CHAPTER VII.
SOCIETY IN PARIS—JOURNEY TO HOMBURG—THE LANDGRAVE AND THE LANDGRAVINE—THE DOWAGER QUEEN OF WÜRTEMBERG—CHRISTMAS AT LOUISBURG.
JOURNAL CONTINUED—1822.
January 12th.—Yesterday the Duchess de Bourbon died suddenly in the newly consecrated church of Sainte-Geneviève. She was in the seventy-second year of her age, and was aunt to the Duke of Orleans. She had been long separated from her husband, having been very gay in her youth. Latterly she did much good in charities. Her husband was more afflicted at her death than could have been expected. He said she had good qualities, and, besides, she was the mother of his son, the unfortunate Duke d’Enghien.
17th.—Yesterday evening the Duchess of Orleans was brought to bed of a son, named the Duke d’Aumale by the King. She has since had visits from all the ladies of the Royal Family.
February 14th.—This morning there were masses of requiem for the Duke de Berri at Notre-Dame, St. Denis, &c. The Duchess de Berri had one in her private chapel at five in the morning, the hour at which he died. Madame de C., one of the ladies of the late Duchess of Orleans, said that on the night of the murder there was a ball at Talma’s, and that the company danced all night. A person of her acquaintance, who lived below him, sent up to beg they would cease, and spare the feelings of those who were in affliction for the calamity that had happened. Talma contented himself with replying that he had not killed the Duke, and that he could not interrupt the amusements of his guests.
May 18th.—The Duke de Richelieu died yesterday, almost suddenly. He was going to Odessa in a few days. It is remarkable that not many days ago his writing-desk was broken open, and fifteen thousand livres (six hundred pounds) stolen from it. He went next day into the country, returned on the 15th, was taken ill on the 17th, and the physicians, when called in, said there was no hope. It was called a “transport du cerveau.”
27th.—Went to St. Cloud. Walked in the grounds, which are very extensive, with enormous trees and a fine view; also in the flower-garden, where an old gardener told M. Volney, who accompanied us, that the day after Bonaparte got in through the window and dissolved the Convention, he found in the morning many of the scarlet robes of the deputies in the basin of water in front of the apartments, which they had thrown in as they ran away in terror.
August 24th.—Left Paris; crossed from Calais to Dover on the 27th, and arrived at Lord St. Vincent’s, Rochetts, on the 29th.
[On the 13th March, 1823, Miss Knight was deprived by death of her venerable friend Lord St. Vincent. From the end of August, 1822, to the 31st July, 1823, Miss Knight paid visits to various friends in England, but on the last-named day she again crossed from Dover to Calais, and arrived in Paris on the 3rd of August, where she remained until the 29th of June of the following year. At this date the autobiographical memoir is resumed.]