Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1836-1840
procession, the blessing of the Sacrament, the sermon, prayers for the
royal family and for myself, and a beautiful organ accompaniment,
while the children of the Catholic school sang very well. I think the
whole ceremony lasted nearly three hours. Frau von Wurmb, who lives in
one of my houses a short distance from the town, with a pretty garden
round it, was expecting me to lunch. There was no one present except
her own family, which is numerous.
After lunch Herr von Wurmb asked me to see all the servants of my
estates, who had come together from various points to pay their
respects. Then began a long march past. They form a regular staff, all
nominated by myself and paid from my purse. Such is the custom here
upon large estates: an architect, a doctor, two bailiffs, two
collectors, an agent, a treasurer, and a head keeper, four Catholic
priests and three Protestant pastors, and the mayor of the town; all
true gentlemen and very well educated, speaking and introducing
themselves perfectly. I did my best to please every one, and made a
complete conquest of the priest of Wartenberg, to whom I promised some
embroidery of my own making for his church. When I went away Herr von
Wurmb went with me for part of the road to a very pretty enclosure: an
acre or two of forest surrounded with palings, divided by walks, with
a little piece of water, a good gamekeeper's house, where the
pheasants are brought up most carefully. We saw the sitting hens and
the little pheasants in coops, and also the full-grown birds, which
were near the water or flying in the trees. Nearly six hundred are
sold each year. Roe deer and hares also abound.
It was five o'clock when I got back. After dinner I went to sleep with
weariness, for the day had been long, and the cold increased the
drowsiness produced by the open air.
I am here without newspapers or letters, which I do not miss, and wait
patiently until the post is pleased to make its way to this remote
corner of the world. I have already told myself that this country
would form a very pleasant retreat from the shocks by which Western
Europe is always more or less threatened, and in times of revolution
one would not mind the severity of the climate.
_Günthersdorf, June 15, 1840._--Loving a country life as I do, I have
every possibility of satisfying my desire here, for as I wish to see
everything in a short time I have not a moment to lose; so to-day I
started at nine o'clock in the morning and returned to Wartenberg, to
the old Jesuit convent called the Castle. It is a considerable
building, with cloisters; the cells of the monks have been transformed
into pretty rooms, which are now inhabited by the treasurer, the
bailiff, one of the chief stewards, the doctor, the Protestant pastor
and the Protestant school, while there is a very pretty Catholic
chapel, with fresco paintings and an image of miraculous power which
attracts a large number of pilgrims on the 2nd of July every year.
There is a collection of fine ornaments and sacred vessels of some
value. A little glazed cupboard contains the coins and medals offered
_ex voto_; from my chain I took off the little silver medal with the
effigy of M. de Quélen, and placed it with the other offerings.
This visit was lengthy, and I concluded it by unearthing from a dusty
spot the portraits of the old landowners who had left this property to
the Jesuits by will. After giving orders for the restoration of the
portraits I went to see the brewery, the distillery, and the
stockyards, where cattle are bred for sale at Berlin. All this is on a
very large scale. I have even a winepress, for my vintage is a good
one, and also a large plantation of mulberry trees; the silkworms are
bred, the silk wound off and sent to Berlin, where it is woven.
After all this inspection we went to see two farms at Wartenberg; then
a very agreeable road between beautiful plantations, all made since my
reign began, which extend for two leagues, brought us to the summit of
a wooded hill, from the top of which there is a splendid view over the
Oder--an unusual thing in this part of Silesia. On the road my son
Louis was able to get a shot at some roebuck. I returned here at six
o'clock in the evening. Fortunately the weather was respectable.
I have just opened an old writing-desk, in which I have found papers
of my youth--letters from the Abbé Piatoli and many affecting things
of the kind, such as the wedding present given me by the Prince
Primate; this is a bird in a golden cage which sings and flaps its
wings. Then there are engravings and pieces of embroidery. They have
recalled so many shadows of the past. There is something remarkably
solemn in this past thus suddenly revived with such intense
verisimilitude.
_Günthersdorf, June 17, 1840._--I set out at ten o'clock in the
morning, and returned at eight in the evening. First I visited two
farms which belong to the seigniory of Wartenberg, in the second of
which I had lunch. I also visited the church, for in this country both
the churches and their incumbents are dependent upon the overlord.
After lunch we crossed the Oder by a ferry, and went as far as
Carolath, which is well worth seeing. It is a very large castle upon
a considerable elevation, and was built at different times. The
earliest part goes back to the days of the Emperor Charles IV. Neither
within nor without are there any traces of style or careful work, but
there is something grandiose about the general appearance. There is
nothing in the way of gardens except planted terraces going down to
the Oder. The view is admirable, the more so as the opposite banks are
very well wooded with magnificent old oak-trees upon an expanse of
turf covered with cattle and horses reared in the Prince's stables.
