Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1836-1840
have been surrounded with greater regard and attention than has been
shown to M. de Talleyrand; he was quite overcome as he went away. The
King and Madame Adélaïde have insisted that he shall return to Paris
for next winter, but I do not think that he will give up his project
of going to Nice.
Pauline's stay here has done her no harm. She has always behaved
perfectly and pleased me much. She was delighted to be in the same
room with me. Her dress was in excellent taste, and she has gone away
very pleased to have been here, but also glad to go and in no way
dissipated in heart or mind.
Nearly every one has gone, and only those on regular duty and intimate
friends remain. I am starting to-morrow at the same time as the Queen
and the Duchesse d'Albuféra, who came here yesterday. The country
drive was very pretty, animated and popular. We then went into the
prettiest part of the forest, called the Calvaire, whence there is an
admirable view. From the depths of the ravines over which we hung
singers who had been stationed there raised their song. It was
delightful, and the weather, wonderful to relate, lent such a charm to
the drive that it was prolonged. We eventually returned past the large
vine arbour and the canal.
After dinner we had a tiresome comic opera, _The Flash_, followed by
_The Caliph of Bagdad_, for which the King had asked as an old
favourite. It was very late before this was over, and as I stayed up
with M. de Talleyrand my sleep was cut short, the more so as his early
departure obliged me to be ready in good time. The King and Madame
came to say good-bye to him in his room. After lunch the King amused
himself by showing the Château to three or four guests. I was
delighted both with the Château and with our guide.
_Paris, June 5, 1837._--I came back yesterday from Fontainebleau. Mass
was said at six o'clock in the morning, and then the departure took
place. I was included in the royal company, and thus arrived in
excellent time, not leaving them until they turned off for
Saint-Cloud. The last day at Fontainebleau, the day before yesterday,
was occupied much to my taste, by a historical excursion, and in the
evening we had a theatrical performance by actors from the Gymnasium.
The whole stay at Fontainebleau was very pleasant, as I received much
attention and kindness.
As soon as I arrived yesterday I went to the Champs Elysées to Madame
de Flahaut's house; she had urgently begged me to come and see the
royal entry, for which the weather was magnificent. There was a vast
crowd and a most brilliant procession, the Princess bowing with
perfect grace. The view from the Place Louis XV. and the Champs
Elysées was magnificent. All went off very well, but there was not
enough cheering and more curiosity than enthusiasm. People opened
their eyes but not their mouths. The main point is that there were no
pistol-shots, and that the King was able to show himself to the crowd
without any _apparent_ precautions.
_Paris, June 6, 1837._--Yesterday I saw M. Royer-Collard, who was
somewhat displeased with the marriage of the Prince Royal, as a man of
the Faubourg Saint-Germain might well be. I was vexed with him, and we
had a small quarrel. He is partial in his views, and his conversation
is intolerant to an extraordinary degree.
The day before yesterday in the garden of the Tuileries there were
more than sixty thousand people present from eleven o'clock in the
morning to eleven at night, and such real enthusiasm that the King was
obliged to leave his state dinner in the Hall of the Marshals and come
out upon the balcony with his family, whence he uttered a few words of
thanks, which were received with infinite delight. From the moment of
entering the garden until the march past of the troops the royal
family remained in the Pavillon de l'Horloge, whence there was a
magnificent view. The setting sun gilded the top of the Obelisk and
the Arc de Triomphe, and was reflected upon the arms and cuirasses of
the troops; the benches of the National Guard were adorned with
flowers. I am assured that it was a real transformation scene.
There seems to be much inclination towards a dissolution of the
Chamber, at any rate on the part of M. Molé. M. Royer-Collard is
vigorously urging him in that direction.
The Turkish Ambassador here can speak a few words of French. This
discovery is due to myself, for every one took his professed ignorance
so literally as not to speak a word to him. He looked so dull that I
felt sorry for him, and made a venture. He replied in a few words, and
the result is that I have been allowed to see the portrait of Sultan
Mahmoud, who seems to be very handsome.
_Paris, June 7, 1837._--Yesterday I called upon the Queen to thank her
for Fontainebleau. The Duchesse d'Orléans was with her mother-in-law,
gracious, pretty, and amiable. She is a real treasure, and is
generally popular. She delighted the Council of State, the peers, and
the Deputies by adding a kind phrase to the answer which her husband
returned to the different speeches. She has spoken individually to
each peer, and never in commonplaces. They are all delighted.
My awakening this morning was a sad one, as news was brought to me of
the death of Adrien de Laval. He was a sincere friend, and they are
scarce. I am very sorry, both for him and for his aunt the good
Vicomtesse de Laval, who is hardly able to bear such a shock; and if
she also should be carried off it would be a heavy blow to M. de
Talleyrand.
_Paris, June 8, 1837._--The popularity of the Princess Royal increases
steadily. She has even been talking to General Neigre, of the Antwerp
Artillery. The Duc d'Orléans is extremely proud and happy at the
respect shown to her. It is certain that the personal influence of his
wife increases his own importance, and I already see that the Pavillon
Marsan will rise superior to the Pavillon de Flore.[71] I am not sure
that some small jealousy has not already arisen.
