But Madame d'Aubigne, who was a Romanist, would
not allow her to remain long under the Calvinist lady's protection, and
sent her to be converted by her godmother, the Madame de Neuillant above
mentioned. This woman, who was as merciless as a woman can be, literally
broke her into Romanism, treated her like a servant, made her groom the
horses, and comb the maid's hair, and when all these efforts failed,
sent her to a convent to be finished off. The nuns did by specious
reasoning what had been begun by persecution, and young Francoise, at
the time she was introduced to Scarron, was a highly respectable member
of 'the only true church.'
Madame d'Aubigne was at this time supporting herself by needlework. Her
sad story won the sympathy of Scarron's guests, who united to relieve
her wants. _La belle Indienne_, as the cripple styled her, soon became a
favourite at his parties, and lost her shyness by degrees. Ninon de
l'Enclos, who did not want heart, took her by the hand, and a friendship
thus commenced between that inveterate Lais and the future wife of Louis
XIV. which lasted till death.
The beauty of Francoise soon brought her many admirers, among whom was
even one of Ninon's slaves; but as marriage was not the object of these
attentions, and the young girl would not relinquish her virtue, she
remained for some time unmarried but respectable.
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