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bring me back againand that you would not wish for me。 You will not
see me here again till my royal lover has deserted me； and I warn you
that if I catch him； death alone shall tear him from me。 I fear no
Montespan。〃
She smiled and said：
〃Go； madcap； and take your idle fancies with you。 There is certainly
more of the bold Montespan in you than of the gentle la Valliere。〃
I threw my arms round her。 The poor lady could not refrain from
escorting me to the carriage。 There her tender gaze was divided
between me and the armorial bearings。
At Beaugency night overtook me； still sunk in a stupor of the mind
produced by these strange parting words。 What can be awaiting me in
this world for which I have so hungered？
To begin with； I found no one to receive me； my heart had been
schooled in vain。 My mother was at the Bois de Boulogne； my father at
the Council； my brother； the Duc de Rhetore； never comes in； I am
told； till it is time to dress for dinner。 Miss Griffith （she is not
unlike a griffin） and Philippe took me to my rooms。
The suite is the one which belonged to my beloved grandmother； the
Princess de Vauremont； to whom I owe some sort of a fortune which no
one has ever told me about。 As you read this； you will understand the
sadness which came over me as I entered a place sacred to so many
memories； and found the rooms just as she had left them！ I was to
sleep in the bed where she died。
Sitting down on the edge of the sofa； I burst into tears； forgetting I
was not alone； and remembering only how often I had stood there by her
knees； the better to hear her words。 There I had gazed upon her face；
buried in its brown laces； and worn as much by age as by the pangs of
approaching death。 The room seemed to me still warm with the heat
which she kept up there。 How comes it that Armande…Louise…Marie de
Chaulieu must be like some peasant girl； who sleeps in her mother's
bed the very morrow of her death？ For to me it was as though the
Princess； who died in 1817； had passed away but yesterday。
I saw many things in the room which ought to have been removed。 Their
presence showed the carelessness with which people； busy with the
affairs of state； may treat their own； and also the little thought
which had been given since her death to this grand old lady； who will
always remain one of the striking figures of the eighteenth century。
Philippe seemed to divine something of the cause of my tears。 He told
me that the furniture of the Princess had been left to me in her will
and that my father had allowed all the larger suites to remain
dismantled； as the Revolution had left them。 On hearing this I rose；
and Philippe opened the door of the small drawing…room which leads
into the reception…rooms。
In these I found all the well…remembered wreckage； the panels above
the doors； which had contained valuable pictures； bare of all but
empty frames； broken marbles； mirrors carried off。 In old days I was
afraid to go up the state staircase and cross these vast； deserted
rooms； so I used to get to the Princess' rooms by a small staircase
which runs under the arch of the larger one and leads to the secret
door of her dressing…room。
My suite； consisting of a drawing…room； bedroom； and the pretty
morning…room in scarlet and gold； of which I have told you； lies in
the wing on the side of the Invalides。 The house is only separated
from the boulevard by a wall； covered with creepers； and by a splendid
avenue of trees； which mingle their foliage with that of the young
elms on the sidewalk of the boulevard。 But for the blue…and…gold dome
of the Invalides and its gray stone mass； you might be in a wood。
The style of decoration in these rooms； together with their situation；
indicates that they were the old show suite of the duchesses； while
the dukes must have had theirs in the wing opposite。 The two suites
are decorously separated by the two main blocks； as well as by the
central one； which contained those vast； gloomy； resounding halls
shown me by Philippe； all despoiled of their splendor； as in the days
of my childhood。
Philippe grew quite confidential when he saw the surprise depicted on
my countenance。 For you must know that in this home of diplomacy the
very servants have a reserved and mysterious air。 He went on to tell
me that it was expected a law would soon be passed restoring to the
fugitives of the Revolution the value of their property； and that my
father is waiting to do up his house till this restitution is made；
the king's architect having estimated the damage at three hundred
thousand livres。
This piece of news flung me back despairing on my drawing…room sofa。
Could it be that my father； instead of spending this money in
arranging a marriage for me； would have left me to die in the convent？
This was the first thought to greet me on the threshold of my home。
Ah！ Renee； what would I have given then to rest my head upon your
shoulder； or to transport myself to the days when my grandmother made
the life of these rooms？ You two in all the world have been alone in
loving meyou away at Maucombe； and she who survives only in my
heart； the dear old lady； whose still youthful eyes used to open from
sleep at my call。 How well we understood each other！
These memories suddenly changed my mood。 What at first had seemed
profanation； now breathed of holy association。 It was sweet to inhale
the faint odor of the powder she loved still lingering in the room；
sweet to sleep beneath the shelter of those yellow damask curtains
with their white pattern； which must have retained something of the
spirit emanating from her eyes and breath。 I told Philippe to rub up
the old furniture and make the rooms look as if they were lived in； I
explained to him myself how I wanted everything arranged； and where to
put each piece of furniture。 In this way I entered into possession；
and showed how an air of youth might be given to the dear old things。
The bedroom is white in color； a little dulled with time； just as the
gilding of the fanciful arabesques shows here and there a patch of
red； but this effect harmonizes well with the faded colors of the
Savonnerie tapestry； which was presented to my grandmother by Louis
XV。 along with his portrait。 The timepiece was a gift from the
Marechal de Saxe； and the china ornaments on the mantelpiece came from
the Marechal de Richelieu。 My grandmother's portrait； painted at the
age of twenty…five； hangs in an oval frame opposite that of the King。
The Prince； her husband； is conspicuous by his absence。 I like this
frank negligence； untinged by hypocrisya characteristic touch which
sums up her charming personality。 Once when my grandmother was
seriously ill； her confessor was urgent that the Prince； who was
waiting in the drawing…room； should be admitted。
〃He can come in with the doctor and his drugs；〃 was the reply。
The bed has a canopy and well…stuffed back； and the curtains are
looped up with fine wide bands。 The furniture is of gilded wood；
upholstered in the same yellow damask with white flowers which drapes
the windows； and which is lined there with a white silk that looks as
though it were watered。 The panel