Wednesday, April 7, 2010

La Duthé

An actress of the old regime.
"Let us say to the glory of Alençon that the toffee was accepted with more joy than la Duthé ever showed at a gilt service or a fine equipage offered by the Comte d'Artois."
Balzac, Honoré de. An Old Maid
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3 comments:

Brantigny said...

Very beautiful, yet how strange it is that 200 or more years on we tend to dismiss the infidelity of her suitor d'Artois, and his infidelity as well. What a strange turn of events.

Yet what of the wife of d'Artois?

Was this not the same d'Artois who wrote scathing falsehoods about his own brother the King and Reine-Martyr? I pray for his soul.

Thus was the father in law of Madame Royale.

elena maria vidal said...

Yes, indeed, Richard, the Comtesse d'Artois suffered greatly from her husband's infidelity. What a great humiliation for her! I don't know if Artois wrote scathing falsehoods like Provence did, although he did make up some rhymes. But nothing too terrible. Artois was himself was the man most often shown in pornographic pamphlets with the Queen. Mercifully, he underwent a deep conversion in his middle age.

tubbs said...

Paris' answer to Pamela Harriman?