登陆注册
25527900000275

第275章

That girl had wit, education and talent-everything, in fact, that is needful to succeed in the profession she had adopted. During the supper Patu told me in Italian that he was on the point of taking her at the very moment I chose her, and the next morning he informed me that he had slept quietly all night. The Saint Hilaire was highly pleased with me, and she boasted of it before her companions. She was the cause of my paying several visits to the Hotel du Roule, and all for her; she was very proud of my constancy.

Those visits very naturally cooled my ardour for Coraline. A singer from Venice, called Guadani, handsome, a thorough musician, and very witty, contrived to captivate her affections three weeks after my quarrel with her. The handsome fellow, who was a man only in appearance, inflamed her with curiosity if not with love, and caused a rupture with the prince, who caught her in the very act. But Coraline managed to coax him back, and, a short time after, a reconciliation took place between them, and such a good one, that a babe was the consequence of it; a girl, whom the prince named Adelaide, and to whom he gave a dowry. After the death of his father, the Duke of Valentinois, the prince left her altogether and married Mlle. de Brignole, from Genoa. Coraline became the mistress of Count de la Marche, now Prince de Conti. Coraline is now dead, as well as a son whom she had by the count, and whom his father named Count de Monreal.

Madame la Dauphine was delivered of a princess, who received the title of Madame de France.

In the month of August the Royal Academy had an exhibition at the Louvre, and as there was not a single battle piece I conceived the idea of summoning my brother to Paris. He was then in Venice, and he had great talent in that particular style. Passorelli, the only painter of battles known in France, was dead, and I thought that Francois might succeed and make a fortune. I therefore wrote to M.

Grimani and to my brother; I persuaded them both, but Francois did not come to Paris till the beginning of the following year.

Louis XV., who was passionately fond of hunting, was in the habit of spending six weeks every year at the Chateau of Fontainebleau. He always returned to Versailles towards the middle of November. That trip cost him, or rather cost France, five millions of francs. He always took with him all that could contribute to the amusement of the foreign ambassadors and of his numerous court. He was followed by the French and the Italian comedians, and by the actors and actresses of the opera.

During those six weeks Fontainebleau was more brilliant than Versailles; nevertheless, the artists attached to the theatres were so numerous that the Opera, the French and Italian Comedies, remained open in Paris.

Baletti's father, who had recovered his health, was to go to Fontainebleau with Silvia and all his family. They invited me to accompany them, and to accept a lodging in a house hired by them.

It was a splendid opportunity; they were my friends, and I accepted, for I could not have met with a better occasion to see the court and all the foreign ministers. I presented myself to M. de Morosini, now Procurator at St. Mark's, and then ambassador from the Republic to the French court.

The first night of the opera he gave me permission to accompany him;

the music was by Lulli. I had a seat in the pit precisely under the private box of Madame de Pompadour, whom I did not know. During the first scene the celebrated Le Maur gave a scream so shrill and so unexpected that I thought she had gone mad. I burst into a genuine laugh, not supposing that any one could possibly find fault with it.

But a knight of the Order of the Holy Ghost, who was near the Marquise de Pompadour, dryly asked me what country I came from. I

answered, in the same tone, "From Venice."

"I have been there, and have laughed heartily at the recitative in your operas."

"I believe you, sir, and I feel certain that no one ever thought of objecting to your laughing."

My answer, rather a sharp one, made Madame de Pompadour laugh, and she asked me whether I truly came from down there.

"What do you mean by down there?"

"I mean Venice."

"Venice, madam, is not down there, but up there."

That answer was found more singular than the first, and everybody in the box held a consultation in order to ascertain whether Venice was down or up. Most likely they thought I was right, for I was left alone. Nevertheless, I listened to the opera without laughing; but as I had a very bad cold I blew my nose often. The same gentleman addressing himself again to me, remarked that very likely the windows of my room did not close well. That gentleman, who was unknown to me was the Marechal de Richelieu. I told him he was mistaken, for my windows were well 'calfoutrees'. Everyone in the box burst into a loud laugh, and I felt mortified, for I knew my mistake; I ought to have said 'calfeutrees'. But these 'eus' and 'ous' cause dire misery to all foreigners.

Half an hour afterwards M. de Richelieu asked me which of the two actresses pleased me most by her beauty.

"That one, sir."

"But she has ugly legs."

"They are not seen, sir; besides, whenever I examine the beauty of a woman, 'la premiere chose que j'ecarte, ce sont les jambes'."

That word said quite by chance, and the double meaning of which I did not understand, made at once an important personage of me, and everybody in the box of Madame de Pompadour was curious to know me.

The marshal learned who I was from M. de Morosini, who told me that the duke would be happy to receive me. My 'jeu de mots' became celebrated, and the marshal honoured me with a very gracious welcome.

