The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-11-23

In the gorgeous apartments OF the
Hotel d'Etoilles might be seen Fonte-
nellie, who believed in nothing; Voltaire
who believed In less; Maupertuis and
Montesquieu, both sceptios and Knockers;
and host Of kindred spirits who de-
lighted to bask in the smiles of their
gracious hostess, and offer the incense
of adulation and flattery at her altar. In
such an atmosphere the principles of
saint would have become contaminated
but Madame d Etoilles was no saint
only the sweetest of sinners; and she
grew In knowledge and in fascination,
waiting impatiently for the time when
she could bring these forces TO bear upon
the throne itself, where sat the idol of
her dreams.
Among the roues and literateurs who
iluttered around her shrine was one per.
son for whom our heroine seems to have
felt pure and unselfish regard-Pierre
Bernard, poet of considerable celebrity
whom Voltaire nicknamed "Le GentI
Bernard" She was accustomed TO pet
him like spoilt child, and he returned
her kindness with devotion which
never changed while life lasted. When
she had attained the summit of her
ambition, and the patronage of the
kingdom was at her disposal, she said to
him one day-"What can do for you,
my dear poet ?"
ri, ,cta nntal1 nj a
word, but simply raised her hand to his
lips and kissed it. The marchioness
received the caress with laugh, merely
remarking-" Go to, Pierre, you will
never get on in the world" She gave
him, however, the appointment of libra
rian to the king, and built for him at
Choissy a charming cottage ornee, which
his brother bards used to call 1.-THE Par
nassus of the French Anacreon."
Meanwhile Nine. d'Etoilies passed for
and for all we know was-the model
of the virtuous wife; always declaring
that no man living could ever ALLEVIATE
her affections from their legitimate lord,
unless that man should be the king of
France. Louis heard of this curious
reservation in his favor, but contented
himself with saying" should very
much like to see this husband"
The lady then prepared to go to
Mahomet, as Mahomet showed no dis
position to come to the mountain and
she began her attack in thoroughly
feminine manner. Monsieur d'Etoilles
owned an old chateau in the forest of
Senart, and madame's health suddenly
falling, her skillful physician recon-
mended a change of air and scene.
What better place could there be for a
temporary home than the leafy dells of
Senart? especially as the king was in
the habit of traversing the forest with
horn and hounds. The chateau was
accordingly repaired and refurnished,
and the amiable invalid took up her
residence there. In order to facilitate
her recovery she had built three or four
elegant carriages of different styles, and
in these she drove out every day when
the weather permitted; sometimes, !"
says Soulavie, "arrayed as goddess
from Olympus sometimes as an earthly
queen; at one time she would appear in
an azure robe, seated in rose-colored
pheton; at another in robe of rose
color in ph@ton of pale blue" She
met the royal cortege frequently. On
the first occasion Louis took no notice
of the brilliant equipage or its mistress
on the second he complimented the
horses; on the third he complimented
the carriage, and on the fourth he made
some trifling remark upon the lady q
beauty. But matters went no farther.
Baffied in her attempts on this line,
che tried another. Private theatricals
were gotten up on grand scale at the
chateau (; the court was invited and
came, and Madame d'Etoilles assumed
the principal parts. But she strove in
vain to tempt the king behind the
scenes; Madame de Chateauroux was
the reigning favorite then, and wal
shrewd enough to see through the
designs Of her rival, and kept the incon
stant monarch always within the limits
of the royal box. So two seasons passed
away, and then the star of the bolt
adventures began to rise above tn,
horison. Chateauroux was dead, ant
the grand Turk needed another sultan;
and the sultana was ready. In Decem
Der, l744, there was given at the Hote
de Vile series of brilliant fetes; tn,
ladies who attended being required t.
wear Mosques. Thither, of course, wen
the aspiring spouse of poor d'Etoilles
and, during the evening, she contrive'
to have q Leke-O fsfe with his nnaiasf "