re perfectly detached from each other, they renewed
their acquaintance, and the husband had the complaisance to receive the
young man at his house; from that moment I had nothing more to say.
I found the pretended baron had imposed upon me by a great number of
lies. His name was not Sauttern, but Sauttersheim. With respect to the
title of baron, given him in Switzerland, I could not reproach him with
the impropriety, because he had never taken it; but I have not a doubt of
his being a gentleman, and the marshal, who knew mankind, and had been in
Hungary, always considered and treated him as such.

He had no sooner left my neighborhood, than the girl at the inn where he
eat, at Motiers, declared herself with child by him. She was so dirty a
creature, and Sauttern, generally esteemed in the country for his conduct
and purity of morals, piqued himself so much upon cleanliness, that
everybody was shocked at this impudent pretension. The most amiable
women of the country, who had vainly displayed to him their charms, were
furious: I myself was almost choked with indignation. I used every
effort to get the tongue of this impudent woman stopped, offering to pay
all expenses, and to give security for Sauttersheim. I wrote to him in
the fullest persuasion, not only that this pregnancy could not relate to
him, but that it was feigned, and the whole a machination of his enemies
and mine. I wished him to return and confound the strumpet, and those by
whom she was dictated to. The pusillanimity of his answer surprised me.
He wrote to the master of the parish to which the creature belonged, and
endeavored to stifle the matter. Perceiving this, I concerned myself no
more about it, but I was astonished that a man who could stoop so low
should have been sufficiently master of himself to deceive me by his
reserve in the closest familiarity.

From Strasbourgh, Sauttersheim went to seek his fortune in Paris, and
found there nothing but misery. He wrote to me acknowledging his error.
My compassion was excited by the recollection of our former friendship,
and I sent him a sum of money. The year following, as I passed through
Paris, I saw him much in the same situation; but he was the intimate
friend of M. de Laliand, and I could not learn by what means he had
formed this acquaintance, or whether it was recent or of long standing.
Two years afterwards Sauttersheim returned to Strasbourgh, whence he
wrote to me and where he died. T