I felt my face flush scarlet. I did blush easily. So . he had said that after all the charming things he had whispered to me, all the caresses, all the compliments!
Mercy smiled at my discomfiture, and the implication was that it was good for me to feel foolish for it was the only way in which I could learn the lessons which it was so important for me to master.
He left me depressed. My husband did not like me; nor did the King;
the only difference was that one made a secret of his true feelings and the other did not.
I had a great deal to learn.
The aunts had been kind to me; they had implied they wanted to be my friends, so when I had an invitation to visit Madame Adelaide during that day I gladly accepted it.
When I reached her apartment she embraced me warmly;
then she held me at arms’ length and said: “Berry’s wife !’ and went off into titters of laughter. She said: ” I will summon Victoire, whose apartments adjoin these; she will send for Sophie and we will have a cosy party . the four of us, eh? “
I noticed a young woman sitting at a small table, a book before her. I smiled at her. I thought her extremely dowdy yet I took an immediate liking to her. Seeing herself noticed she immediately rose and dropped a curtsy, flushing a little.
“This is our lectrice Jeanne Louise Hendette Genet,” said Madame Adelaide.
“She is a good reader and we are pleased with her.”
I told her to sit down, and realised immediately that perhaps I was wrong either to speak to her or to give that permission. I should never straighten out this complicated etiquette. At least at the moment Adelaide was friendly enough to overlook it. Victoire arrived.
“Did you ring for Sophie?” asked Adelaide.
“Yes, before leaving,” her sister replied.
Adelaide bowed her head. Then she turned haughtily to the young lectrice and told her that she had permission to retire; the young woman slipped out as quietly as a mouse in fact she reminded me of a mouse, small, grey and timid.
But I had no time to think of her, for Sophie had arrived.
“Berry’s wife is here,” said Adelaide, and Sophie forced herself to look at me. I smiled, and going to her, kissed her. I hated doing it, because she was so ugly; she did not return my kiss but stood with her hands hanging down at her sides and her gaze turned away from me.
Adelaide laughed a loud braying laugh and said she thought they might sit, although in the presence of the Dauphine; at which I laughed;
then Adelaide laughed; Vie to ire looked at her sister and joined in; and when Adelaide nudged Sophie she laughed too. It was rather horrible laughter and in view of what Mercy had told me of the King of France I felt uneasy.
“So,” said Adelaide, ‘you arc Berry’s wife. A strange boy, Berry. ” She nodded her head and watched her sisters, who nodded with her and tried to ape her expression—poor Sophie always coming in late.
“Not like other boys,” went on Adelaide slowly, putting her mouth close to my ear.
I looked startled and all the sisters started to nod again.
“He has a good appetite,” said Victoire.
Adelaide laughed.
“She thinks that a point in his favour. You should see her eat. She has the Bourbon appetite.”
“But I cannot abide pastry crust,” Victoire put in conspiratorially.
“All she thinks of is sitting in her armchair and eating.”
“I like my comforts,” Victoire admitted.
Sophie looked at her sisters as though marvelling at this brilliant conversation, I liked them. They were dears, I thought, though simple.
I was looking for friends on that day.
“Poor Berry! He never laughed and played tricks,” said Adelaide.
“Like Artois!” added Victoire.
“That boy !’ Adelaide was indulgent. She whispered: ” He has a mistress already. At his age! Fancy! “
“He is very young,” I agreed.
“Now, Berry….” She looked at Victoire and they began to laugh.
Sophie was some time before she joined in.
“He was never interested in the girls.”
“He likes his food, though.” Victoire was kindly putting in a good word for him.
Adelaide looked impatiently at her sister and Victoire was alarmed.
Adelaide went on: “When he came to see me as a little boy I would say to him: ” Come, Berry. Here you can be at your ease. Talk. Shout. Make a noise. My poor Berry, I give you carte blanche”.”
“And did he?” I asked.
Adelaide shook her head and they stood there like three wise monkeys all shaking their heads.
“He was not like other boys,” went on Adelaide mournfully; then her eyes gleamed mischievously.
“But now he is a husband.
Is he a husband, Madame la Dauphine? “
She laughed shrilly and the others joined in. I said with dignity:
“Yes, he is my husband.”
“I hope he is a good husband,” said Adelaide.
I think he is a good husband. “
Victoire began to laugh, but she was silenced with a look from her sister, who decided to change the subject.
“What did you think of the stranger who came to supper at the Chateau de la Muette?”
“Oh … the beautiful woman with the blue eyes …”
And the lisp. “
“She is leading the King to perdition.”
I was startled.
“But how? … I heard her duty was to amuse him.”
Adelaide burst into loud cackling laughter. I waited for the others to join in, Victoire just ahead of Sophie.
“She is a putain. Do you know what that is?”
“I do not remember hearing that word before.”
“She is his mistress. Does that explain?” I nodded and she came close to me, her eyes gleaming.
“She worked in brothels before she came here. They say she pleases him because she is full of new tricks … all learned in the brothels, where she was an expert performer.”
I was flushing with embarrassment.
“It cannot be so….”
“Oh, you are young, my dear. You are innocent. You do not know this Court. You need friends you need someone who understands this wickedness you need someone to guide you, to help you.” She had gripped my arm and her face was very close to mine. The other two moved in on me, nodding, and I wanted to run away, to go to the King to ask him if this was true. But I did not know the King. He was not the man I had believed him to be. I could trust Mercy; that was one person of whom I could be sure. And he had told me so.
Adelaide was talking in a low monotone.
“It was wrong of the King to bring her to supper … at such a rime particularly
It was an insult. to you. Your first in time supper . and he chose that moment to bring her in as she has never been brought in before.”
I understood then why Mercy and the others had been disturbed; they knew that this woman, this prostitute, was going to be present, and it was an insult to me. I was deeply wounded, for nothing could show me more clearly that the King had little regard for me. I had thought he loved me, and all the time he was laughing at me for being
