But another thing which surprised me more than this had done, was
the discovery that besides the private conversations Diderot and Grimm
had frequently had with both to endeavor to detach them from me, in
which, by means of the resistance of Theresa, they had not been able
to succeed, they had afterwards had frequent conferences with the
mother, the subject of which was a secret to the daughter. However,
she knew little presents had been made, and that there were mysterious
goings backward and forward, the motive of which was entirely
unknown to her. When we left Paris, Madam le Vasseur had long been
in the habit of going to see Grimm twice or thrice a month, and
continuing with him for hours together, in conversation so secret that
the servant was always sent out of the room.
I judged this motive to be of the same nature with the project
into which they had attempted to make the daughter enter, by promising
to procure her and her mother, by means of Madam d'Epinay, a salt
huckster's license, or a snuff-shop; in a word, by tempting her with
the allurements of gain. They had been told that, as I was not in a
situation to do anything for them, I could not, on their account, do
anything for myself. As in all this I saw nothing but good intentions,
I was not absolutely displeased with them for it. The mystery was
the only thing which gave me pain, especially on the part of the old
woman, who moreover daily became more parasitical and flattering
towards me.
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