The town of Beuthen and the fortress of Glogau make a good effect in
this countryside. The village is pretty, several factories provide
animation, and a pretty inn adds a touch of gracefulness. The castle
lords, husband and wife, with their youngest daughter, were away on
business. The eldest daughter, a pretty young person, was at the
castle with a young cousin and an old steward of the Prince; they
received me most kindly. A three-horsed carriage was harnessed, and
after crossing the Oder by a ford we drove through the great oak-trees
which I mentioned above, in the midst of which the Princess has built
a delightful cottage, where we were given tea. Unfortunately I was
devoured by gnats, and returned with a swollen face, while a slight
sunstroke in addition completed my overthrow. In this strange climate
cold is so rapidly followed by heat that one is always caught by
surprise. However, I am very glad to have seen Carolath. It is a
curious spot; Chaumont, on the banks of the Loire, gives a fairly good
idea of it.
This morning we started again at nine o'clock, my son and myself, to
visit some of my estates upon the other side of the Oder. The district
is called Schwarmitz, and is more exposed to inundations than any
other. A nephew of the late Herr Hennenberg farms it; he lives at
Kleinitz, another of my estates, but he had come to meet me at the
dykes, which toilsome constructions I visited. His wife, the
Protestant and Catholic clergyman, the head gamekeeper, and a crowd of
people were waiting for us at the farm, together with an excellent
lunch. After the meal we went through the farm in detail, two
farmhouses and a fine strip of oak forest, and then returned by way
of Saabor. This is an estate belonging to the younger brother of
Prince Carolath. If the castle and park were properly kept up they
would be preferable to the castle and park of Carolath, though the
situation is not so good. It is, however, very fine, and the forecourt
most beautiful. The landowner has been ruined, and was very anxious
for me to buy Saabor, which is surrounded by my estates, but
topographical circumstances are no sufficient reason for concluding
such a bargain.
Letters from Paris, which have hitherto gone astray, tell me the
following news: Private correspondence from Africa gives the most
harassing details about that vexatious country. Marshal Valée is again
asking for troops and money.
The Prefect of Tours, M. d'Entraigues, has run away from the uproar
which threatened him in his prefecture. The Sub-Prefect of Loches is
the only victim who has been sacrificed to the demands of the Deputy,
M. Taschereau. The nephew of Madame Mollien is transferred from the
prefecture of the Ariège to that of Cantal, and thus becomes the
Prefect of the Castellanes. M. Royer-Collard tells me that he has
saved M. de Lezay, the Prefect of Blois, and M. Bourbon.[104] With
this object he asked an interview of M. Thiers, with which he seems to
have been well satisfied.
[104] M. Bourbon de Sarty was the prefect of Marne.
M. de La Redorte is now Ambassador at Madrid; his wife is too ill to
accompany him. This is an unexpected step forward in his career, and a
push which will cause vexation to all who will have their own
promotion delayed in consequence. I suppose the King must have made
this concession to his Prime Minister, whose close friend M. de La
Redorte is, by way of recompense for his non-intervention in Spain.
The Duc d'Orléans on his return from Africa is said to have found the
Duchesse d'Orléans in excellent health; the measles from which she has
suffered, by removing the centre of irritation, has restored her
digestion, so that she is able to take food and grow stronger. I am
delighted to hear it.
_Günthersdorf, June 18, 1840._--It has been raining all day, and I was
therefore obliged to abandon the project of visiting a small piece of
land belonging to me, half a league away, which is called Drentkau. I
gave a dinner to twelve people, clergy and local authorities. I shall
have to give two more to do the correct thing. My household is only
arranged for twelve people, and I cannot have more guests at one time.
My son Louis jabbers German with such effrontery that he is making
rapid progress. I have had a call from Prince Frederick of Carolath,
the owner of Saabor. His position in this province is analogous to
that of a lord-lieutenant in an English county.
_Günthersdorf, June 19, 1840._--I visited two schools within my
jurisdiction; they are Catholic schools, and in an excellent state of
efficiency. The education given to the children surprised me, and I
was most delighted and edified. I gave some prizes by way of
encouragement, and have undertaken to provide for the career of a boy
of twelve whose energy and intelligence are really marvellous, though
he is too poor to enter the seminary, for which he feels a special
vocation.
_Sagan, June 21, 1840._--The day before yesterday at Günthersdorf I
received a letter which decided me to come here. Herr von Wolff wrote
to me from Berlin saying that transactions were in progress here of a
very irregular nature and against the interests of my children; that
he was coming to put the matter right, and advised me to come on my
side. I therefore started from Günthersdorf yesterday morning with M.
de Valençay. The journey took us six hours. I put up at the inn; as
things are I do not think it advisable to go to the castle, but how
strangely I was impressed with the necessity! Here, where my father
and sister lived and where I spent so much time in my youth, I have to
go to an inn!
After an hour's conversation with Herr von Wolff we went to the
castle. I recognised everything except things that had been taken away
with some undue haste, and which perhaps will have to be brought back.
My eldest sister's old man of business wept bitterly. He is on very
bad terms with Herr von Gersdorff, who looks after the affairs of my
sister, the Princess of Hohenzollern. I saw him, but did not talk