Valençay, September 22, 1837.—M. de Salvandy has written, upon his arrival in Paris during the session of the Council, telling M. de Talleyrand that he had found everybody much excited at the news from Spain; all are expecting to hear of the arrival of Don Carlos at Madrid. It is possible that this news will somewhat disturb arrangements for the dissolution and the elections.
Valençay, September 28, 1837.—Madame Adélaïde writes that the marriage of her niece to Duke Alexander of Würtemberg will take place at Trianon on October 12. Madame de Castellane tells me that the Lieven-Guizot flirtation is unparalleled. He is making her read Dante and Tasso, and never leaves her house. Since he has been in the country he writes letters to her of ten pages. During his absence the Princess went to his house, gained admission to his rooms, and examined everything carefully. She has written curious but sensible articles on the subject. An article has appeared concerning the whole affair in Le Temps. This has made her furious, and she has had a very lively interview with M. Molé, because Le Temps is said to be considerably under Ministerial influence; hence relations between the Prime Minister and herself are somewhat strained. It is all very ridiculous, and I am glad to be away from Paris and all this gossip.
In any case, a retired life is delightful. In society one squanders too much energy; instead of laying up a proper store of provisions for the great journey, we scatter them broadcast, and find ourselves lacking when we have to start. Terrible is our want and disgraceful our indigence! I am sometimes really terrified at my wretched condition.
Yesterday I had a sad piece of news—the death of the young Princess of Arsoli, daughter of the late Madame de Carignan. She was carried off by cholera in the same week as her mother-in-law, Princess Massimo. I had seen her born.
Valençay, September 29, 1837.—The Baron de Montmorency, who arrived here yesterday, thinks that there is some hitch in the Würtemberg marriage. The King of Würtemberg seems to have suddenly refused his consent, except on condition that all the children should be Protestants, while our Queen wishes them all to be Catholics. If the Duke Alexander yields to the Queen there will be a marriage the more without the head of the family, which never looks well. If France gives way to the King of Würtemberg the Princess will have to go to be married at the frontier, as was Mlle. de Broglie, for the French Catholic clergy will only allow mixed marriages on condition that all the children are brought up as Catholics. It is really inconceivable that so important a question was not decided before the announcement of the marriage. It will lead to any number of vexatious ideas, and show with what difficulty business can be conducted at our Court.
It is said that Von Hügel, the Austrian Chargé d'Affaires at Paris, is going mad.
Valençay, October 1, 1837.—Yesterday our theatricals took place, for which we had been rehearsing for a fortnight; I played my part in spite of a headache. People kindly said that I entirely concealed my suffering on the stage, but as soon as it was over I was obliged to go to bed at once. The performance was quite successful, and Pauline played two totally different parts so admirably that I begin to wonder whether I ought to allow her to continue this amusement. Our scene from the Femmes savantes went very well, and M. de la Besnardière, who is an old theatre-goer, asserts that he never saw it so well played. I really think that it went with a certainty, a unity, and a correctness that were quite remarkable. M. de Talleyrand was delighted. There was supper and dancing after the performance, but I was not there.
Valençay, October 2, 1837.—All the neighbours about us went away yesterday after mass, but in the course of the day a certain Mr. Hamilton arrived, who is an American, and the son of Colonel Hamilton, who was well known during the War of Independence in the United States; M. de Talleyrand often speaks of him, and was very intimate with him in America. The son did not wish to leave the Old World, where he has been making a tour, without seeing his father's friend. He brought his own son with him, a young man of twenty-one. Neither of them speak French, so I exhausted myself in making English conversation. They are starting again this morning. In his own country Mr. Hamilton belongs to the Opposition party. He is a sensible man, but with that tinge of Americanism which is always somewhat disagreeable in the best of them.
Valençay, October 7, 1837.—I hear from Paris that the difficulties with Würtemberg have been smoothed over. The marriage is to take place on the 14th, and everything is going on to the general satisfaction. Our Princess has been invited to Stuttgart. The Duc d'Orléans is said to be the only member of the family dissatisfied with this union, and we are told that he treated his future brother-in-law more than coldly at Compiègne.
Valençay, October 9, 1837.—The Duc Decazes arrived here unexpectedly at dinner-time yesterday. He was on his way from Livorno, full of the Bordeaux affair, which he seems inclined to visit upon the Prefect, M. de Pressac. After dinner he continued his journey to Paris, where he is summoned by the marriage of the Princesse Marie. He had left M. Thiers and all his family at Tours. We are expecting them to-day.