I was stupid enough to make this extract with the greatest care and pains, and to send it her as the finest thing in the world; it is true, I at the same time informed her the original was burned, which was really the case, that the extract was for her alone, and would never be seen, except by herself, unless she chose to show it;which, far from proving to her my prudence and discretion, as it was my intention to do, clearly intimated what I thought of the application by which she might be offended.My stupidity was such, that I had no doubt of her being delighted with what I had done.She did not make me the compliment upon it which I expected, and, to my great surprise, never once mentioned the paper I had sent her.I was so satisfied with myself, that it was not until a long time afterwards, I judged, from other indications, of the effect it had produced.
I had still, in favor of her manuscript, another idea more reasonable, but which, by more distant effects, has not been much less prejudicial to me; so much does everything concur with the work of destiny, when that hurries on a man to misfortune.I thought of ornamenting the manuscript with the engravings of the New Eloisa, which were of the same size.I asked Coindet for these engravings, which belonged to me by every kind of title, and the more so as Ihad given him the produce of the plates, which had a considerable sale.Coindet is as cunning as I am the contrary.By frequently asking him for the engravings he came to the knowledge of the use Iintended to make of them.He then, under pretense of adding some new ornament, still kept them from me, and at length presented them himself.
Ego versiculos feci: tulit alter honores.
This gave him an introduction upon a certain footing to the Hotel de Luxembourg.After my establishment at the little castle he came rather frequently to see me, and always in the morning, especially when M.
and Madam de Luxembourg were at Montmorency.Therefore that I might pass the day with him, I did not go to the castle.Reproaches were made me on account of my absence; I told the reason of them.I was desired to bring with me M.Coindet; I did so.This was what he had sought after.Therefore, thanks to the excessive goodness M.and Madam de Luxembourg had for me, a clerk to M.Trelusson, who was sometimes pleased to give him his table when he had nobody else to dine with him, was suddenly placed at that of a marechal of France, with princes, duchesses, and persons of the highest rank at court.Ishall never forget, that one day being obliged to return early to Paris, the marechal said, after dinner, to the company, "Let us take a walk upon the road to St.Denis, and we will accompany M.Coindet."This was too much for the poor man; his head was quite turned.For my part my heart was so affected that I could not say a word.Ifollowed the company, weeping like a child, and having the strongest desire to kiss the foot of the good marechal but the continuation of the history of the manuscript has made me anticipate.I will go a little back, and, as far as my memory will permit, mark each event in its proper order.
As soon as the little house of Mont-Louis was ready, I had it neatly furnished and again established myself there.I could not break through the resolution I had made on quitting the Hermitage of always having my apartment to myself; but I found a difficulty in resolving to quit the little castle.I kept the key of it, and being delighted with the charming breakfasts of the peristyle, frequently went to the castle to sleep, and stayed three or four days as at a country-house, I was at that time perhaps better and more agreeably lodged than any private individual in Europe.My host, M.Mathas, one of the best men in the world, had left me the absolute direction of the repairs at Mont-Louis, and insisted upon my disposing of his workmen without his interference.I found the means of making a single chamber upon the first story, into a complete set of apartments, consisting of a chamber, ante-chamber, and a water-closet.Upon the ground-floor was the kitchen and the chamber of Theresa.The alcove served me for a closet by means of a glazed partition and a chimney I had made there.After my return to this habitation, I amused myself in decorating the terrace, which was already shaded by two rows of linden trees; I added two others to make a cabinet of verdure, and placed in it a table and stone benches; I surrounded it with lilacs, seringa and honeysuckle, and had a beautiful border of flowers parallel with the two rows of trees.This terrace, more elevated than that of the castle, from which the view was at least as fine, and where I had tamed a great number of birds, was my drawing-room, in which I received M.and Madam de Luxembourg, the Duke of Villeroy, the Prince of Tingry, the Marquis of Armentieres, the Duchess of Montmorency, the Duchess of Boufflers, the Countess of Valentinois, the Countess of Boufflers, and other persons of the first rank; who, from the castle, disdained not to make, over a very fatiguing mountain, the pilgrimage of Mont-Louis.I owed all these visits to the favor of M.and Madam de Luxembourg; this I felt, and my heart on that account did them all due homage.It was with the same sentiment that Ionce said to M.de Luxembourg, embracing him: "Ah! Monsieur le Marechal, I hated the great before I knew you, and I have hated them still more since you have shown me with what ease they might acquire universal respect." Further than this, I defy any person with whom Iwas then acquainted, to say I was ever dazzled for an instant with splendor, or that the vapor of the incense I received ever affected my head; that I was less uniform in my manner, less plain in my dress, less easy of access to people of the lowest rank, less familiar with neighbors, or less ready to render service to every person when Ihad it in my power so to do, without ever once being discouraged by the numerous and frequently unreasonable importunities with which Iwas incessantly assailed.
