|
 In 'Le Temps des Poisons', we follow the
heroine 'Charlotte de Fontenac' for a few years, who seems to have
been really struck by bad luck and who has a powerful enemy...! At
the same time, there is a recurring theme throughout the story,
starting with 'Monsieur', Louis XIV's brother, saying that Charlotte
is the spitting image of someone who once lived at the Court.
Juliette Benzoni skilfully mentions from time to time that it is the
whim of nature that people have many doppelgängers. Well, in the
case of our heroine, it is
Louise
de La Vallière! But we won't give any more away here...
This is the
reason why I took the liberty of making my creation with a portrait
of Françoise Louise de La Baume Le Blanc, Duchess of La
Vallière.
I carefully chose a painting that shows her very
young and without the courtly pomp. We see her in the
picture as the goddess Diana.
Artist : Claude Lefèbvre (1632–1675) the painting can be seen at the
Château de Versailles
~
Linda, webmaster
~
[creation © Linda Compagnoni Walther]
Painting of Louise de la Vallière,
Louis XIV's first official mistress
Extract of « Le Temps des Poisons »
On à tué la Reine !
Lydie de Theobon to Charlotte de
Fontenac
« Well, we are going to do things
Madame's way and write you hundreds
of letters. Distance is powerless
against true friendship »!
Note:
The talk is about 'Elisabeth
Charlotte,' Madame de Palatine.
Gaston of Orléons wife and Louis XIV
sister-in-law.
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Extract from « La Chambre du Roi » - translated
by Linda, webmaster
Louis XIV, ca.1679
[ Artwork : René-Antoine
Houasse ]
note: this is how Louis XIV must have looked like
when our story begins, webmaster
The King! The King! The bailiff of the
Chamber dressed in the tabard with the
French coat of arms came to rest at the
entrance of the Hall of Mirrors, on the side
of the Salon de la Paix where the violins
and the clapping of the feet of the
bodyguards can be heard. Louis XIV appears....
His pourpoint is entirely embroidered in
gold, but unlike his custom, he wears few
jewels. However, a whisper of admiration
hovers over the Court: staring at the plumet
of his hat, a splendid daffodil diamond
radiates with a thousand lights... No one
has yet known such marvel.
Aware - and probably delighted! - of the
effect produced, Louis XIV steps forward
with his majestic step, a slight smile
floating on his lips. Monsieur and his
Nobles watch him approach - especially one
of them - with a stupor that brightens his
eyes.
[ Monsieur, Philippe d'Orléans ]
Sire, my brother! exclaimed the prince
without being able to hold his curiosity any
longer. You have a very beautiful diamond
here! I didn't know you knew of it!
[ King Louis XIV
]
Neither did I, you see, that's what makes it
so charming... ah, Monsieur le chevalier de
Lorraine, I didn't see you! You seem
uncomfortable tonight? Are you suffering?
[ Le Chevalier de
Lorraine ]
The King is too good to worry about my
health but I am fine. Simply, I am in a
state of dazzlement....
[ King Louis XIV
]
This jewel? It is a beauty, isn't it?
[ Le Chevalier de
Lorraine ]
Is it a recent acquisition?
asked Monsieur after swallowing his saliva.
[ King Louis XIV
]
No, it's a gift!
[ Le Chevalier de
Lorraine / Monsieur, Philippe d'Orléans ]
A present?
they both said in chorus...
[ King Louis XIV
]
A lady's! That's why I have a very
particular faible for it!
[ Monsieur, Philippe d'Orléans ]
She must be... very rich !
hiccuped Monsieur.
[ King Louis XIV
]
Or very affectionate! I was all the happier
for it because I was unaware until recently
of the existence of this beautiful stone.
Otherwise, I probably would have tried to
get it. And honestly! I would never have had
the idea, for example, to send hatchet men
to search a house from top to bottom, as I
know some of them are capable of doing. I
would have bought it, and without skimping!
But it happens to have been given to me.
[ Le Chevalier de
Lorraine ]
Your Majesty is very fortunate,
Lorraine said,
without succeeding in completely concealing
his spite.
The King gave the gentleman a look from
which all traces of amusement had been
erased:
[ King Louis XIV
]
The luck is earned, Monsieur. Sometimes it
is enough to do good instead of the
opposite. In any case, we would not tolerate
that this generous lady should still have to
suffer from bad procedures. I hope you
understand that?
But, as with all the Guises, insolence was
never far away with Chevalier, the latter
replied:
[ Le Chevalier de
Lorraine ]
Yet again do we know the lady in question?
[ King Louis XIV
]
You do not know her?
[ Le Chevalier de
Lorraine ]
No, Sire.
[ King Louis XIV
]
Then continue! It will be better for
everyone....
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