Since I
had had nothing more to read to her, the door of her apartment was not
so frequently open to me, and during her stay at Montmorency, although
I regularly presented myself, I seldom saw her except at table. My
place even there was not distinctly marked out as usual. As she no
longer offered me that by her side, and spoke to me but seldom, not
having on my part much to say to her, I was as well satisfied with
another, where I was more at my ease, especially in the evening; for I
mechanically contracted the habit of placing myself nearer and
nearer to the marechal.
Apropos of the evening: I recollect having said I did not sup at the
castle, and this was true, at the beginning of my acquaintance
there; but as M. de Luxembourg did not dine, nor even sit down to
table, it happened that I was for several months, and already very
familiar in the family, without ever having eaten with him. This he
had the goodness to remark upon, when I determined to sup there from
time to time, when the company was not numerous; I did so, and found
the suppers very agreeable, as the dinners were taken almost standing;
whereas the former were long, everybody remaining seated with pleasure
after a long walk; and very good and agreeable, because M. de
Luxembourg loved good eating, and the honors of them were done in a
charming manner by madam la marechale. Without this explanation it
would be difficult to understand the end of a letter from M. de
Luxembourg, in which he says he recollects our walks with the greatest
pleasure; especially, adds he, when in the evening we entered the
court and did not find there the traces of carriages.
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