‘Although already provided with six names, my mother having in her special devotion consecrated me in my infancy to the Virgin, the additional name of Marie was given to me at my confirmation by Panquet de Gersy, archbishop of Seurre. This name has become precious to me, because Marie has become my protectress in heaven, as Marie Antoinette was my queen protectress on earth, after my return to France.’ In another place D’Eon states that when in her fourth year she was publicly consecrated to the Virgin Mary, in front of the high altar, at a solemn service held for the occasion. She wore the robe of the sisterhood of the Virgin Mary until her seventh year, when she resumed boy’s apparel by direction of her father. To her mother’s fervent devotion and enlightened piety in the protection of the Virgin Mary was attributed the safety of the ‘disguised daughter’ in all the perils she encountered in the course of her extraordinary career—by sea and by land, at foreign courts, at sieges, in combats and in battles.[5] From the age of seven to twelve D’Eon remained in charge of M. Marceney, curé of the Church of St. Peter, and was then sent to the Collège Mazarin. He completed his studies with considerable credit, obtaining the degrees of Doctor of Civil and of Canon Law, and being subsequently called to the bar of the Parliament of Paris. He also became royal censor for works on history and belles-lettres. In 1749, whilst serving as secretary to M. Bertier de Savigny, he had the misfortune to lose in the course of five days his father, an uncle, and an income of fifteen thousand livres. Louis Déon had rendered himself so beloved by the poor in his district that for some time after his death they used to resort in crowds to his grave and weep over it, and lament the loss of their friend and benefactor. It is related of him that when on his death-bed, and after having received the last sacrament, he sent for his daughter (afterwards the Chevalier), and taking her by the hand, said tenderly, ‘Do not be uneasy, my daughter—it is as natural to die as it is to live. I am quitting a bad for a better land. I have been at much pains to teach you how to live, and I must likewise teach you how to die.’ And giving her his blessing, he expired.[6]