certain mocking critics were shameless enough to say that the royal palace and its gardens were the ideal places to meet profiteers, pimps and prostitutes. Their vile and dark intimations did not deter, however, the beautiful, idle youth of Paris, the chic gentry the lawyers and the men of the cloth, from getting together daily at those places, especially in the evenings before and after the theater. A large number of charming ladies of every conceivable variety formed the main decoration. The lines that were formed upon the benches under the large trees of the promenade made many a head turn. They offered the onlooker a festive, pleasing and relaxing view while the variety was truly astonishing, and the multitude defied description. Thousands of little girls huddled together like sparrows on a tree branch exuding an aroma of lascivious-ness. There is no other place in the world like it. But what could possibly be so remarkable about it? If it is true that we are the soul of all pleasures, if it is correct and proper to chase us, then why shouldn't our gathering places be the most beautiful ones in the world? The secret gift, which enables us to enchant and cheer up any gentleman who selects our company, is indeed so inseparable from our personalities that voluptuousness and debauchery follow us even into the Holy of Holies. The best proof of that is the Church of the Hospital for the Blind. It was our privilege to carry on in that place just as shamelessly as around the Palais Royal and our Opera. During the services we would be pursued with promising gestures, artful obeisances or the loud clicking of the handles of lorgnettes. They even go much further than that: they lean forward and whisper suggestive jokes into our ears. Our replies are equally as kind and charming, our suggestions just as daring, frequently interrupted by laughter and giggles which we try to hide by holding our fans in front of our faces. Meanwhile the Mass draws to an end while we have not had a chance to watch the motions of the priest; yes, sometimes we are not even aware whether he is standing in front of the altar or not. Our pious devotions usually result in a small supper at one of the petites maisons, or in a little intrigue.
One day, I agreed to an affair which disappointed me most painfully. One of those most charming lady's escorts, who are so adept at embezzling, who, thanks to the unpardonable carelessness of the chief of police, prowl around in Paris and show off their splendor, and create uproars at the expense of the same decent people they fleece, one of those depraved rascals, I said, whose pompous manners impress everybody, had discovered the secret of how to participate in every entertainment. Whether it was a trip into the Bois de Boulogne, or a supper, one would have died of boredom if Monsieur le Chevalier had not been present.
I had accidentally observed that an affair with this despicable breed is the more dangerous since most of them have a sweet and ingratiating character which allows them to combine an indulging and easy-going temper with the most courtly and obliging manners. To make it brief, they possess to a great extent that which is improperly considered perfect manners in polite society. I must add that this experience has taught me to beware of personages with impeccable manners and extravagant courtliness, because people like that are very seldom honorable and trustworthy.
Let me tell you about this fortune hunter. For a long time now, I had coveted the gorgeous diamond ring on his finger. The chiseler had quite frequently hinted that he deemed it too slight a payment for even the smallest of my attentions. Even though I pretended that I did not trust him, I had too high an opinion of my own charms to believe that he was merely joking. I therefore did not doubt in the least that this beautiful ring would sooner or later be mine. I was only waiting for the proper opportunity to strip him of his possession. One fine Sunday morning, during Mass in the Hospital of the Blind, I thought I finally had my chance. My cavalier found a place next to me and after he had started a gallant conversation, spiked with all sorts of sweet nothings, I answered that I considered his flattering talk very delightful if I could only be convinced that it came from his heart.
“Ah!” he exclaimed with a deep sigh, “do your eyes only have the capacity to discover great possibilities in others, and are they closed to your own great qualities?”
“Let us assume that I have any,” I countered, “would that give me less reason to mistrust the palaver of gentlemen? Is that not precisely the way you daily flatter women into submission, women that are far worthier than I am? Oh, Monsieur le Chevalier, if I were to put you on the spot and desire a token of your sincerity, I am sure it would greatly embarrass you!”
“What?” he exclaimed. “Do you believe I am capable of double-dealing…?”
