Friday 28 March 2014

Not with a fizzle, but with a bang ...

The Princesse d'Harcourt was widely known at court to be somewhat of a harpy in the words of Saint-Simon. Her fiery temper and greed for money combined with a less fortunate appearance at a court that worshipped beauty meant that her circle of friends was limited. The Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne loved teasing the hot-headed Princesse and would often play pranks on her knowing how easy she was to agitate. For some reason their pranks concerning this Princesse often involved firecrackers...

One of these pranks happened while a smaller group of courtiers were staying at the Château de Marly. The Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne had placed fire-crackers all along a foot path where they knew the Princesse d'Harcourt would pass - as it would happen the Princesse was "horribly afraid of everything" again according Saint-Simon. Having bribed the footmen who carried the Princesse in her sedan chair they waited until she was in the middle of the path before the firecrackers were ignited. Screaming the Princesse immediately went into a panic and her two carriers set her down and ran off. The Princesse was furious and continued squealing while she struggled to get out of her chair. By now the noise - and the rumour of the appending scheme - had attracted the courtiers who now hasted to her aid thought mostly for their own amusement. Screaming abuses to all around her especially the Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne the Princesse eventually took her leave.

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