CHAPTER IV.

Third Hypothesis--Reconciliation of Louis XIII. and Anne of Austria--The Queen _enceinte_ for the Fourth Time--Suspicions with which Royal Births have sometimes been received--Precautions adopted in France for the Purpose of avoiding these Suspicions--Story of Louis XIV.’s Birth--Impossibility of admitting the Birth of a Twin-brother--Richelieu’s Absence--Uselessness of abducting and concealing this pretended Twin-brother 50