[88028] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Swiss Researcher Claims He Has Found The Answer
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Love Your Body Again)
Sat Sep 3 15:30:28 2016
Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2016 15:17:31 -0400
From: "Love Your Body Again" <love.your.body.again@lubrian.com>
To: <mit-talk-mtg@charon.mit.edu>
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<p>Swiss Researcher Claims He Has Found The Answer<br /> I had decided t=
o start at day-break in my new carriage, but the fates had ordained it othe=
rwise. The English general wrote me a note asking me to sup with him, telli=
ng me that some Italians would be present, and this decided me to stay on, =
but I had to promise the doctor to observe strict temperance. My surprise m=
ay be imagined when I saw the Redegonde and her abominable mother. The moth=
er did not recognize me at first, but Redegonde knew me directly, and said,=
-- " Good Heavens! how thin you have become!" I complimented her =
on her beauty, and indeed she had improved wonderfully. " I have just =
recovered from a dangerous illness," said I, " and I am starting =
for Brunswick at day-break tomorrow." " So are we," she excl=
aimed, looking at her mother. The general, delighted to find that we knew e=
ach other, said we could travel together. " Hardly, I think," I r=
eplied, " unless the lady-mother has changed her principles since I kn=
ew her." " I am always the same," she said, dryly enough; bu=
t I only replied with a glance of contempt. The general held a bank at faro=
at a small table. There were several other ladies and some officers, and t=
he stakes were small. He offered me a place, but I excused myself, saying t=
hat I never played while on a journey. At the end of the deal the general r=
eturned to the charge, and said,-- " Really, chevalier, this maxim of =
yours is anti-social; you must play." So saying he drew several Englis=
h bank notes from his pocket-book, telling me they were the same I had give=
n him in London six months ago. " Take your revenge," he added; &=
quot; there are four hundred pounds here." " I don' t want to los=
e as much as that," I replied, " but I will risk fifty pounds to =
amuse you." With this I took out the bill of exchange that Madame du R=
umain had sent me. The general went on dealing, and at the third deal I fou=
nd I was fifty guineas to the good, and with that I was satisfied. Directly=
afterwards supper was announced, and we went into the dining-room. Redegon=
de, who had learnt French admirably, kept everybody amused. She had been en=
gaged by the Duke of Brunswick as second singer, and she had come from Brus=
sels. She bemoaned her journey in the uncomfortable post-chaise, and expres=
sed a fear that she would be ill by the time she got to her journey' s end.=
" Why, there' s the Chevalier Seingalt all alone in a most comfortabl=
e carriage," said the general. Redegonde smiled. " How many peopl=
e will your carriage hold?" " Only two." " Then it' s o=
ut of the question, for I never let my daughter travel alone with anybody.&=
quot; A general burst of laughter, in which Redegonde joined, seemed to con=
fuse the mother in some degree; but like a good daughter Redegonde explaine=
d that her mother was always afraid of her being assassinated. The evening =
passed away in pleasant conversation, and the younger singer did not need m=
uch persuasion to seat herself at the piano, where she sang in a manner tha=
t won genuine applause. When I wanted to go the general begged me to breakf=
ast with him, saying that the post-chaise did not go till twelve, and that =
this act of politeness was due to my young fellow-countrywoman. Redegonde j=
oined in, reproaching me with my behaviour at Turin and Florence, though sh=
e had nothing really to complain of. I gave in, and feeling that I wanted r=
est I went to bed. The next morning, at nine o' clock, I took leave of the =
worthy doctor and his family and walked to the general' s, giving orders th=
at my carriage should be brought round as soon as it was ready. In half an =
hour Redegonde and her mother arrived, and I was astonished to see them acc=
ompanied by the brother who had been my servant at Florence. When breakfast=
was over my carriage stood at the door, and I made my bow to the general a=
nd all the company, who were standing in the hall to see me off. Redegonde =
came down the steps with me, and asked if my carriage was comfortable, and =
then got into it. I got in after her without the slightest premeditation, a=
