red, most correct old
legal gentleman) is one of her adherents; Voltaire is another, that may
stand for many: there is an old Marquis de St. Aulaire, whom she calls
"MON VIEUX BERGER (my old shepherd," that is to say, sweetheart or flame
of love); [BARBIER, ii. 87; see ib. (i. 8-11; ii. 181, 436; &c.) for
many notices of her affairs and her.] there is a most learned President
de Mesmes, and others we have heard of, but do not wish to know. Little
De Staal was at one time this fine Duchess's maid; but has far outgrown
all that, a favorite guest of the Duchess's instead; holds now mainly by
Madame du Deffand (not yet fallen blind),--and is well turned of fifty,
and known for one of the shrewdest little souls in the world, at the
time she writes. Her Letter is addressed "TO MADAME DU DEFFAND, at
Paris;" most free-flowing female Letter; of many pages, runs on, day
after day, for a fortnight or so;--only Excerpts of it introducible
here:--

"SCEAUX, TUESDAY, 15th AUGUST, 1747.... Madame du Chatelet and Voltaire,
who had announced themselves as for to-day, and whom nobody had heard
of otherwise, made their appearance yesternight, near midnight; like two
Spectres, with an odor of embalmment about them, as if just out of their
tombs. We were rising from table; the Spectres, however, were hungry
ones: they needed supper; and what is more, beds, which were not ready.
The Housekeeper (CONCIERGE), who had gone to bed, rose in great haste.
Gaya [amiable gentleman, conceivable, not known], who had offered his
apartment for pressing cases, was obliged to yield it in this emergency:
he flitted with as much precipitation and displeasure as an army
surprised in its camp; leaving a part of his baggage in the enemy's
hands. Voltaire thought the lodging excellent, but that did not at all
console Gaya.

"As to the Lady, her bed turns out not to have been well made; they
have had to put her in a new place to-day. Observe, she made that
bed herself, no servants being up, and had found a blemish or DEFAUT
of"--word wanting: who knows what?--"in the mattresses; which I believe
hurt her exact mind, more than her not very delicate body. She has got,
in the interim, an apartment promised to somebody else; and she will
have to leave it again on Friday or Saturday, and go into that of
Marechal de Maillebois, who leaves at that time."

--Yes; Maillebois in the body, O reader. This is he, with the old
ape-face renewed by paint, whom we once saw marc