His first question was for his son, and Pauline really dared not tell him where he was, but when he asked whether he would be long absent, replied No. She felt very guilty and unhappy because she was deceiving him; but fortunately he only stayed in London a short time during which he was out day and night; and suddenly he went away on business to another part of England. Meanwhile Pauline thought she would start for France, leaving a letter to M. de Beaune to confess the whole matter.
Return to FranceThe inheritance of the Duchesse dAyenLoss of the Noailles propertyInherits the Castle of FontenayDeath of Mme. de la FayetteProsperous life at FontenayConclusion.
ONE:La citoyenne Fontenay to the citoyen Tallien, rue de la Perle, 17.The excellent M. de Puisieux died, and Flicit found her life still more taken up by his widow, with whom she now passed much of her time. Just then took place the marriage of the Duc de Berri, now Dauphin, with the Archduchess Marie Antoinette. Mme. de Puisieux would not go herself, but sent Flicit to see the fireworks in the place Louis XV.
But the changed aspect of Paris, the loss of so many she loved, and perhaps most of all the ungrateful conduct of her daughter, depressed Mme. Le Brun so that she lost her spirits, had a perpetual craving to be alone, and for this purpose took a [150] little house in the wood of Meudon, where, except for the visits of the Duchesse de Fleury and one or two other friends who lived near, she could to a certain extent indulge in her new fancy for solitude.Had not this been sufficient to put a stop to all idea of going to France, the sights which met them as the little party entered Turin would have done so.Louise, whose fate was so closely linked with her mothers, was one of those gentle, saintly characters, who scarcely seem to belong to this earth; whose thoughts, interests, and aspirations are in another world. But perhaps the most striking amongst them was Adrienne, the second girl, who besides being very handsome, was the most intellectual and talented of the sisters, and of whom the Duchess was as proud as the severity of her ideas permitted her to be.What! Shall I never see my mistress again?
