Memoirs of the Princesse de Ligne, Vol. 1 (of 2)Massalska, Apolonia Helena
History
Memoirs of the Princesse de Ligne, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Massalska, Apolonia Helena
Ligne, Charles Joseph, prince de, 1735-1814; Massalska, Apolonia Helena, 1763-1815
“We started off. It was the recreation time. Mademoiselle de Narbonne,
who had seen me at the _abbatial_, had already announced me. She
had said I was a ‘little wild thing, who had not chosen to open her
lips; but that I was very graceful.’ As it was raining that day the
recreation was taking place in All Souls’ cloisters. As soon as I
arrived they all came towards us. Mademoiselle de Montmorency brought
me to the teachers, who made a great deal of me, and the class
surrounded me, asking all sorts of queer questions, to which I did not
reply, so that some of them thought I was dumb.
“Mademoiselle de Montmorency asked the head-mistress of the blue
class to be allowed to show me over all the departments in the
Convent. Mother Quatre Temps consented. Then she took me through the
whole house, and gave me a good collation. All the nuns and scholars
of the red class petted me extremely. They gave me pin-cushions,
_soufflets_,[19] _grimaces_,[20] and I was very happy.
“At supper-time Mademoiselle de Montmorency brought me back to the
classroom, and Mother Quatre Temps led me by the hand to the refectory.
I was given a seat next to Mademoiselle de Choiseul, who was the last
arrival. During supper Mademoiselle de Choiseul talked to me, and I
risked a few words in answer, so that she called out: ‘The little Pole
speaks French.’ After supper I became quite intimate with Mademoiselle
de Choiseul, who was very pretty. She told me that, when in the evening
our names were called over, I must ask Madame de Rochechouart for a
holiday, and give a collation, and that she would do the speaking. Then
we played at many games--the massacre of the innocents, and a thousand
other things. When it was bed-time we went to the nuns’ dormitory.
Madame de Rochechouart read the roll-call; I was called last. I came
forward with Mademoiselle de Choiseul, who in my name begged for a
holiday. Madame de Rochechouart inquired from Mother Quatre Temps if my
uncle had been informed of what was necessary to pay for ‘the welcome,’
as it was called, for it cost twenty-five _louis_[21] to give a grand
collation to all the pupils, and ices were absolutely necessary. Mother
Quatre Temps said Yes; so the following Saturday was chosen for the
holiday.”
It is easy to see by this opening scene that the little Pole would
soon get accustomed to her new life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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