"The entire court and everyone else suited their behavior to the to that of the monarch, watching for him to give them the lead."

_Saint-Simon

About Louis himself, Saint-Simon never quite made up his mind. He recognized the exquisite politeness of the king, yet he considered Louis a totally selfish person, who "had no interest in anyone except himself, and had no regard for anyone else's feelings except his own." For example, Mme de Maintenon, his public mistress and secret wife, "the poor woman suffered acutely from draughts, which made no difference to Louis XIV. Winter and summer he threw open the windows wide open." The king's power magnified the consequences of every flaw. Once, in a rare display of anger, he struk a footman who had stolen a biscuit. The whole court was frightened to death.