IamnotyetsofarreducedthatIcannotpurchaseitfor
you。
Ihaveatriflingannuity——“
“Andyouwouldbeamuchricherman，“screamedTherese，“ifyou
wouldinsistuponthosepeopleattheoperapayingyouwhatthey
oweyou。“
Thesewordswereaccompaniedwithashrugofthe
shoulders，intendedtoconveyavastideaofherownopinion。
Rousseaumadenoreply；indeedheappearedtomelikeafrightened
childinthepresenceofitsnurse；andIcouldquicklysee，that
fromthemomentofherenteringtheroomhehadbecomerestless
anddejected，hefidgetedonhisseat，andseemedlikeaperson
inexcessivepain。
Atlengthherose，andrequestingmypardon
forabsentinghimself，headded，“Mywifewillhavethehonour
toentertainyouwhilstIamaway。“
Withthesewordsheopened
asmallglass-door，anddisappearedintheneighbouringroom。
WhenwewerealonewithTherese，shelostnotimeinopening
theconversation。
“Madam，“criedshe，“Itrustyouwillhavethegoodnesstoexcuse
M。Rousseau；heisveryunwell；itisreallyextremelyvexatious。“
IrepliedthatM。Rousseauhadmadehisownexcuses。
Justthen
Therese，wishingtogiveherselftheappearanceofgreatutility，
criedout，
“AmIwantedthere，M。Rousseau？“
“No，no，no，“repliedJeanJacques，inafaintvoice，whichdied
awayasifatadistance。
Hesoonafterre-enteredtheroom。
“Madam，“saidhe，“havethekindnesstoplaceyourmusicinother
handstocopy；IamtrulyconcernedthatIcannotexecuteyour
wishes，butIfeeltooilltosetaboutitdirectly。“
Ireplied，thatIwasinnohurry；thatIshouldbeinParissome
timeyet，andthathemightcopyitathisleisure。
Itwasthen
settledthatitshouldbereadywithinaweekfromthattime；
uponwhichIrose，andceremoniouslysalutingTherese，was
conductedtothedoorbyM。Rousseau，whosepolitenessledhim
toescortmethither，holdinghiscapinhishand。
Iretired，
filledwithadmiration，respect，andpity。
WhennextIsawtheducd’Aiguillon，Icouldnotrefrainfrom
relatingtohimallthathadhappened。
Myrecitalinspiredhim
withthemostlivelycuriositytoseeRousseau，whomhehad
nevermetinsociety。
Itwasthenagreed，thatwhenIwentto
fetchmymusicheshouldaccompanyme，disguisedinasimilar
mannertomyself，andthatIshouldpasshimoffasmyuncle。
At
theendoftheeightdaysIrepairedearlyasbeforetoParis；
thedukewasnotlonginjoiningmethere。
Hewassoinimitably
welldisguised，thatnopersonwouldeverhavedetectedthemost
elegantnoblemanofthecourtofFrancebeneaththegarbofa
plaincountrysquire。
Wesetoutlaughing。
likesimpletonsat
theeasyairwithwhichheworehisnewcostume；nevertheless
ourgaietydisappearedaswereachedthehabitationofJ。
J。
Rousseau。
Spiteofourselveswewerecompelledtohonourand
respectthemanoftalentandgenius，whopreferredindependence
ofideastoriches，andbeforewhomrankandpowerwerecompelled
tolayasidetheirunmeaningtrappingseretheycouldreachhis
presence。
Whenwereachedthefifthlanding-placeIrang，and
thistimethedoorwasopenedbyTherese，whotoldusMRousseau
wasout。
“But，madam，“answeredI，“Iamherebythedirectionofyour
husbandtofetchawaythemusichehasbeenengagedincopying
forme。“
“Ah，madam，“exclaimedshe，“isityou？
Ididnotrecollectyou
again；praywalkin。
M。Rousseauwillbesuretobeathomeforyou。“
“So，then，“thoughtI，“evengeniushasitsvisitinglists。“
We
entered；JeanJacquesformallysalutedus，andinvitedustobe
seated。
Hethengavememymusic；Iinquiredwhatitcameto；
heconsultedalittlememorandumwhichlayuponthetable，and
replied，“Somanypages，somuchpaper，eighteenlivrestwelve
sous；“which，ofcourse，Iinstantlypaid。
Theducd’Aiguillon，
whomIstyledmyuncle，wasendeavoringtoleadRousseauinto
conversation，whentheouterbellrang。
Theresewenttoopen
thedoor，andagentlemanentered，ofmatureage，althoughstill
preservinghisgoodlooks。
Thedukeregardedhiminsilenceand
immediatelymadesignsformetohastenourdeparture；Iobeyed，
andtookleaveofRousseau，withmanythankshispunctuality。
He
accompaniedusasbeforetodoor，andthereIquittedhimnever
toseehimmore。
Asweweredescendingthestaircase，M。d’Aiguillon
toldmethatthepersonwhohadsohastenedourdeparturewas
Duclas，andthathishurrytoquitRousseauarosefromhisdread
ofbeingrecognisedbyhim。
AlthoughM。Duclaswasaveryexcellent
man，ImustownthatIowednosmallgrudgeforavisitwhichhad
thusabridgedours。
Intheeveningtheducd’Aiguillonandmyselfrelatedtotheking
ourmorning’spilgrimage。
Ilikewiserecountedmyformervisit，
whichIhadconcealeduntilnow。
LouisXVseemedgreatlyinterested
withtherecitalofit；heaskedmeathousandquestions，andwould
fainhearthemosttriflingparticulars。
“Ishallneverforget，“saidLouisXV，“theamazingsuccess
obtainedbyhis’’Therecertainlyweresome
beautifulairs“，andthekingbegantohumoverthesongof
“