Cécile: Gates of Gold

Beyond Gilded Gates

After the funeral procession, time goes on. The days pass by. As the days pass, Cécile becomes even more relieved that she, Madame de Ventadour, the nursemaids, and Philippe never got sick from the disease. Every day, Philippe comes to announce that Madame de Ventadour requests Cécile and Stabdille’s presence. Soon, he begins to figure out that his brother and parents are gone. He’s not yet old enough to understand where they are, and that they aren’t coming back, but he knows enough to know that one day, he’ll be reunited with them in Heaven.

Nearly a month passes until she hears a scratch at the door. It’s early morning, and the scratch is unfamiliar. Cécile scrambles down from her bed and peers out to see two of the King’s guards standing by the door. “By orders of King Louis XIV, Cécile Revel is summoned to accompany us.” Madame comes to Cécile’s defense, and orders them to at least allow Cécile to get dressed.

Cécile scrambles back inside to pull on her green dress, and picks up Stabdille to give him one last hug. Madame leaves and promises to learn where Cécile is going so that she can write to her. This may be the last time Cécile would ever see Madame, and she is immensely grateful for Madame’s care over the past several months.

With her head held high, Cécile allows herself to be escorted from the palace. The courtyard is empty at this time of the morning, and the April air is chilly. If she’s thrown out on the streets, she knows she’ll quickly have to find a job somewhere so she can earn money for food and shelter, otherwise she’ll perish.

They lead her to a line of carriages, and knock on the door of the only one with a driver. She hears a woman’s voice from inside. Cécile is directed inside. When her eyes adjust to the dim lighting, she’s surprised to see Madame de Maintenon, wearing her typical black.

Madame de Maintenon explains that the King could not let her defiant behavior go unpunished. Madame de Ventadour and the nursemaids would also be punished, but Anjou needs his governess and nursemaids. However, given that Cécile was already a suspect, and her position at court is menial, she is expendable. Therefore, she’s being punished with banishment from the palace. Cécile is ordered to never return through the gates of Versailles.

Cécile hangs on Madame de Maintenon’s every word, waiting for her to continue. Madame de Maintenon explains how she was once poor, destitute, and orphaned, just like Cécile. She was sent to live with noble relations, and was given clogs for her feet and the task of caring for turkeys. She was ashamed. She managed to marry a wealthy poet who was twenty-six years her senior. She became educated, and when her husband died, she was given the chance to care for a few of the King’s illegitimate children. Eventually, she became closer and closer to the King.

Madame de Maintenon affirms she still believes in the doctors, but yet, Anjou is still alive. And for that, she is grateful to Cécile. And because Madame came to her and pleaded Cécile’s case, Madame de Maintenon would like to offer a new opportunity to Cécile.

Cécile knows begging to Madame de Maintenon would’ve been the last thing Madame would’ve wanted to do. It means so much to Cécile that Madame would stoop so low.

Madame de Maintenon continues, saying that St. Cyr is the first school for girls in all of France. Typically, a girl must have at least four counts of nobility on her father’s side to achieve admittance. This school provides girls more options besides ill-suited marriages and entering the convent. The girls are treated well, and learning is encouraged through kindness, not harsh beatings.

Cécile knows that life at court seemed like a dream, but that was not reality. Most likely, a school would not be perfect either. But it was not a path that was dead-ended. Instead, it branched off into the future in many possible directions. Cécile knows that accepting Madame de Maintenon’s offer is the best choice she has.

And with her acceptance, Madame de Maintenon taps on the coach’s roof, and the carriage creaks forward. As they pass by the gates, Cécile glances out the window one last time at the entrance of the grand palace. She vows to write back to Madame and Philippe and Anjou. Perhaps, she’ll even begin a correspondence with Madame de Maintenon in the future. Cécile doesn’t know whether she feels happy or sad, for there are too many emotions rolling around inside her. But what she does know is that her life is like a tiny boat swept along by a swift current, hopefully taking her to safe harbor.