He had been burning the illuminating oil of youth at very high pressure.

Perhaps it was exhausted.

He grew serious.

De Montespan was sent away--the orgies at Versailles ceased, the court became decorous, almost austere, and with the awakening of conscience, of course, the king became more sensitive to the heresies of the Huguenots! He was drifting toward the fatal mistake of his life.

He revoked the Edict of Nantes.