“I believe you,” I interrupted him, “as much as I do all the others who half of the time say what they don't mean and often make promises which they have not the slightest intention of keeping. For instance — yes, yes, and I am not joking now — you must admit that you would be greatly embarrassed if I were to take you up on your promise when you offered me your diamond.”
“Madame,” he answered in a deeply hurt tone of voice. “Ere you make up your mind about people in such a derogatory manner, I think it would be only fair if you were to put me to the test.”
“What do you expect?” I said smilingly. “The good ones must suffer for the deeds of the bad ones. In general, men are so deceitful that I do not consider it an injustice when we girls do not have a better opinion of your ilk. But since I do not really have any true reason which forces me to pass judgment upon you personally, I am more than willing to make an exception in your favor and assume that you have none of the bad qualities of your sex but only those which make it so desirable. But I do not think that this is the proper place to go any further into such speculations. Why don't you come with me and have a small cup of soup during which we can continue this metaphysical discussion to our heart's content.”
That was exactly what this cheat had hoped I would do. The first thing he did when we entered my home, was to put the ring on my finger. The rapture into which the possession of this precious jewel brought me, made it impossible for me not to give in to any and all of his wishes and desires. Before and after dinner I gave him as many tokens of my gratitude as he wanted. But do you think I had gained anything out of this affair? The diamond was a fake. I discovered that one of my most valuable gold snuff boxes was missing; the scoundrel had absconded with it. My only real gain consisted of one of those infirmities which the doctors at Saint-Come generally treat with cooling diuretics and blood cleansing potions. And the worst thing of this whole miserable adventure was that I did not dare to take vengeance or to complain about the infamous behavior of this swindler. I was far more afraid that he would talk, and I believe that I would have paid him for keeping the whole sordid affair a secret. But I was smart enough to patiently swallow my pride and to go on the prescribed diet without crying over spilled milk. And to make sure that I would derive the greatest benefit from my medicine, I pretended to suffer from chest pains so that Monsieur Thuret allowed me a leave of absence from my dancing chores. Of course, I still sought out the Opera, but I pretended that I wished to remain incognito and seated myself in the amphitheater, now and then glancing at the stage with a bored expression on my face. My good Lord, the number of absurdities with which I enriched the audience by answering all the stupid and boring proposals and suggestions is simply staggering! From the left and from the right, a whole flock of chatterers, whispering every single absurdity into my ears! Is it really possible that men are so frivolous, and do they have to go into such detailed descriptions? And is it truly possible that we hanker after these superficial flatteries and lowly compliments, and do we enjoy listening to these inanities so much that we are the cause of them being uttered in the first place?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN. THE ABBE
Among the enormous number of lamebrains was a banker with a rather blemished complexion, but of a tall build, who whispered with incredible daring the most unspeakable obscenities into my ears. These stupidities could only be the inventions of a demented mind. And an old, toothless commander — a real flatterer who would be capable of making even the most boring people fall asleep — tried his best to make me fall for his reddish, charming little slit-eyes by repeating an uncounted number of lines and phrases from the Roman d'Astree. Seated at some distance from these two champion roosters was a younger generation of idiots who threw passionate glances in my direction and whispered so softly to one another that their carefully phrased compliments made me dizzy. I was enchanting, a divine beauty, I surpassed the angels and my glitter was more brilliant than the stars. And whenever I looked in their direction, they glanced demurely at their fingertips to convince me of the sincerity of their remarks concerning my charms and to make sure that I would understand they were not meant to be overheard by me.
And the more I thought about so much impudence, the more I was tempted to believe that either creatures like us had an incredible magnetic influence or that men had to be utterly blind beings. But, however this may be, the ridiculous desire, which is rampant throughout France, to have an affair with a girl from the theater rather than with the women of the kingdom who fully deserve male attention by right of birth or merit, is widespread and has become a symbol of status. Is it possible that such shortsightedness can be ascribed to mere vanity, to the
