432 D'ALEMBEBT. 



ter. Beside meeting his literary friends at her apart- 

 ment, he there made an acquaintance which proved 

 the bane of his life. 



Mdlle. de 1'Espinasse was a young person of great 

 brilliancy, and of a warm and romantic disposition, 

 which contributed as much as her talents to captivate 

 all who came Avithin the sphere of her attraction. The 

 similarity of their history produced a mutual interest 

 between her and D'Alembert, for she too was an ille- 

 gitimate child. She was the daughter of Mdme. 

 D'Albon, but not by her husband, being the fruit of a 

 criminal intercourse with her lover. Mdme. D'Albon's 

 daughter by her husband was married to M. de Vichy, 

 and she allowed her unfortunate sister to live with her 

 as a governess, her parents having only" settled twelve 

 pounds a year upon her. Constant ill usage in this 

 house made her willing to accept the offer of Mdme. 

 du Deffand, whose deceased husband was supposed to 

 be her father. The moderate sum of sixteen pounds 

 a year was to be allowed her; and in 1752 she went 

 to live with her new patroness. Her humble office was 

 to be the companion of that lady, to bear her intoler- 

 able humours, and to read her to sleep at an early 

 hour of the morning for in her life the night was 

 turned ir-to day, and she seldom rose much before 

 sunset, or went to sleep before sunrise. The unhappy 

 attendant was thus condemned also to pass her day in 

 bed ; but she rose an hour or two before her patroness, 

 and that short interval, her only enjoyment of life, 

 was passed in receiving D'Alembert and a few other 

 friends, unknown to the Marchioness, who, however, 

 discovered these secret meetings, and treating them 

 as a conspiracy against her, drove the poor girl rudely 

 from her situation, warning D'Alembert, at the same 

 time, that he must choose between the two. As might 

 be expected, he at once preferred his young friend ; 

 and, joining with others, obtained for her both a 

 suitable residence and a small pension. An inflamma- 



