The Baron d'Holbach, who never, as I heard of, had been at
the Chevrette, was one of the latter. Had I at that time been as
mistrusful as I am since become, I should strongly have suspected
Madam d'Epinay to have contrived this journey to give the baron the
amusing spectacle of the amorous citizen. But I was then so stupid
that I saw not that even which was glaring to everybody. My
stupidity did not, however, prevent me from finding in the baron a
more jovial and satisfied appearance than ordinary. instead of looking
upon me with his usual moroseness, he said to me a hundred jocose
things without my knowing what he meant. Surprise was painted in my
countenance, but I answered not a word: Madam d'Epinay shook her sides
with laughing; I knew not what possessed them. As nothing yet passed
the bounds of pleasantry, the best thing I could have done, had I been
in the secret, would have been to have humored the joke. It is true, I
perceived amid the rallying gayety of the baron, that his eyes
sparkled with a malicious joy, which could have given me pain had I
then remarked it to the degree it has since occurred to my
recollection.
One day when I went to see Madam d'Houdetot, at Eaubonne, after
her return from one of her journeys to Paris, I found her
melancholy, and observed that she had been weeping. I was obliged to
put a restraint on myself, because Madam de Blainville, sister to
her husband, was present; but the moment I found an opportunity, I
expressed to her my uneasiness.
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