nd the postillion, seeing the carriage full, gave a crack with his whip and=
we were off, Redegonde shrieking with laughter. I was on the point of tell=
ing him to stop, but seeing her enjoyment of the drive I held my tongue, on=
ly waiting for her to say, " I have had enough." But I waited in =
vain, and we had gone over half a league before she said a word. " I h=
ave laughed, and laugh still," she said, " when I think of what m=
y mother will say at this freak of mine. I had no intentions in getting int=
o the carriage, and I am sure you cannot have told the postillion to drive =
on." " You may be quite sure of that." " All the same m=
y mother will believe it to be a deeply-laid plan, and that strikes me as a=
musing." " So it is; I am quite satisfied, certainly. Now you are=
here you had better come on with me to Brunswick; you will be more comfort=
able than in a villainous stage coach." " I should be delighted, =
but that would be pushing matters too far. No, we will stop at the first st=
age and wait for the coach." " You may do so if you please, but y=
ou will excuse my waiting." " What! you would leave me all alone?=
" " You know, dear Redegonde, that I have always loved you, and I=
am ready to take you with me to Brunswick; what more can I say?" &quo=
t; If you love me you will wait with me and restore me to my mother, who mu=
st be in despair." " In spite of my devotion I am afraid I cannot=
do so." Instead of turning sulky the young madcap began to laugh agai=
n; and I determined she should come with me to Brunswick. When we got to th=
e end of the stage there were no horses ready. I arranged matters with the =
postillion, and after baiting the horses we set out once more. The roads we=
re fearful, and we did not come to the second posting-stage till nightfall.=
We might have slept there, but not wishing to be caught up by the coach an=
d to lose my prize, I ordered fresh horses and we resumed our journey in sp=
ite of Redegonde' s tears and supplications. We travelled all night and rea=
ched Lippstadt in the early morning, and in spite of the unseasonableness o=
f the hour I ordered something to eat. Redegonde wanted a rest, as indeed d=
id I, but she had to give way when I said caressingly that we could sleep a=
t Minden. Instead of scolding me she began to smile, and I saw she guessed =
what she had to expect; in fact, when we got to Minden we had supper, and t=
hen went to bed together as man and wife, and stayed in bed for five hours.=
She was quite kind, and only made me entreat her for form' s sake. We got =
to Hanover and put up at an excellent inn where we had a choice meal, and w=
here I found the waiter who was at the inn in Zurich when I waited on the l=
adies at table. Miss Chudleigh had dined there with the Duke of Kingston, a=
nd they had gone on to Berlin. We had a beautiful French bed in which to sp=
end the night, and in the morning we were awakened by the noise of the stag=
e coach. Redegonde not wishing to be surprised in my arms rang the bell and=
told the waiter by no means to admit the lady who would come out of the co=
ach and ask to be shewn in directly; but her precaution was vain, for, as t=
he waiter went out, the mother and son came in, and we were taken in ' flag=
rante delicto' . I told them to wait outside, and getting up in my shirt I =
locked the door. The mother began to abuse me and her daughter, and threate=
ned me with criminal proceedings if I did not give her up. Redegonde, howev=
er, calmed her by telling her the story, and she believed, or pretended to =
believe, it was all chance; but she said,-- " That' s all very well; b=
ut you can' t deny, you little slut, that you have been sleeping with him.&=
quot; " Oh, there' s no harm in that, for you know, dear mamma, nobody=
does anything asleep." Without giving her the time to reply she threw=
her arms round her neck and promised to go on with her in the coach. After=
things had been thus settled, I dressed myself, and gave them all a good b=
reakfast, and went on my way to Brunswick, where I arrived a few hours befo=
re them. Redegonde had deprived me of my curiosity to see Gabrielle; beside=
s, in the condition I was in, my vanity would have suffered grievously. As =
soon as I had settled in a good inn I sent for Daturi, who came immediately=
, elegantly dressed, and very anxious to introduce to me a certain Signor N=
icolini, theatrical manager. This Nicolini understood his craft perfectly, =
and was high in favour with the prince to whom his daughter Anna was mistre=
