Volume VI Part 9 (1/2)
I took the chevalier to lad to see -room, and explained with a cheerful face the purport of his visit
My brother laughed and said,--
”But, M Buhot, this news is like March in Lent, it was quite unnecessary;in the course of a week”
”All the better If the minister had been aware of that he would not have troubled himself about it”
”Is the reason known?”
”I have heard so, is too exalted a person to be spoken to in such a manner”
”Why, chevalier,” said I, ”the phrase is a mere for rascal had come out he would have met me, and his sword should have been sufficient to ward off any kicks”
I then told the whole story, and Buhot agreed that I was in the right throughout; adding that the police were also in the right to prevent any encounter between us He advisedand tell the tale to M de Sartine, who knew lad to have the account fro, as I knew the famous superintendent of police to be a dreadful sermoniser
The lettre de cachet was dated November 6th, and I did not leave Paris till the 20th
I inforreat honour his majesty had doneto the king on et the order revoked The Duc de Choiseul gavepassport dated November 19th, which I still preserve
I left Paris without any servant, still grieving, though quietly, over Charlotte's fate I had a hundred Louis in cash, and a bill of exchange on Bordeaux for eight thousand francs I enjoyed perfect health, and almost felt as if I had been rejuvenated I had need of the utmost prudence and discretion for the future The deaths of M de Bragadin and Madame d'Urfe had left me alone in the world, and I was slowly but steadily approaching what is called a certain age, oin to look on a man with coldness
I only called on Madame Valville on the eve of my departure: and found her in a richly-furnished house, and her casket well filled with diamonds When I proposed to return her the fifty louis, she askedthat I had only five hundred she refused the money absolutely and offered me her purse, which I in my turn refused I have not seen the excellent creature since then, but before I left I gave her soains for the tie, when her charms would be no more I hope she has profited by my counsel I bade farewell to , and got into ht so as to dine next day at Orleans, where I wanted to see an old friend In half an hour I was at Bourg-la-Reine, and there I began to fall asleep At seven in theI reached Orleans
Fair and beloved France, that went so well in those days, despite lettres de cachet, despite corvees, despite the people's ood pleasure,” dear France, where art thou now? Thy sovereign is the people now, the n in the world You have no longer to bear the ”good pleasure” of the sovereign, but you have to endure the whims of the ood Government A republic presupposes self-denial and a virtuous people; it cannot endure long in our selfish and luxurious days
I went to see Bodin, a dancer, who had married Madame Joffroy, one of o, and had seen later at Turin, Paris, and Vienna These s with old friends and sweethearts were always a weak or rather a strong point with ain, and I fed once o Repentance was no part of ly than old-looking, and had beco to God the devil's leavings), Bodin, I say, lived on a sricultural misfortunes heDeity
I had a fasting dinner with them, for it was Friday, and they strictly observed all the rules of the Church I told them of my adventures of the past years, and when I had finished they proceeded to s of uide They told me what I knew already: that I had an ihteously, and that it was high time for me to take example by them, and to renounce all the pomps and vanities of the world
”And turn Capuchin, I suppose?”
”You ood; but I shall wait till ht”
In spite of their silliness, I was not sorry to have spent six hours with these good creatures who seemed sincerely repentant and happy in their way, and after an affectionate eht I stopped at Chanteloup to see the nificence of the Duc de Choiseul, and spent twenty-four hours there A gentlemanly and polished individual, who did not know ed ave me supper, and would only sit down to table with me after I had used all my powers of persuasion The next day he treated ave , and behaved as if I were soh he did not even askthat none of his servants were at hand when I got intomoney to any of them
The castle on which the Duc de Choiseul had spent such i, but he did not trouble hiree, as he was a sworn foe to the principle of meum and tuum He never paid his creditors, and never disturbed his debtors He was a generous man; a lover of art and artists, to whom he liked to be of service, and what they did for hi He was intellectual, but a hater of all detail andof a naturally indolent and procrastinating disposition His favourite saying was,
”There's tiot to Poitiers, I wanted to push on to Vivonne; it was seven o'clock in the evening, and two girls endeavoured to dissuade me from this course
”It's very cold,” said they, ”and the road is none of the best You are no courier, sup here, ill give you a good bed, and you shall start again in the o on, but if you will keep me company at supper I will stay”
”That would cost you too dearly”
”Never too dear Quick I make up your minds”