Memoirs of the Comtesse Du Barry: With Minute Details of Her Entire Career as Favorite of Louis XVLamothe-Langon, Etienne-Léon, baron de
History
Memoirs of the Comtesse Du Barry: With Minute Details of Her Entire Career as Favorite of Louis XV
Lamothe-Langon, Etienne-Léon, baron de
Du Barry, Jeanne Bécu, comtesse, 1743-1793
Early the next day I set out for Paris accompanied by Henriette; there,
in pursuance of the suggestion of madame de Mirepoix, I dressed myself
as a person recently arrived from the country, and Henriette, who was
to accompany me, disguised herself as a villager. I assure you, our
personal attractions lost nothing by the change of our attire. From
the rue de la Jussienne to the rue Platriere is only a few steps;
nevertheless, in the fear of being recognised, I took a hired carriage.
Having reached our place of destination, we entered, by a shabby door,
the habitation of Jean Jacques Rousseau: his apartments were on the
fifth floor. I can scarcely describe to you, my friend, the emotions I
experienced as I drew nearer and nearer to the author of “Heloise.” At
each flight of stairs I was compelled to pause to collect my ideas,
and my poor heart beat as though I had been keeping an assignation. At
length, however, we reached the fifth story; thereafter having rested a
few minutes to recover myself, I was about to knock at a door which was
opposite to me, when, as I approached, I heard a sweet but tremulous
voice singing a melancholy air, which I have never since heard anywhere;
the same voice repeated the romance to which I was listening several
times. When it had entirely ceased I profited by the silence to tap with
my knuckles against the door, but so feeble was the signal, that even
Henriette, who was close behind me, could not hear it. She begged I
would permit her to ring a bell which hung near us; and, having done so,
a step was heard approaching the door, and, in a minute or two, it was
opened by a man of about sixty years of age, who, seeing two females,
took off his cap with a sort of clumsy gallantry, at which I affected to
be much flattered.
“Pray, sir,” said I, endeavouring to repress my emotion, “does a person
named Rousseau, a copier of music, live here?”
“Yes, madam; I am he. What is your pleasure?”
“I have been told, sir, that you are particularly skilful in copying
music cheaply; I should be glad if you would undertake to copy these
airs I have brought with me.”
“Have the goodness to walk in, madam.”
We crossed a small obscure closet, which served as a species of
antechamber, and entered the sitting-room of M. de Rousseau, who seated
me in an arm-chair, and motioning to Henriette to sit down, once more
inquired my wishes respecting the music.
“Sir,” said I, “as I live in the country, and but very rarely visit
Paris, I should be obliged to you to get it done as early as possible.”
“Willingly, madam; I have not much upon my hands just now.”
I then gave to Jean Jacques Rousseau the roll of music I had brought. He
begged I would continue seated, requested permission to keep on his cap,
and went to a little table to examine the music I had brought.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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