ss. He gave me a distinguished and a cordial greeting, and was very anxious=
that I should stay with him, but I was able to escape the constraint of su=
ch an arrangement without giving him any offense. I accepted his offer to t=
ake my meals at his table, which was furnished by an excellent cook and sur=
rounded by a distinguished company. Here was no gathering of men of title, =
with the cold and haughty manners of the Court, all were talented, and such=
company to my mind was delightful. I was not well, and I was not rich, or =
else I should have made a longer stay at Brunswick, which had its charms fo=
r me. But we will not anticipate, though as old age steals on a man he is n=
ever tired of dwelling again and again on the incidents of his past life, i=
n spite of his desire to arrest the sands which run out so quickly. The thi=
rd day after my arrival at Brunswick, Redegonde knowing that I was dining a=
t Nicolini' s came there too. Everybody had found out, somehow or other, th=
at we had travelled from Wesel to Hanover together, and they were at libert=
y to draw whatever conclusions they pleased. Two days later the crown princ=
e arrived from Potsdam on a visit to his future bride, the daughter of the =
reigning duke, whom he married the year after. The Court entertained in the=
most magnificent manner, and the hereditary prince, now the reigning duke,=
honoured me with an invitation. I had met his highness at an assembly in S=
oho Square, the day after he had been made a London citizen. It was twenty-=
two years since I had been in love with Daturi' s mother. I was curious to =
see the ravages which time had worked on her, but I had reason to repent of=
my visit, for she had grown terribly ugly. She knew it herself, and a blus=
h of shame appeared on those features which had once been fair. The prince =
had an army of six thousand foot in good condition. This army was to be rev=
iewed on a plain at a little distance from the town, and I went to see the =
spectacle, and was rewarded by having rain dripping down my back the whole =
time. Among the numerous spectators were many persons of fashion, ladies in=
handsome dresses, and a good sprinkling of foreigners. I saw the Honourabl=
e Miss Chudleigh, who honoured me by addressing me, and asked me, amongst o=
ther questions, how long I had left London. She was dressed in Indian musli=
n, and beneath it she only wore a chemise of fine cambric, and by the time =
the rain had made her clothes cling to her body she looked more than naked,=
but she did not evince any confusion. Most of the ladies sheltered themsel=
ves from the rain under elegant tents which had been erected. The troops, w=
ho took no notice of the weather, executed their manoeuvres, and fired thei=
r muskets in a manner which seemed to satisfy good judges. There was nothin=
g further to attract me at Brunswick, and I thought of spending the summer =
at Berlin, which I concluded would be more amusing than a small provincial =
town. Wanting an overcoat I bought the material from a Jew, who offered to =
discount bills of exchange for me if I had any. I had the bill which Madame=
du Rumain had sent me, and finding that it would be convenient for me to g=
et it discounted, I gave it to the Israelite, who cashed it, deducting comm=
ission at the ordinary rate of two per cent. The letter was payable to the =
order of the Chevalier de Seingalt, and with that name I endorsed it. I tho=
ught no more of the matter, but early the next day the same Jew called on m=
e, and told me that I must either return him his money, or give sureties fo=
r the amount till he had ascertained whether the bill was a forgery or not.=
I was offended at this piece of impertinence, and feeling certain that the=
bill was a good one I told the fellow that he might set his mind at rest a=
nd let me alone, as I should not give him any sureties. " I must eithe=
r have the money or the surety," said he, " and if you refuse I w=
ill have you arrested; your character is well known." This was too muc=
h for me, and raising my cane I gave him a blow on the head which he must h=
ave felt for many a long day. I then dressed and dined with Nicolini, witho=
ut thinking or speaking of this disagreeable incident. The next day as I wa=
s taking a walk outside the town walls, I met the prince on horseback, foll=
owed by a single groom. I bowed to him as he passed, but he came up to me a=
nd said,-- " You are leaving Brunswick, chevalier?" " In two=
or three days, your highness." " I heard this morning that a Jew=
