house, the Count de Segur, impelled by his old
habits of gallantry to pay the ladies a few compliments. Mme. de
Canisy was announced, a very handsome woman, with the figure of a
painter's model. And then we lost our only knight, for the Count went
to lay himself at the feet of this beauty, and did not leave her the
whole evening.

[Illustration: MME. COURCELLES.]

I was seated next to Mme. de Bassano, who had been praised highly to
me, and whom I had thus been anxious to see. She seemed very much
wrapped up in the diamond monogram given me by the Queen of Naples
when I bade that Princess farewell. Moreover, considering me probably
as an interloper, since I was neither a minister's wife nor a lady of
the court, she spoke not a single word to me, which did not, however,
prevent me from looking at her repeatedly and judging her extremely
pretty.

The first artist I went to see was M. Vien, who had formerly been
created first painter to the King, and whom Bonaparte had recently
nominated Senator. He was then eighty-two years old. M. Vien may be
regarded as heading the restoration of the French school. After this
visit I went to M. Gerard's, already famous for his pictures,
"Belisarius" and "Psyche." He had just finished a fine portrait of
Mme. Bonaparte reclining on a sofa, which was to add yet more to his
reputation in this style of painting. Mme. Bonaparte's portrait made
me wish to see that which Gerard had done of Mme. Recamier. So I went
to that lovely woman's house, delighted with the chance of making her
acquaintance.

One woman there was who rivalled Mme. Recamier in respect of beauty.
This was Mme. Tallien. Besides her great beauty, she had great
goodness of heart; in the Revolution a host of victims condemned to
death owed their lives to the influence she exercised upon Tallien.
The rescued ones called her "Our Lady of Good Help." She received me
most graciously. Later, after marrying the Prince de Chimay, she
inhabited a palatial house at the end of the Rue de Babylone, where
she and her husband diverted themselves with giving plays. They both
acted very well. She invited me to see one of these pieces, and came
to several of my evening parties. I had the felicity, too, at this
time, of knowing Ducis, whose admirable character equalled his rare
talent. The ease and simplicity of all his ways contrasted so well
with the splendid imagination with which Heaven had gifted him that I
have never known a more lovab