with inflammation. The doctors ordered
horseback exercise and the amusements of society. Mademoiselle des
Touches became, in consequence, an admirable horsewoman, and recovered
her health in a few months.

At the age of eighteen she appeared in the world, where she produced so
great a sensation that no one in Nantes called her anything else than
"the beautiful Mademoiselle des Touches." Led to enter society by one
of the imperishable sentiments in the heart of a woman, however superior
she may be, the worship she inspired found her cold and unresponsive.
Hurt by her aunt and her cousins, who ridiculed her studies and teased
her about her unwillingness for society, which they attributed to a
lack of the power of pleasing, Felicite resolved on making herself
coquettish, gay, volatile,--a woman, in short. But she expected in
return an exchange of ideas, seductions, and pleasures in harmony with
the elevation of her own mind and the extent of its knowledge.
Instead of that, she was filled with disgust for the commonplaces of
conversation, the silliness of gallantry; and more especially was she
shocked by the supremacy of military men, to whom society made
obeisance at that period. She had, not unnaturally, neglected the minor
accomplishments. Finding herself inferior to the pretty dolls who played
on the piano and made themselves agreeable by singing ballads, she
determined to be a musician. Retiring into her former solitude she set
to work resolvedly, under the direction of the best master in the town.
She was rich, and she sent for Steibelt when the time came to perfect
herself. The astonished town still talks of this princely conduct. The
stay of that master cost her twelve thousand francs. Later, when she
went to Paris, she studied harmony and thorough-bass, and composed the
music of two operas which have had great success, though the public has
never been admitted to the secret of their authorship. Ostensibly these
operas are by Conti, one of the most eminent musicians of our day;
but this circumstance belongs to the history of her heart, and will be
mentioned later on.

The mediocrity of the society of a provincial town wearied her so
excessively, her imagination was so filled with grandiose ideas that
although she returned to the salons to eclipse other women once more by
her beauty, and enjoy her new triumph as a musician, she again deserted
them; and having proved her power to her cousins, and driven two
lovers