第68章

ofherpupils，shecouldcommandboththecourtandcity；her

censuresweredreaded，becausepronouncedinlanguagesostrong

andsevere，astofillthosewhoincurredthemwithnohopeof

evershininginpublicopinionwhilstsoformidableawas

utteredagainstthem；andherdecrees，fromwhichtherewasno

appeal，eitherstampedamanwithdishonour，orintroducedhimas

afirst-ratecandidateforuniversaladmirationandesteem，and

herhatredwasasmuchdreadedaseverhersmileshadbeencourted:

formyownpart，Ialwaysfeltafraidofher，andneverwillingly

foundmyselfinherpresence。

AfterIhadobtainedformadamedeValentinoistheboonIsolicited，

IwasconversingwiththekingrespectingmadamedeLuxembourg，

whenthechancellorenteredtheroom；hecametorelatetohis

majestyanaffairwhichhadoccasionedvariousreports，andmuch

scandal。

TheviscountdeBombelles，anofficerinanhussar

regiment，hadmarriedamademoiselleCamp，Reasons，unnecessary

formetoseektodiscover，inducedhim，allatonce，toannulhis

marriage，andprofitingbyaregulationwhichforbadeallgood

Catholicsfromintermarryingwiththoseofthereformedreligion，

HedemandedthedissolutionofhisunionwithmademoiselleCamp。

Thisattemptonhisparttoviolate，uponsuchgrounds，the

sanctityofthenuptialvow，whilstitwascalculatedtorekindle

thespiritofreligiouspersecution，wasproductiveofvery

unfavourableconsequencestothecharacterofM。deBombelles；

thegreatcrywasagainsthim，hestoodaloneandunsupportedin

thecontest，foreventhegreatestbigotsthemselveswouldnot

intermeddleorappeartoapplaudamatterwhichattackedboth

honourandgoodfeeling:thecomradesofM。deBombellesrefused

toassociatewithhim；butthefinishingstrokecamefromhisold

companionsatthemilitaryschool，wherehehadbeenbroughtup。

Onthe27thofNovember，1771，thecouncilofthisestablishment

wrotehimthefollowingletter:——

“Themilitaryschoolhaveperusedwithequal

indignationandgriefthememorialswhichhave

appearedrespectingyouinthepublicprints。

Had

younotbeeneducatedinthisestablishment，we

shouldmerelyhavelookeduponyouraffairwith

mademoiselleCampasascenetoodistressingfor

humanityanditwouldhavebeenburiedinour

peacefulwallsbeneaththeveilofmodestyand

silence；butweoweittotheyouthsenttousby

hismajesty，fortheinculcationofthoseprinciples

whichbecomethesoldierastheman，nottopass

overthepresentopportunityofinspiringthemwith

ajusthorrorofyourmisguidedconduct，aswell

asfeelingitanimperativedutytoourselvesnot

toappearindifferenttothescandalanddisgraceful

confusionyourproceedingshaveoccasionedin

thecapital。

Weleavetotheministersofour

religion，andthemagistrateswhoareappointed

toguardourlaws。

todecideuponthelegalityof

thebondsbetweenyourselfandmademoiselleCamp，

butbyonetribunalyouaredistinctlypronounced

guiltytowardsher，andthatisthetribunalof

honour，beforethattribunalwhichexistsinthe

heartofeverygoodman。

Youhavebeenuniversally

citedandcondemned。

Therearesomeerrorswhich

alltheimpetuosityofyouthisunabletoexcuse，

andyoursareunhappilyofthatsort。

Thedifferent

personscomposingthisestablishmen