Father Castel was a madman, but a good man upon the
whole; he was sorry to see me thus impoverish myself to no purpose.
"Since musicians and the learned," said he, "do not sing by your
scale, change the string, and apply to the women. You will perhaps
succeed better with them. I have spoken of you to Madam de
Beuzenval; go to her from me; she is a good woman who will be glad
to see the countryman of her son and husband. You will find at her
house Madam de Broglie, her daughter, who is a woman of wit. Madam
Dupin is another to whom I also have mentioned you; carry her your
work; she is desirous of seeing you, and will receive you well.
Nothing is done in Paris without the women. They are the curves, of
which the wise are the asymptotes; they incessantly approach each
other, but never touch."
After having from day to day delayed these very disagreeable
steps, I at length took courage, and called upon Madam de Beuzenval.
She received me with kindness; and Madam de Broglie entering the
chamber, she said to her: "Daughter, this is M. Rousseau, of whom
Father Castel has spoken to us." Madam de Broglie complimented me upon
my work, and going to her harpsichord proved to me she had already
given it some attention. Perceiving it to be about one o'clock, I
prepared to take my leave. Madam de Beuzenval said to me: "You are
at a great distance from the quarter of the town in which you
reside; stay and dine here." I did not want asking a second time. A
quarter of an hour afterwards, I understood, by a word, that the
dinner to which she had invited me was that of her servants' hall.
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