has brought a complaint against you for beating him because he asked you t=
o give him security for a bill of exchange which he was afraid of." &q=
uot; My lord, I cannot answer for the effects of my indignation against a r=
ascal who dared to come and insult me in my own house, but I do know that i=
f I had given him security I should have impugned my own honour. The impert=
inent scoundrel threatened to have me arrested, but I know that a just Gove=
rnment rules here, and not arbitrary power." " You are right; it =
would be unjust to have you arrested, but he is afraid for his ducats."=
; " He need not be afraid, my lord, for the bill is drawn by a person =
of honour and of high station in society." " I am delighted to he=
ar it. The Jew said he would never have discounted the bill if you had not =
mentioned my name." " That' s a lie! Your highness' name never pa=
ssed, my lips." " He also says that you endorsed the bill with a =
false name." " Then he lies again, for I signed myself Seingalt, =
and that name is mine." " In short, it is a case of a Jew who has=
been beaten, and is afraid of being duped. I pity such an animal, and I mu=
st see what I can do to prevent his keeping you here till he learns the fat=
e of the bill at Amsterdam. As I have not the slightest doubt as to the goo=
dness of the bill, I will take it up myself, and this very morning: thus yo=
u will be able to leave when you like. Farewell, chevalier! I wish you a pl=
easant journey." With this compliment the prince left me, without givi=
ng me time to answer him. I might have felt inclined to tell him that by ta=
king up the bill he would give the Jew and everyone else to understand that=
it was a favour done to me, to the great hurt of my honour, and that conse=
quently I should be obliged by his doing nothing of the kind. But though th=
e prince was a man of generosity and magnanimity, he was deficient in that =
delicate quality which we call tact. This defect, common amongst princes, a=
rises from their education, which places them above the politeness which is=
considered necessary in ordinary mortals. He could not have treated me wor=
se than he did, if he had been certain of my dishonesty, and wished me to u=
nderstand that I was forgiven, and that he would bear all the consequences =
of my misdemeanour. With this idea in my head, I said to myself; " Per=
haps, indeed, this is exactly what the prince does think. Is it the Jew or =
me that he pities? If the latter, I think I must give him a lesson, though =
I do not wish to cause him any humiliation." Feeling deeply humiliated=
myself, and pondering on my position, I walked away, directing my attentio=
n especially to the duke' s concluding words. I thought his wish for a plea=
sant journey supremely out of place, under the circumstances, in the mouth =
of one who enjoyed almost absolute power. It was equivalent to an order to =
leave the town, and I felt indignant at the thought. I therefore resolved t=
o vindicate my honour by neither going away nor remaining. " If I stay=
," I said to myself, " the Jew will be adjudged to be in the righ=
t; and if I go the duke will think I have profited by his favour, and so to=
speak, by his present of fifty louis if the bill were protested. I will no=
t let anyone enjoy a satisfaction which is no one due." After these co=
nsiderations, which I thought worthy of a wiser head than mine, I packed up=
my trunk, ordered horses, and after a good dinner and the payment of my bi=
ll I went to Wolfenbuttel with the idea of spending week there. I was sure =
of finding amusement, for Wolfenbuttel contains the third largest library i=
n Europe, and I had long been anxious to see it. The learned librarian, who=
se politeness was all the better for being completely devoid of affection, =
told me that not only could I have whatever books I wished to see, but that=
I could take them to my lodging, not even excepting the manuscripts, which=
are the chief feature in that fine library. I spent a week in the library,=
only leaving it to take my meals and go to bed, and I count this week as o=
ne of the happiest I have ever spent, for then I forgot myself completely; =
and in the delight of study, the past, the present, and the future were ent=
irely blotted out. Of some such sort, I think, must be the joys of the rede=
emed; and now I see that only a few trifling little circumstances and incid=
ents were wanting to make me a perfect sage. And here I must note a circums=
tance which my readers may scarcely believe, but which, for all that, is qu=