Among the foreign ministers, the one to whom I attached myself most was Lord Keith, Marshal of Scotland and ambassador of the King of Prussia. I shall have occasion to speak of him.

同类推荐
  • 黄庭内景经

    黄庭内景经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 皇朝经世文编_1

    皇朝经世文编_1

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 两垣奏议

    两垣奏议

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 张文襄公选集

    张文襄公选集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 诗概

    诗概

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 神魔殊途

    神魔殊途

    自绝望中堕落,还是自希望中崛起!绝望与希望只在无声的交错之间,这是个一念成神,一念成魔的故事。
  • 赠言寄语

    赠言寄语

    《赠言寄语》讲述了:读书可以陶冶性情,可以博采知识,可以增长才干,使人开茅塞、除鄙见、得新知、养性灵。书中有着广阔的世界,书中有着永世不朽的精神,虽然沧海桑田,物换星移,但书籍永远是新的。阅读撼人心弦的高贵作品,就如同亲炙伟大性灵的教化,吸收超越生老病死的智慧,把目光投向更广阔的时空,让心灵沟通过去和未来、已知和未知。
  • 三皇五帝的传说

    三皇五帝的传说

    “中国文化知识读本”丛书是由吉林文史出版社和吉林出版集团有限责任公司组织国内知名专家学者编写的一套旨在传播中华五千年优秀传统文化,提高全民文化修养的大型知识读本。
  • 明宫玉阙

    明宫玉阙

    本是出身有名的大家闺秀,该得一世富贵,怎奈家遭小人记恨,一夜化成灰。本有一份金玉良缘,羡煞世人,谁知最终君心负妾心。难得心有所动,觅得另一人,但他却是伫立于明宫之巅之人,身属万人,并非一人。一直漂泊居无定所,如浮萍草芥般生活,还好,这些都只是一场梦,一梦醒来,一切都能重新来过。曾经的纠缠和错误,这一次,绝对不能再重新上演。
  • 天才教授倾城妃

    天才教授倾城妃

    她,对于感情天生的迟钝,一直想逃离的地方竟是她心之所属之地,原来爱早已深种。他,只要她一人做他的皇后,一生一世一双人。后宫佳丽散尽,独宠她一人,天下不要也罢!为她,无悔!片段抢先看:“皇上,不好了,皇后娘娘不见了!”禀报的侍卫话音还没落,主坐上的皇上早已不见了踪影。。。。。。。第二天“皇上,不好了,皇后娘娘又不见了!”书桌前的皇上再一次夺门而出。。。。。。。第三天“不好了,不好了。皇上和皇后一起不见了!”坐在屋顶上的某女掏掏耳:“下次得给他们上上课,老是这么一惊一乍的,心理素质不过硬怎么行!”某男轻笑:“嗯,好。”。。。。。。
  • 20几岁要懂得的处世心理学

    20几岁要懂得的处世心理学

    心理学对于现代人来说,神秘又想了解,太专业的书籍读者没精力去看,太浅显的读者不感兴趣。这本书从实用的角度,将初涉世的年轻人需要掌握的心理学知识从九个方面,如人格发展、情绪认识调适、实用心理(社交、沟通等)来展开内容,从心理学的角度,告诉年轻人应该如何认识挖掘调适自己、如何处理好人际关系、如何战胜困难、如何获得成就、如何摆脱心理困惑等等。
  • 旅行吧!五色的魔法少女

    旅行吧!五色的魔法少女

    我跟你讲,我一拳砸下去你可能会死。【想开课!厚裤头压哭妹子拳!(刹活孔!北斗百裂拳!)】,你已经死了。我是你爹。(Youaredead,源自生化危机7游戏实况的梗。)
  • 爱我地久天长

    爱我地久天长

    某一天,她出去买菜,他在收拾房子。他无意中碰落了一本泰戈尔的诗集,飘出那张他们第一次的合影。那上面他的样子有点呆,而她笑得很淡。当他把照片夹回去的时候,却发现背面有她写的一行娟秀的小字,呆子,我选择的是你啊。他开始对着照片傻笑,屋外阳光正好。
  • 双和欢

    双和欢

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 巅峰女boss:异界狼女王妃

    巅峰女boss:异界狼女王妃

    被师姐“千面狐”截杀,“狼牙月”引爆炸弹重生异界。熟悉这个时代,打人、骂人、抓人,凶狠无比,恶名在外,被唤作狼女。狼女护短,不分是非,不问对错,不辨善恶,不管理由!只此一句:我要守护的,不准任何人觊觎!狼女爱人,跟着跑,追着跑,不管三七二十一直接扑到!只此一句:自尊多少钱一斤?幸福要自己争取!女强,男强,强强对抗!男胜,女败,自此相依!战场之上,墨发飞扬,世家小姐也能创造一世荣华!