They were still prepared to say: he is young even yet. Let him dismiss his mistress, let him spend his time governing the people, finding means to alleviate their suffering instead of frittering away time and money on building fine palaces. They were still prepared to make up their differences, to take him back after this coolness, this little quarrel between them and their beloved King. Would he but make the right gesture, would he but assure them that he was ready to be their King, they in their turn would be ready to welcome him back to their esteem, to believe in him, to accept his rule, to continue to serve the Monarchy.
It was for him to say. Two roads stretched out clearly before him. If he followed the one his people asked him to, very soon in the streets they would be shouting again: Long live Louis, Louis the well-beloved.
Louis returned to Versailles.
He was hurt by his reception. ‘Herod’, they had called him, those sullen, glowering people.
He told the Marquise of his reception.
‘I shall never again show myself to the people of Paris, never again shall I go to Paris for pleasure. I will only enter that city when state ceremonies demand it.’
‘It will soon be necessary to go through Paris on our way to Compiègne,’ she reminded him.
‘There should be a road from Versailles to Compiègne which skirts Paris.’ Louis paused. ‘There shall be such a road,’ he added.
The King and the Marquise smiled at each other. The prospect of building was always so attractive to them both.
‘A road to Compiègne,’ cried the King. ‘It shall be made immediately.’
And when the new road was made it was lightly referred to by the people of Paris as La Route de la Révolte.
Louis had chosen. Never again would the streets of Paris echo with the cry of ‘Louis the Well-Beloved’.
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