ite true-namely, that I have always preferred virtue to vice, and that when=
I sinned I did so out of mere lightness of heart, for which, no doubt, I s=
hall be blamed by many persons. But, no matter--a man has only to give an a=
ccount of his actions to two beings, to himself here and to God hereafter. =
At Wolfenbuttel I gathered a good many hints on the " Iliad" and =
" Odyssey," which will not be found in any commentator, and of wh=
ich the great Pope knew nothing. Some of these considerations will be found=
in my translation of the " Iliad," the rest are still in manuscr=
ipt, and will probably never see the light. However, I burn nothing, not ev=
en these Memoirs, though I often think of doing so, but the time never come=
s. At the end of the week I returned to the same inn at Brunswick which I h=
ad occupied before, and let my godson Daturi know of my arrival. I was deli=
ghted to hear that no one suspected that I had spent the fortnight within f=
ive leagues of Brunswick. Daturi told me that the general belief was that I=
had returned the Jew his money and got the bill of exchange back. Neverthe=
less I felt sure that the bill had been honoured at Amsterdam, and that the=
duke knew that I had been staying at Wolfenbuttel. Daturi told me that Nic=
olini was expecting to see me at dinner, and I was not astonished to hear o=
f it, for I had not taken leave of anyone. I accordingly went, and the foll=
owing incident, which served to justify me in the eyes of all men, took pla=
ce: We were at the roast when one of the prince' s servants came in with th=
e Jew I had beaten. The poor man came up humbly to me, and spoke as follows=
: " I am ordered to come here, sir, to apologize for suspecting the au=
thenticity of the bill of exchange you gave me. I have been punished by bei=
ng fined the amount of my commission." " I wish that had been you=
r only punishment," said I. He made me a profound bow, and went out, s=
aying that I was only too good. When I ' got back to the inn, I found a let=
ter from Redegonde in which she reproached me tenderly for not having been =
once to see her all the time I had been at Brunswick, and begging me to bre=
akfast with her in a little country house. " I shall not be in my moth=
er' s company," she added, " but in that of a young lady of your =
acquaintance, whom, I am sure, you will be glad to see once more." I l=
iked Redegonde, and I had only neglected her at Brunswick because my means =
did not allow my making her a handsome present. I resolved to accept her in=
vitation, my curiosity being rather stimulated by the account of the young =
lady. I was exact at the time indicated, and I found Redegonde looking char=
ming in a pretty room on the ground floor, and with her was a young artiste=
whom I had known as a child shortly before I had been put under the Leads.=
I pretended to be delighted to see her, but I was really quite taken up wi=
th Redegonde, and congratulated her upon her pretty house. She said she had=
taken it for six months, but did not sleep there. After coffee had been se=
rved we were on the point of going out for a stroll, when who should come i=
n but the prince. He smiled pleasantly when he saw us, and apologized to Re=
degonde for interrupting our little party. The appearance of the prince enl=
ightened me as to the position of my delightful fellow countrywoman, and I =
understood why she had been so precise about the time at which I was to com=
e. Redegonde had made the conquest of the worthy prince, who was always dis=
posed to gallantry, but felt it his duty during the first year of his marri=
age with the King of England' s sister to preserve some kind of incognito i=
n his amours. We spent an hour in walking up and down and talking of London=
and Berlin, but nothing was said of the Jew or the bill of exchange. He wa=
s delighted with my warm eulogium of his library at Wolfenbuttel, and laugh=
ed with all his heart when I said that unless it had been for the intellect=
ual nourishment I enjoyed, the bad fare at the inn would certainly have red=
uced me to half my present size. After bidding a graceful farewell to the n=
ymph, the prince left us, and we heard him galloping away on his horse. Whe=
n I was alone with Redegonde, far from begging for new favours, I advised h=
er to be faithful to the prince; but though appearances were certainly not =
deceitful in this case, she would not admit anything. This was in accordanc=
e with her part as young mistress, and I did not reproach her for her want =
