Civil war was now also desolating unhappy France. The Protestants, bereft of their children, robbed of their property, driven from their homes, dragged to the galleys, plunged into dungeons, broken upon the wheel, hanged upon scaffolds, rose in several places in the most desperate insurrectionary bands. And the man who was thus crushing beneath the heel of his armies the quivering hearts of the Palatinate, and who was drenching his own realms with tears and blood, was clothed in purple, and faring sumptuously, and reclining upon the silken sofas of Marly and Versailles. It is not strange that Faith, with uplifted hands and gushing eyes, should have exclaimed, "O Lord, how long!"
The singular complication of the royal family, with the various mothers and the various children, some of which children were recognized by royal decree as princes, and some of whom were not, filled the palaces with bickerings, envyings, and discontent in every form. The unhappy dauphiness, who had long been immersed in the profoundest gloom, at last found a welcome retreat in the grave. Neither her husband nor the king shed a single tear over her remains, which were hurried to the vaults of St. Denis.
Exhaustion of the treasury.--The royal plate sacrificed.--Assumptions of Louvois.--Disgrace, sickness, and death of Louvois.--Louis suspicious of Madame de Maintenon.--Letters.--Court life.--The dauphin.--His sons.--Graces of the Duchess of Burgoyne.--Misery of the people.--Extravagance of the court.--Brilliant assembly.--Death of Charles II.--The Duke of Anjou proclaimed King of Spain.--Anecdote of the princes.--Preparations for the coronation.--Exultation of Louis XIV.--Final meeting of the royal family.--Last interview between Madame de Montespan and the king.--Penance of Madame de Montespan.--Her death.--Heartless conduct of the king.--His health failing.--Quarrel with Philip.--He is stricken with apoplexy.--Death of the king's brother.--The king dispels his gloom.--The Princess des Ursins.--Civil war.--Insurrection of the Protestants.--Enthusiasm of the Camisards.--Cruelty of the persecutors.--Distress in France.--The dauphin taken sick.--Death and burial of the dauphin.
The treasury of the king was empty. Extravagant building, a voluptuous court, and all the enormous expenses of civil and foreign wars, had quite exhausted the finances of the realm. It became necessary to call upon the cities for contributions. New offices were invented, which were imposed upon the wealthy citizens, and for which they were compelled to pay large sums. Even the massive silver plate and furniture, which had attracted the admiration of all visitors to Versailles, were sent to the Mint and coined. Most of the value of these articles of ornament consisted of the skill with which the materials had been wrought into forms of beauty. In melting them down, all this was sacrificed, and nothing remained but the mere value of the metal. Large as were the sums attained by these means, they were but trifling compared with the necessities of the state.