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age of about seventeen she was married to a Comte de Genlis, who
had fallen in love with her on seeing her portrait. As his relatives
refused to welcome the young girl, she was placed in the convent of
Origny, where she remained until 1764, after which her husband took
her to his brother's estate, where they lived happily for a short
time. When, in 1765, she became a mother, her husband's family became
reconciled to his union, and, later on, took her to court.

Before her marriage, upon the departure of her father to San Domingo
to retrieve his fortunes, her mother had found an asylum for her at
the elegant home of the farmer-general M. de La Popeliniere. This
occurred at the time that Paris was theatre mad, and when great actors
and actresses were the heroes and heroines of society. At this house
the young girl became the central figure in the theatrical and musical
entertainments. After passing through this schooling, she stood the
test of the court without any difficulty, and completely won the favor
of her husband's family, as well as that of the court ladies and
the members of the other distinguished households where she was
introduced. With an insatiable appetite for frolics, quite in keeping
with the customs of the time, she plunged into social life with a
vigor and an aptitude which soon attracted attention. She played all
sorts of roles at the most fashionable houses, "through her consummate
acting and _bons mots_ drawing tears of vexation from her less gifted
sisters. She plays nine instruments, writes dramas, recasts others,
organizes and drills amateurs, besides attending to a thousand and one
other things."

Through the influence of her aunt, Mme. de Montesson, who was
secretly married to the Duke of Orleans, Mme. de Genlis was appointed
lady-in-waiting in the household of the Duchesse de Chartres, the
duke's daughter-in-law, whose salon was celebrated in Paris. She
soon won the confidence of the duchess, and became her confessor,
secretary, guide, and oracle, but did not abandon in the least her
pursuit of pleasure. She even took possession of the heart of the duke
himself, and in 1782 was made "_gouverneur_" to his children, the Duc
de Valois, later Louis-Philippe, the Duc de Montpensier, the Comte de
Beaujolais, and Mlle. Adelaide; for the education of her pupils she
had the use of several chateaux. Many a piquant epigram and chanson
were composed for the edification of the "_gouverneur_." It is said