of confidence. I spent the rest of the day at the inn, and started the next=
morning at day-break. When I got to Magdeburg, I took a letter of introduc=
tion from General Bekw---- to an officer. He shewed me the fortress, and ke=
pt me for three days making me taste all the pleasures of the table, women,=
and gaming. However, I was very moderate, and managed to increase my savin=
gs in a small degree, contenting myself with modest wagers. From Magdeburg =
I went straight to Berlin, without caring to stop at Potsdam, as the king w=
as not there. The fearful Prussian roads with their sandy soil made me take=
three days to do eighteen Prussian miles. Prussia is a country of which mu=
ch could be made with labour and capital, but I do not think it will ever b=
ecome a really fine country. I put up at the " Hotel de Paris," w=
hich was both comfortable and economical. Madame Rufin who kept it had ente=
red into the spirit of her business without losing her French politeness, a=
nd thus the inn had got a reputation. As soon as I was in my room she came =
to ask me if I were satisfied, and to make divers arrangements for my comfo=
rt. There was a table d' hote, and those who ate in their private rooms pai=
d double. " This arrangement," I said, " may suit you, but f=
or the present it will not suit me. I want to dine in my own room, but I do=
n' t want to pay double; I will therefore pay as if I were in the public ro=
om, but if you like you need only send me up half the number of dishes.&quo=
t; " I agree, on the condition that you sup with me; we will not put i=
t in the accounts, and you will only meet friends at my little suppers.&quo=
t; I thought her proposal so curious a one that I had a great inclination t=
o laugh, but finding it at the same time very advantageous I accepted frank=
ly, and as if we had long been friends. On the first day I was tired, and d=
id not sup with her till the day following. Madame Rufin had a husband who =
attended to the cooking, and a son, but neither of them came to these suppe=
rs. The first time I went to one of them I met an elderly but agreeable and=
sensible gentleman. He lodged in a room adjoining mine, and called himself=
Baron Treidel; his sister had married the Duke of Courland, Jean Ernest Bi=
ron, or Birlen. The baron, who was extremely pleasant, became my friend, an=
d remained so for the couple of months I spent in Berlin. I also met a Hamb=
urg merchant, named Greve, and his wife, whom he had just married and had b=
rought to Berlin that she might see the marvels of the Warrior-King' s Cour=
t. She was as pleasant as her husband, and I paid her an assiduous court. A=
lively and high- spirited individual called Noel, who was the sole and bel=
oved cook of his Prussian Majesty, was the fourth person. He only came rare=
ly to the suppers on account of his duties in the king' s kitchen. As I hav=
e said, his majesty had only this one cook, and Noel had only one scullion =
to help him. M. Noel, the ambassador of the French Republic at the Hague, i=
s, as I am assured, the son of this cook, who was an excellent man. And her=
e I must say, in despite of my hatred for the French Revolutionary Governme=
nt, that I am not at all ill pleased that a man of talents should be enable=
d to fill exalted offices, which under the old system of privilege were oft=
en occupied by fools. If it had not been for the culinary skill of Noel the=
cook, the famous Atheist physician Lametrie would not have died of indiges=
tion, for the pie he succeeded in eating in his extremity was made by Noel.=
Lametrie often supped with Madame Rufin and I thought it disobliging of hi=
m to die so soon, for I should have liked to know him, as he was a learned =
man and full of mirth. He expired laughing, though it is said that death fr=
om indigestion is the most painful of all. Voltaire told me that he thought=
Lametrie the most obstinate Atheist in the world, and I could easily belie=
ve it after reading his works. The King of Prussia himself pronounced his f=
uneral oration, using the words, " It is not wonderful that he only be=
lieved in the existence of matter, for all the spirit in the world was encl=
osed in his own body. No one but a king would venture on such a sally in a =
funeral oration. However, Frederick the Great was a Deist and not an Atheis=
t; but that is of little consequence, since he never allowed the belief in =
a God to influence his actions in the slightest degree. Some say that an At=
heist who ponders over the possible existence of a God is better than a Dei=
