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"Monsieur," he said, "Madame la Comtesse de Lanty, whose confessor I have the honor to be, requests me to give you a few explanations, to which you have an incontestable right, as to the scene that took place last evening between her husband and yourself." "I am ready to listen to you, monsieur," I replied.
Gossip of course gathered into the catalogue every woman whom Liszt saw more than once; but we need not pay this tribute to malice by mentioning the names of all of Liszt's hostesses. Among those who may be more definitely suspected of being made victims by, or victimising, him is the Comtesse Adèle Laprunarède, afterward Duchess de Fleury.
At a little distance she could see Madame la Comtesse and her flounces walking briskly away; on one side was an English family of the received type, wrangling with porters and omnibus-drivers in the midst of their luggage; on the other, an invalid Russian wrapped to the nose in furs, leaning on his valet's arm; in the foreground, a party of gay Liégeois, come over for a day's amusement.
"All this is well enough," I replied, "but as yet I am nothing." "<Morbleu>! to-morrow you will be everything," cried comte Jean, with his determined energy. "But we must think about this morrow. Make haste, noble comtesse; go to all the milliners, seek what is elegant rather than what is rich. Be as lovely, pleasing, and gay as possible; this is the main point, and God will do all the rest."
And he called out across the vast hall, now reeking with smoke and full of men drinking, his everlasting: "Garcon, un 'bock' and a new pipe." "My darlings," said the comtesse, "you might go to bed." The three children, two girls and a boy, rose and kissed their grandmother. Then they said good-night to M. le Cure, who had dined at the chateau, as was his custom every Thursday.
He had begun in England a correspondence with the Comtesse de Boufflers, he was made welcome too in the salons of Mme. Geoffrin and of Mile, de Lespinasse, and he soon became intimate with d'Alembert and Turgot. His reception was no less cordial at court, where the children of the Dauphin met him, prepared with polite little speeches about his works.
He was eminently suited for the office now conferred on him; and those who knew him best were the least surprised to find the nomination had fallen on him. I also procured a post in the establishment of the young couple for my sister-in-law, the comtesse d'Hargicourt.
This woman, then seducing and since celebrated, was the Comtesse de Sillery-Genlis, daughter of the Marquis Ducret de Saint Aubin, a gentleman of Charolais, without fortune. Her mother, who was still young and handsome, had brought her to Paris, to the house of M. de la Popelinière, a celebrated financier, whose old age she had taken captive.
"Mme. la Comtesse," she said, with her most gracious smile, taking the limp hand offered to her by the Countess Lanovitch. Catrina stood in the embrasure of the window, hating her. Paul followed on his wife's heels, scarcely concealing his boredom. He was not a society man.
"Who is that lady?" asked the marquis, signing toward the unknown woman. "I believe she comes from Moulins," replied Monsieur de Granville. "She is the Comtesse de Vandieres, and they say she is mad; but as she has only been here two months I will not vouch for the truth of these hearsays." Monsieur d'Albon thanked his friends, and placing the colonel in the carriage, started with him for Cassan.
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