I have sincerely desired to do what was right. I have, with all the
energy of my character, shunned situations which set my interest in
opposition to the interest of another, thus inspiring me with a secret
though involuntary desire prejudicial to that man.
Jean Jacques at Turin made speed to convert himself, by the abjurations
required, into a pretty good Catholic. He was hereon free to seek his
fortune in the Sardinian capital. This he did by getting successively
various situations in service. In one of these he stole, so he tells us,
a piece of ribbon, which was soon found in his possession. He said a
maid-servant, naming her, gave it to him. The two were confronted with
each other. In spite of the poor girl's solemn appeal, Jean Jacques
persisted in his lie against her. Both servants were discharged. The
autobiographer protests that he has suffered much remorse for this lie
of his to the harm of the innocent maid. He expresses confident hope
that his suffering sorrow, already experienced on his behalf, will stand
him in stead of punishment that might be his due in a future state.
Remorse is a note in Rousseau that distinguishes him from Montaigne.
Montaigne reviews his own life to live over his sins, not to repent of
them.
The end of several vicissitudes is, that young Rousseau gets back to
Madame de Warens. She welcomes him kindly. He says:
From the first day, the most affectionate familiarity sprang up
between us, and that to the same degree in which it continued during
all the rest of her life. _Petit_--Child--was my name,
_Maman_--Mamma--hers; and _Petit_ and _Maman_ we remained, even when
the course of time had all but effaced the difference of our ages.
These two names seem to me marvelously well to express our tone toward
each other, the simplicity of our manners, and, more than all, the
relation of our hearts. She was to me the tenderest of mothers, never
seeking her own pleasure, but ever my welfare; and if the senses had
anything to do with my attachment for her, it was not to change its
nature, but only to render it more exquisite, and intoxicate me with
the charm of having a young and pretty mamma whom it was delightful
for me to caress. I say quite literally, to caress; for it never
entered into her head to deny me the tenderest maternal kisses and
endearments, nor into my heart to abuse them. Some may say that, in
the end, quite other relations subsisted between us. I grant it; but
have patience--I cannot tell everything at once.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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