November 1632

[Le Petit Oiseau]

“Dammed ruffians knocking at all hours. [Opens Door] Begone! There are no handouts…My Lord! What you doing here? I thought that you would be at the Chateau!”

“I decided to stay in town to be closer to the Louvre for the King’s address to the Parliament of Paris.”

“The ball at the Chateau was successful?”

“It was a mixed affair and did not have the effect that I had hoped.”

“Most unfortunate, my Lord. How long will the Baron be in residence?”

“At least two weeks.”

“I shall inform the staff and have the cook lay in provisions. When can we expect your madamoiselle?”

[Diffidently] “Madamoiselle and I are no longer together.”

[Ackwardly] “Oh…my apologies my Lord.”

“At least I can be comforted in the knowledge that my horse is faster than rumor in Paris. And my calendar for the latter half of November is cleared up since I no longer need to travel to Burgundy. Perhaps I shall accept the English Ambassador’s invitation to the formal ball at the embassy. Then there also is the Debutantes Ball at Madame Duschene’s in the first week of December.”

“Monsieur le Baron shall rise above, I daresay.”

“It’s what one does.”

[Cannon fodder]

Somwere in Lorraine...

-Jaques, do you have more gunpowder?

-Barely, Michel. The wagons have not arrived. I've heard they were ambushed an supplies lost

-Sure, boys. What a coincidence they seem to know where it will be...

-What do you mean?

-That it's quite a coincidence one raiding party they send, and precisely they stumble on the supply train when it was protected the least

-Do you mean they have spies?

-Sure they have, as we do. But either they are quite well informed, or someone is pretending they were robbed. I heard the QM mistress had a very expensive new dress at the Ball...

-Do you mean he's shortcutting the supplies? Do you have any proof?

-No proof, of course, but I say should I intend to do so, what better than then make the enemy capture the empty wagons? The enemy won't denounce they were empty...

[Editor at La Voix de Paris]

After Father Gerard admonished his Majesty to donate the funds from the sale of Monsigneur de la Bassee's racehorses to the poor, he proceeds to place the winning bid on one the aforementioned horses. This leaves one to ponder the implications of such a duplicitous move. A charitable soul might say that Father Gerard intended to make a donation to the poor through the King. I, however, would rather suggest that the good Father to practice what he preaches.

[vinlander]

To the Editor of La Voix de Paris,

I read with some discomfort your brief editorial condemning Father Gerard's actions with regard to the racehorses of Monsigneur de la Bassee. Admittedly, there is a whiff of hypocrisy at first blush about his purchase of the horse in question following his admonition of the King. However, I would point out that Mademoiselle Valerie Valanon was the first to out-bid His Majesty. It may very well be the case that the good Father merely outbid her to divert His Majesty's attention, and any natural resentment, from the young lady's faux pas.

Auguste Balls,
Advocate

[lechat]

My good Auguste,

Thank you for your kind and stalwart defence, I can see why you are the upcoming attorney to watch.

I already have a sermon regarding the Press this month, really, I do think His Majesty needs to take control over them, I shall strongly advocate that any periodical articles need reviewed by him and his family.

Regards
Father Gerard

[commonwealthrouge]

Le ver a tourné.


Vive La Société Novembre!