to see her one
day, and this Princess persisted in addressing me as "Miss." It is
true that it had formerly been the custom for great ladies to behave
in this way toward their inferiors, but that sort of court snobbery
had gone out with Louis XV.

Another noted country estate, Gennevilliers, belonged to the Count de
Vaudreuil, one of the most amiable of men. The Count de Vaudreuil had
bought this property largely for His Highness the Count d'Artois,
because it included fine hunting-grounds. The purchaser had done much
to embellish the place. The house was furnished in the best taste, and
without ostentation; there was a small but charming theatre in the
house, where my sister-in-law, my brother, M. de Riviere and I often
played in comic operas with Mme. Dugazon, and Garat, Cailleau, and
Laruette. The Count d'Artois and his company witnessed our
performances. The last given in the theatre at Gennevilliers was "The
Marriage of Figaro" by the actors of the Comedie-Francaise. Mlle.
Contat was delightful in the part of Suzanne. Dialogue, couplets, and
all the rest were aimed against the court, of which a large part was
present. This extravagance benefited no one, but Beaumarchais was none
the less intoxicated with joy. As there were complaints of the heat,
he allowed no time for the windows to be opened, but smashed all the
panes with his walking-stick.

The Count de Vaudreuil came to repent of having given his patronage to
the "Marriage of Figaro." In fact, very soon after the performance
mentioned Beaumarchais asked for an audience. This being at once
granted, he arrived at Versailles at such an early hour that the Count
had only just got up. The dramatist then broached a financial project
which he had hatched out, and which was to bring in a vast fortune. He
concluded by proposing to hand over to M. de Vaudreuil a large sum if
he would engage to carry the affair through successfully. The Count
listened quite calmly, and when Beaumarchais finished speaking,
answered: "M. de Beaumarchais, you could not come at a more favourable
time, for I have spent a good night, my digestion is in good order,
and I never felt better than I do to-day. If you had made such a
proposition to me yesterday I would have thrown you out of the
window."

Another fine country place I visited was Villette. The Marquise de
Villette, nicknamed Lovely and Lovable, having invited me, I went to
pass a few days there. On one occasion we found a man pa