Page:A French Volunteer of the War of Independence.djvu/173

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OF THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE.
149


on the Moerdick, impudently said to the Comte de Narbonne and the Comte de Choiseul, "My dear friends, do you know of anything in the world more idiotic than a French gentleman!"

To these were joined the disciples of that school, the head-quarters of which were the Hotel de la Rochefoucauld, in the Rue de Seine, presided over by Madame d'E——, the members of which comprised philosophers, philanthropists, economists,—all the grumblers; the Vicomte de B——, who wa& nothing at all, except a good dancer; and Le C——, a little monkey of an Abbe, crooked as Scarron, but remarkable for turbulent oratory. The Queen sarcastically called him General Jocko. There was also Heraut-de-Sechelles,[1] a social favourite, who could have attained the highest posts in the magistracy without the trouble of saying or doing anything, for he enjoyed the interest and good-will of everybody, and had some wit, and, it was said, talent. He was related to


  1. See Note L.