It cannot be said that Mlle. de Montpensier is ugly; she has pretty
eyes, a delicate white skin, a well-formed nose, though rather too
slim, and a very small mouth; and yet with all that she is the most
disagreeable person I ever saw in my life; in all her actions,
speaking, eating, drinking, she is intolerable; she did not shed a
tear in leaving us; in fact, she scarcely said farewell.[14] I have
seen successively two of my relatives and now my grand-daughter become
Queens of Spain. The one I loved best was my step-daughter [wife of
Charles II.]; for her I had a most sincere affection as if she were
my sister; she could not have been my daughter because I was only
nine years older than she. I was still very childish when I came to
France, and we used to play together with Charles-Louis and the little
Prince d'Eisenach, and make such a racket you could not have heard a
thunderbolt fall.
PARIS, March, 1722.
I do not believe that in the whole world you could find a more amiable
and sweeter child than our pretty infanta.[15] She makes reflections
that are worthy of a woman of thirty; for instance: "They say that
those who die at my age are saved and go straight to paradise; I
should therefore be very glad if the good God would take me." I fear
she has too much mind, and will not live. She has the prettiest ways
in the world; she has taken a great liking to me, and runs to me in
her antechamber with her arms wide open, and kisses me with affection.
I am not on bad terms with the little king.
May, 1722.
I thank you heartily for praying for me; I have nothing now to ask for
my own happiness in this world; provided God protects my children, I
am content; but I have great need of intercession for my happiness in
the other life, and also for that of my son. May God convert him; that
is the only blessing that I ask of Him. I think there is not in all
Paris, whether among the priests or the world's people, one hundred
persons who have the true Christian faith and believe in our Saviour;
and the thought makes me shudder.
September 29, 1722.
I do what my doctor orders, so as not to be tormented, and I await
from the hand of God Almighty whatsoever he decides on my account; I
am entirely resigned to his will.
October 3, 1722.
Since I last wrote to you no change has occurred in respect to me;
matters will go as God wills. I am preparing for my journey to Reims
[to the coronation of Louis XV.]; time will show the result.
PARIS, November 5, 1722.