"
"Pardon me," replied I; " but I cannot believe that would have
been possible under any circumstances."
"And why not?" asked the king; "he was a man of great talent."
"Doubtless, sire, but not of the kind to compete with Voltaire."
The king then changed the conversation to Therese, inquiring
whether she possessed any attractions?
"None whatever, sire," replied the duke; "at least none that we
could perceive."
"In that case," rejoined his majesty, "she must have charmed her
master by some of those unseen perfections which take the deepest
hold of the heart; besides I know not why we should think it
strange that others see with different eyes to ourselves."
I made no secret with the comte Jean of my visit, and he likewise
expressed his desire to know a man so justly celebrated, and, in
its proper place, you, may hear how he managed to effect this,
and what befell him in consequence--but, to finish for the present
with Rousseau, for I will not promise that I shall not again
indulge in speaking of him. I will just say, that after the lapse
of two or three days from the time of my last visit, the idea
occurred to me of sending him a thousand crowns in an Indian
casket. This I sent by a servant out of livery, whom I strictly
enjoined not to name me but to say simply that he came from a
lady. He brought back the casket to me unopened, and the following
billet from Rousseau:--
"MADAM,--I send back the present you would force
upon my acceptance in so concealed a manner; if it
be offered as a testimony of your esteem I may
possibly accept it, when you permit me to know
the hand from which it comes.
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