602 Life of Count Rumford. 



her. When he made to her the proposal of sale she replied, 

 4 O yes, I will buy them ; but, pray, don't cheat me, for I am 

 told that father and mother will cheat each other in horses.' 



" I had not been many days at Auteuil before we had a visit 

 from his separated lady, for they seemed to be on good terms, 

 at least, on visiting terms. The lady was gracious to me, and I 

 was charmed with her, nor did I ever after find reason to be 

 otherwise, for she was truly an admirable character. Their 

 disagreements must have arisen from their independence of 

 character and means, being used always to having their own 

 ways. Their pursuits in some particulars were different. He 

 was fond of his experiments, and she of company. Their circles, 

 too, were naturally more attached to her (they being her old 

 associates) than to my father. Possibly, too, he might not be 

 so well viewed by some of the convives, fearing the three mil- 

 lions of francs might be in more or less danger. All this made 

 my father enemies, and when once there was a breach, ever so 

 trifling, nothing was easier than to widen it. 



41 It was a fine match, could they but have agreed. It was 

 said by everybody, both friends and foes, that though the first 

 flush of youth was past, it was decidedly a love-match. I can 

 easily believe it, for my father was very playful in his character, 

 even lovely at times, and much handsomer for a man than she 

 was for a woman, and certainly of quite as much celebrity in 

 the world." 



It is pleasant to read this kindly estimate of the 

 "separated lady," from the actual observation and inter- 

 course of the Countess. The latter drops a hint in a 

 fragment of her gossip, that two nieces of the lady, from 

 interested motives, did all they could to widen the 

 breach with' the Count, and to keep him in a state of 

 irritation. She writes that once on a drive with her 

 father, as they passed near the lady's house, and the 

 conversation turned upon her, she said, "in an artless 

 manner that was natural to her, c How odd it is, my 



