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Madame de Chastellux, the Duchesse d'Orléans's lady-in-waiting, whom Calvert had once met in America, was also making a tour of the salon, accompanied by that charming hedonist, Monsieur le Vicomte de Ségur, than whom there was no wilder, lighter-headed youth in Paris, unless it was his bosom friend, Beaufort, who, catching sight of Calvert standing beside Madame Necker, straightway went over to him.
His reputation, his wonderful memory, the shrewd originality of his remarks, made him a welcome guest in the best society. As one of the lions of the country, he was much looked at, especially by foreigners. We find a sketch of an interview with him in the Travels of the Chevalier de Chastellux.
He insisted on Calvert's accompanying him frequently into the great world of Paris where he himself was so welcome, and where, indeed, the young man's presence was also demanded on all sides even by royalty itself in the person of Madame la Duchesse d'Orléans, whose acquaintance Mr. Morris had made in the apartments of Madame de Chastellux in the Palais Royal.
"This paper is the protestation of the nobility." "Oh! give it me. I protest." "But you do not know against what." "Never mind, I protest all the same." And, taking the paper, he wrote his name after that of Guillaume Antoine de Chastellux, which was the last signature. "Let him alone," said Cellamare to the duchess, "Richelieu's name is useful everywhere."
The Marquis de Chastellux wrote enthusiastically, "In speaking of this perfect whole of which General Washington furnishes the idea, I have not excluded exterior form.
André, accompanied by Madame de Chastellux and Beaufort passed them, bowing and waving to the three gentlemen. "If it were possible, I should say she looks more beautiful to-day than yesterday, eh, Ned?" said Mr. Morris, looking after Madame de St. André, and then giving Calvert a quizzical glance, under which the young man blushed hotly.
The object of inquiry being thus indicated, it becomes of the first importance to consider what test of happiness Chastellux will propose. He leaves us in no doubt on this point. "A happy nation is not one which lives with little; the Goths and Vandals lived with little, and they sought abundance in other regions.
I am happy to find that Madame de Chastellux is so intimately connected with the Duchess of Orleans; as I have always understood that this noble lady was an illustrious example of connubial love, as well as an excellent pattern of virtue in general.
Chastellux was just then at the height of his reputation. He had published in 1772 a book which, although now almost forgotten, is still interesting as a link between the thought of the last century and that of a large school of thinkers to-day. The title is "Of Public Felicity, or considerations on the fate of men in the different Epochs of History," and the motto is Nil Desperandum.
Nor was the ménage of the General unequal to unexpected calls. Chastellux tells of his first arrival in camp and introduction to Washington: "He conducted me to his house, where I found the company still at table, although the dinner had been long over.
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