" He spoke of a Madam de Warrens, a new convert, to
whom the priests contrived to send those wretches who were disposed to
sell their faith, and with these she was in a manner constrained to
share a pension of two thousand francs bestowed on her by the King
of Sardinia. I felt myself extremely humiliated at being supposed to
want the assistance of a good and charitable lady. I had no
objection to be accommodated with everything I stood in need of, but
did not wish to receive it on the footing of charity, and to owe
this obligation to a devotee was still worse: notwithstanding my
scruples the persuasions of M. de Pontverre, the dread of perishing
with hunger, the pleasures I promised myself from the journey, and
hope of obtaining some desirable situation, determined me; and I set
out, though reluctantly, for Annecy. I could easily have reached it in
a day, but being in no great haste to arrive there, it took me
three. My head was filled with the idea of adventures, and I
approached every country-seat I saw in my way, in expectation of
having them realized. I had too much timidity to knock at the doors,
or even enter if I saw them open, but I did what I dared- which was to
sing under those windows that I thought had the most favorable
appearance; and was very much disconcerted to find I wasted my
breath to no purpose, and that neither young nor old ladies were
attracted by the melody of my voice, or the wit of my poetry, though
some songs my companions had taught me I thought excellent, and that I
sung them incomparably.
Pages:
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72