[71] At the Palace of the Tuileries the Pavillon Marsan was
occupied by the Duc and Duchesse d'Orléans, while the Pavillon de
Flore was occupied by Madame Adélaïde, sister of King
Louis-Philippe.
The following story is related as a fact: The Duchesse d'Orléans saw
her husband turn his opera-glasses for a long time in the direction of
Madame Lehon. She then turned to him and took away the opera-glasses,
saying, half jestingly and half seriously: "That is no compliment to
me, and is not polite to the person at whom you look." He is said to
have offered no objection to her action, and if this is true it is
noteworthy.
M. de Flahaut is furious because he has not received the Grand Cordon
of the Legion of Honour. He had proposed to resign his post as First
Equerry, but has changed his mind. It is said that the Duc de Coigny
refuses him any authority except over the stable.
_Paris, June 11, 1837._--I cannot give many details concerning
yesterday's festivity at Versailles. I started about one o'clock in
full dress, with the Duchesse d'Albuféra, and we came back together
at four o'clock in the morning. The weather was beautiful, the spot
admirable, the gardens in regal state, the inside of the house
splendid, and the sight magnificent. It lasted for five hours. My eyes
are smarting with the glare of the lights. Fifteen hundred people were
invited, and yet some are displeased; I admit that I should have drawn
up the lists in another way.
I had the honour of dining at the King's table, for whom it was a
great day. At the last set piece there was a tremendous shout of "Long
live the King!" and it was well deserved.
Count Rantzau, who is escorting the Dowager Grand Duchess of
Mecklenburg, was deeply touched to see in an honourable position the
portrait of Marshal Rantzau, who served under Louis XIV., and whose
descendant he is. He sat by me at dinner, and I drew a great deal out
of him concerning the Princesses, whom I esteem more highly every day.
_Paris, June 12, 1837._--I am starting to-morrow to rejoin M. de
Talleyrand at Valençay.
The King of England is most seriously ill, and is only kept alive with
curaçao and raw meat. He knows that he is dying, and is calling his
family round him: the FitzClarences, and even Lord Munster. Mr.
Caradoc is said to be taking Sir John Conroy's place with the Duchess
of Kent. He sends for presents for her, the cost of which is paid by
the Princess Bagration. It is said that if the King dies the Duchess
of Kent will summon Lord Moira to the post of Prime Minister, who is a
great Radical; others say that King Leopold is advising his niece to
take Lord Palmerston, but the little Princess is inclined to Lord
Grey.
_Valençay, June 14, 1837._--I have just arrived, after a tiring
journey in dreadful heat and two thunderstorms. M. de Talleyrand is
very well, as also is Pauline.
_Valençay, June 17, 1837._--Madame Adélaïde has sent M. de Talleyrand
details of the accidents which took place upon the day of the
fireworks; twenty-three persons were suffocated in the crowd and
thirty-nine are injured. This has naturally caused much grief. The
Duchesse d'Orléans was anxious not to go to the entertainment at the
Hôtel de Ville and to cancel the balls; but it was pointed out to her
that many people would be disappointed and much expense needlessly
incurred. Festivities have therefore been postponed until after the
funeral of the victims.
It seems that the fireworks, the illuminations, and especially the
sham fight, were remarkably beautiful. Popular festivities are hardly
ever held without accidents, and I am always afraid of them. The
victims all belong to the working class, which makes their case still
sadder, and some of them leave their families in poverty.
_Valençay, June 18, 1837._--Pauline has made a conquest of the
Archbishop of Bourges, Mgr. de Villèle, who called here before my
arrival. She is said to have done the honours of the Castle remarkably
well, with unusual self-possession, grace, and propriety. I am not
sorry that she was obliged to try.
Considerable restorations are being made in our great castle. The
northern part of the moat has been cleaned out, and the wretched
little gardens which blocked the approach to it have been cleared
away; there is now a walk all the way round. The belfry upon the town
church looks very well, and in general the place seems improved.
Hostile newspapers try to draw comparisons between the accidents at
the fireworks and the sad scenes upon the marriage of Louis XVI., and
the catastrophe at the Schwarzenberg ball at the time of the Emperor
Napoleon's marriage. They draw omens from these coincidences. But what
more disastrous coincidence could there be for the elder branch of the
Bourbons than the assassination of the Duc de Berry and the revolution
of 1830? Yet no misfortune happened at the marriage of this Prince. It
is not in consequence of such special incidents that kings lose their
thrones.
The Municipal Council at Paris has voted a hundred and fifty thousand
francs for the further expenses of the festivity. Everything is on so
large a scale that the hire of glasses and water-bottles costs four
thousand francs. Ices and refreshments to the amount of twenty
thousand francs were distributed on the day when the festival was
postponed to the workmen and to the hospitals. The patients will have
a feast, and smart sayings are in circulation concerning the
indigestion they are likely to get.
_Valençay, June 19, 1837._--A German newspaper has a story of a vision
which the Duchesse d'Orléans is said to have seen, and speaks of her
idea of playing the part of a second Joan of Arc. All this is
doubtless ridiculous; at the same time there is some mysticism in her
desire to come to France, for M. Bresson, the most prosaic of men, has