, the
difficulties of it were now worn out of his imagination, and he no
longer saw anything to obstruct his way.
He sent away in haste to Paris to give the necessary orders for
providing a magnificent equipage, that he might make his appearance in
England with a splendour suitable to the design he was to conduct; and
soon after he followed himself, to assist at the marriage of the Duke
of Loraine. He arrived the evening before the espousals, and that very evening
waited on the King to give him an account of his affair, and to receive
his orders and advice how to govern himself in it. Afterwards he waited
on the Queens; but the Princess of Cleves was not there, so that she
did not see him, nor so much as know of his arrival. She had heard
everybody speak of this celebrated Prince, as of the handsomest and
most agreeable man at Court; and the Queen-Dauphin had described him in
such a manner, and spoke of him to her so often, that she had raised in
her a curiosity and even impatience to see him.