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Updated: June 6, 2025
Fleuriot told me all that he knew of the piteous story. I took the poor fellow with my niece into Auvergne, and there I had the misfortune to lose him. He had some ascendancy over Mme. de Vandieres. He alone succeeded in persuading her to wear clothes; and in those days her one word of human speech Farewell she seldom uttered.
"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.
At the opera, she had her loge with the king, her tribune at the chapel of Versailles where she heard mass, her servants were of the nobility, her carriage had the ducal arms, her etiquette was that of Mme. de Montespan, Her father was ennobled to De Marigny, her brother to be Marquis de Vandières.
Philippe saw upon his face the joy these preparations gave him. The Comte de Vandieres, who, for the last few days, had fallen into a state of second childhood, was seated on a cushion beside his wife, looking fixedly at the fire, which was beginning to thaw his torpid limbs.
"Adieu!" she said. They had understood each other. The Comte de Vandieres recovered sufficient strength and presence of mind to spring upon the raft, whither Stephanie followed him, after turning a last look to Philippe. "Major! will you take my place? I don't care a fig for life," cried the grenadier. "I've neither wife nor child nor mother."
At that particular moment he was busy toasting a piece of horseflesh, and in his face the major saw a gleeful anticipation of the coming feast. The Comte de Vandieres, who seemed to have grown quite childish in the last few days, sat on a cushion close to his wife, and stared into the fire. He was only just beginning to shake off his torpor under the influence of the warmth.
The Comte de Vandieres recovered his energies and presence of mind sufficiently to jump on to the raft, whither Stephanie followed him after one last look at Philip. "Major, won't you take my place? I do not care a straw for life; I have neither a wife, nor child, nor mother belonging to me " "I give them into your charge," cried the major, indicating the Count and his wife.
The Comte de Vandieres flung off his ragged blankets, and stood before them in his general's uniform. "Let us save the Count," said Philip. Stephanie grasped his hand tightly in hers, flung her arms about, and clasped him close in an agonized embrace. "Farewell!" she said. Then each knew the other's thoughts.
The violent recoil of those in front, striving to escape this death, brought them into hideous collision with those behind then, who were pressing towards the bank, and many were suffocated and crushed. The Comte and Comtesse de Vandieres owed their lives to the carriage.
What were my feelings on beholding my own niece! Fleuriot told me all he knew of her dreadful history. I took the poor man with my niece back to my home in Auvergne, where, unfortunately, I lost him some months later. He had some slight control over Madame de Vandieres; he alone could induce her to wear clothing. 'Adieu, that word, which is her only language, she seldom uttered at that time.
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