st who never thinks of the Deity, but I will not venture to decide this poi=
nt." The first visit I paid in Berlin was to Calsabigi, the younger br=
other of the Calsabigi with whom I had founded the lottery in Paris in 1757=
He had left Paris and his wife too, and had set up a lottery in Brussels;=
but his extravagance was so great that he became a bankrupt in spite of th=
e efforts of Count Cobenzl to keep him going. He fled from Brussels to Berl=
in, and was introduced to the King of Prussia. He was a plausible speaker, =
and persuaded the monarch to establish a lottery, to make him the manager, =
and to give him the title of Counsellor of State. He promised that the lott=
ery should bring in an annual revenue of at least two hundred thousand crow=
ns, and only asked a percentage of ten per cent. for himself. The lottery h=
ad been going for two years, and had had a great success, as hitherto it ha=
d had no large losses; but the king, who knew that the luck might turn, was=
always in a fidget about it. With this idea he told Calsabigi that he must=
carry it on on his own responsibility and pay him a hundred thousand crown=
s per annum, that being the cost of his Italian Theatre. I happened to call=
on Calsabigi on the very day on which the king intimated to him this decis=
ion. After talking over our old relationship and the vicissitudes we had bo=
th experienced, he told me what had happened; it seemed an unexpected blow =
to him. The next drawing, he said, would be at the king' s risk; but the pu=
blic would have to be informed that in future the lottery would be a privat=
e one. He wanted capital to the amount of two million crowns, for he foresa=
w that otherwise the lottery would collapse, as people would not risk their=
money without the certainty of being paid in the event of their winning. H=
e said he would guarantee me an income of ten thousand crowns per annum if =
I succeeded in making the king change his mind, and by way of encouragement=
he recalled to my mind the effect of my persuasive powers at Paris seven y=
ears before. " ' Tis a good omen," said he, " and without an=
y superstition I believe that the good genius of the lottery has brought me=
to Berlin just now." I laughed at his illusions, but I pitied him. I =
shewed him the impossibility of convincing an individual whose only argumen=
t was, " I am afraid, and I don' t wish to be afraid any longer."=
He begged me to stay to dinner and introduced me to his wife. This was a d=
ouble surprise for me, in the first place because I thought General La Mott=
e, as his first wife was called, to be still living, and in the second plac=
e because I recognized in this second wife of his, Mdlle. Belanger. I addre=
ssed the usual compliments to her and enquired after her mother. She replie=
d with a profound sigh, and told me not to ask any questions about her fami=
ly as she had only bad news to tell me. I had known Madame Belanger at Pari=
s; she was a widow with one daughter, and seemed to be well off. Now I saw =
this daughter, pretty enough and well married, and yet in this doleful humo=
ur, and I felt embarrassed and yet curious. After Calsabigi had placed me i=
n a position to entertain a high opinion of the skill of his cook, he shewe=
d me his horses and carriages, begging me to take a drive with his wife and=
come back to supper, which, as he said, was his best meal. When we were in=
the carriage together, the necessity of talking about something led me to =
ask the lady by what happy chain of circumstances she found herself the wif=
e of Calsabigi. " His real wife is still alive, so I have not the misf=
ortune of occupying that position, but everyone in Berlin thinks I am his l=
awful wife. Three years ago I was deprived of my mother and the means of li=
velihood at one stroke, for my mother had an annuity. None of my relations =
were rich enough to help me, and wishing to live virtuously above all thing=
s I subsisted for two years on the sale of my mother' s furniture, boarding=
with a worthy woman who made her living by embroidery. I learnt her art, a=
nd only went out to mass on Sundays. I was a prey to melancholy, and when I=
had spent all I had I went to M. Brea, a Genoese, on whom I thought I coul=
d rely. I begged him to get me a place as a mere waiting-maid, thinking tha=
t I was tolerably competent for such a position. He promised to do what he =
could for me, and five or six days afterwards he made me the following prop=
osal:</p>=20
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