Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 9, 2025
Upon the Petits Maîtres, see Mad. de Sablé, chap. i. p. 44. CONDÉ arrived in Paris on the 11th of April, and found everything in the utmost confusion.
The moment passed. The service of dinner was pressed more insistently upon them. James Van Teyl, who had been leaning back in his chair, talking to one of the maitres d'hotel, dismissed him with a little nod and entrusted them with a confidence. "Say, do you know who's coming to the next table?" he exclaimed. "Sonia!" They were all interested. "You won't mind?" Fischer asked diffidently.
She stood to hear it: it was as follows: "That by the finding of the court, d'Aubray de Brinvilliers is convicted of causing the death by poison of Maitre Dreux d'Aubray, her father, and of the two Maitres d'Aubray, her brothers, one a civil lieutenant, the other a councillor to the Parliament, also of attempting the life of Therese d'Aubray, her sister; in punishment whereof the court has condemned and does condemn the said d'Aubray de Brinvilliers to make the rightful atonement before the great gate of the church of Paris, whither she shall be conveyed in a tumbril, barefoot, a rope on her neck, holding in her hands a burning torch two pounds in weight; and there on her knees she shall say and declare that maliciously, with desire for revenge and seeking their goods, she did poison her father, cause to be poisoned her two brothers, and attempt the life of her sister, whereof she doth repent, asking pardon of God, of the king, and of the judges; and when this is done, she shall be conveyed and carried in the same tumbril to the Place de Greve of this town, there to have her head cut off on a scaffold to be set up for the purpose at that place; afterwards her body to be burnt and the ashes scattered; and first she is to be subjected to the question ordinary and extraordinary, that she may reveal the names of her accomplices.
Beside them, in their marvellous garden, lingers a memory too of Manon and Des Grieux, with a suggestion of Lauzun and a glimpse of the art of Fragonard. All combine, all contribute from the great classics to the eighteenth century petits maitres to build up a story of love's rise in the human breast in answer to Nature's promptings.
The queen had gone back to Paris, and the Prince of Conde with her; he, proud of having beaten the parliamentary Fronde, affected the conqueror's airs, and the throng of his courtiers, the "petits maitres," as they were called, spoke very slightingly of the cardinal.
"Léonard paid a great deal of attention to scales and the right way to practice them. He would say, 'Il faut filer les sons: c'est l'art des maîtres. Himself a great classical violinist, he nevertheless paid a good deal of attention to virtuoso pieces; and always tried to prepare his pupils for public life.
"Grocers and butchers and little maitres de cafes! I will not marry at all if I can't marry well." "I would advise you not to be too fastidious," said Newman. "That's all the advice I can give you." "I am very much vexed at what I have said!" cried the young girl. "It has done me no good. But I couldn't help it." "What good did you expect it to do you?" "I couldn't help it, simply."
Condé, whose natural pride was still further exalted by the flattery of the young nobles who formed his train, and who obtained the nickname of petits maîtres, only used the influence which his position gave him to wring from Mazarin the places and good things at his disposal, and of these he and his adherents showed themselves insatiable.
Besides the superior tables, those of the almoners, equerries, maitres d'hotel, etc., were all supplied with such a degree of magnificence as to allow of inviting strangers to them; and almost all the visitors from Paris were boarded at the expense of the Court.
Of all the coxcombs on the face of the earth, a French petit maitre is the most impertinent: and they are all petit maitres from the marquis who glitters in lace and embroidery, to the garcon barbier covered with meal, who struts with his hair in a long queue, and his hat under his arm.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking