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Madam de Broglie, carrying her favorable opinion of me rather too far, thought I should immediately acquire fame in Paris, and become a favorite with fine ladies. To guide my inexperience she gave me the confessions of the Count de . "This book," said she, "is a Mentor, of which you will stand in need in the great world. You will do well by sometimes consulting it."
The door was opened. "Why!" said M. de Broglie, "here we are." At that moment a great placard posted on the barrack wall by the side of the door bore in big letters It was the advertisement of a pamphlet, published two or three days previous to the coup d'état, without any author's name, demanding the Empire, and was attributed to the President of the Republic.
Chance, however, discovered to me a secret correspondence of the King, with a man in a very obscure station. This man, who had a place in the Farmers General, of from two to three hundred a year, was related to one of the young ladies of the Parc-aux-cerfs, by whom he was recommended to the King. He was also connected in some way with M. de Broglie, in whom the King placed great confidence.
The answer was respectful and proper, in what related to the King; it was, however, calculated to counteract the schemes of the Comte de Broglie, by making M. de Choiseul acquainted with his attacks, and with the nature of the weapons he employed.
I sat aloft among the Immortals, with the Duc de Broglie, Haussonville, Lesseps, Vieil Castel, and next Alexandre Dumas, who was very pleasant. The Duc d'Aumale was on the other side. Yesterday we had a very pleasant dinner at the De Broglies' Gavard, Lambert de Ste.-Croix and Cornelis de Witt. The Comte de Paris brought down 300 himself.
The Count de Broglie assured him that his confidence was not misplaced; 'But, said he, 'I have seen your uncle die in the wars of Italy; I witnessed your father's death at the battle of Minden; and I will not be accessary to the ruin of the only remaining branch of the family: He then used all his powers of argument and persuasion to divert Lafayette from his purpose, but in vain.
Amongst my discreet confidants, I owe much to M. du Boismartin,~ secretary of the Count de Broglie, and to the Count de Broglie himself, whose affectionate heart, when all his efforts to turn me from this project had proved in vain, entered into my views with even paternal tenderness. Preparations were making to send a vessel to America, when very bad tidings arrived from thence.
Messieurs de Broglie, de Bouille, de Luxembourg, and others, were to have been commanders. But this plan, like many others, was foiled in its birth, and, it is said, through the intrigues of Mirabeau. Now arose a fresh difficulty. Transports were wanted, and in considerable numbers. A navy agent in England was applied to for the supply of these transports.
Next morning a message arrived from Count Broglie, shut up in the castle of Bernis, ordering the garrison to come to his relief. In the meantime, Cavalier, with the assistance of his friends in Nismes, had obtained the articles of which he was in need, and prepared to set out on his return journey.
Again to her salon came kings and generals, Alexander of Russia, Wellington, and others. But soon Napoleon returned, and she fled to Coppet. He sent her an invitation to come to Paris, declaring he would now live for the peace of Europe, but she could not trust him. She saw her daughter, lovely and beautiful, married to the Duc de Broglie, a leading statesman, and was happy in her happiness.
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