CHAPTER VI.

The new Hôtel de Ville at Montbéliard-Les RêveriesCount Wurmser in Austria-Ambassador to the Grandduke of Russia-Letter of Paul Petrowitz-Adventure of the Baroness Hahn-Prince Louis de Rohan-Birth of Constantine Paulowitz-Madame Schack-Marriage of Prince Nassau Saarbruck-The comté of SaarbruckVerses-M. de Dietrich-Rejoicings at the château of Reishoffen-The strange husband.

I HAD been long absent from Montbéliard; I now returned there with great pleasure. This illustrious family was become necessary to my happiness, I could not exist without them; besides the duchess now recalled me, that she might speak of her beloved child, that she might pour forth all the feelings of her heart without restraint, and who could sympathize with her as I? M. d'Oberkirch did not accompany me, he joined us at Montbéliard.

The first thing I was carried to see was the new Hôtel de Ville; it was built on the site of the former, which had been destroyed two years before. It cost more than eighty thousand francs, and did much honour to Mr. Laquepierre, under whose direction it had been erected. The magistrate had held a sitting there the evening before

for the first time. I saw with pleasure that the former windows of stained glass had been preserved, and filled the new frames. The arms of Montbéliard were emblazoned on them, and produced a very good effect in the halls.

When I arrived, her royal highness was at the Rêveries, charming pleasure-grounds which she had got laid out under her directions; they were situated on the route to Delle, at the entrance of the little wood of Sochaux. This road leads to Etupes and to Exincourt. The dukes of Montbéliard possess in their domains more than twenty thousand acres of forest, of which about six thousand are in the comté of Montbéliard, six thousand in the lordship of Blamont, Clémont, Châtelot, and d'Hericourt; five thousand in that of Horbourg and of Riquervir, two thousand at Clerval, Granges, and Passavant. It will be seen by this, that the princess had ample domains in which to choose a retreat; she selected this pretty little enclosure. The southern wall of the Rêveries is hidden by plantations, and by a row of poplars bordering the road. On the north it is bounded by a canal, of which the waters are supplied by the Allain and the Savoureuse. The grove is ornamented with statues and vases, whilst a thousand winding pathways, varied-tinted flowers, clear purling streams, and fresh green swards, allure the fancy and flatter the senses.

In the pavilion, which was only meant as a resting place, were two pretty cabinets and a drawing

room.

The princess was very fond of this place, and often went there. I determined to give her a surprise, for she did not expect me, and spite of much sage advice to the contrary, I set off on a fine sunny day in November. Her royal highness uttered a cry on recognising me, and ran towards me with open arms. Her first word was about her daughter. My sudden appearance made her fear that I was the bearer of some bad news. The grand-duchess of Russia was about to become a mother for the second time, and was filled with gloomy apprehensions. She had written to us all.

I found much difficulty in tranquillizing her mother. At length when she was quite certain that I came simply to see, and pass some time with her, she was good enough to testify a great deal of joy, and to thank me very sincerely.

"As a reward for your visit, tell you a piece of good news.

dear Lanele, I will The Count Sigis

mond de Wurmser has been appointed lieutenantgeneral by the Emperor Joseph II."*

*Dagobert Sigismond, count de Wurmser, born in Alsace in 1724, died in 1797. He broke the lines of Wissembourg commanded by Custini in 1793, and fought against Buonaparte in Italy in 1796.

I was

This was, indeed, very good news. anxious to communicate it to my father, who would be delighted. The count de Wurmser, our relative, had accompanied my father to Austria some years before. He had been in the service of France, where from his earliest youth he had been distinguished for his high courage. At first,

captain of cavalry in the Royal Germans, afterwards lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Nassau, from the creation of this regiment in '56. He was wounded the following year at the battle of Rosbach. Brigadier and colonel of Soubise in '61, he was again wounded near Friedbergen in '62. In after years he raised a corps of hussars in his own name, with whom he passed into the service of the empress-queen. She bestowed on him, at his first entrance into her service, the office of chamberlain, and afterwards created him count of the holy empire and major-general. His generosity and goodness of heart made him adored by the soldiers, whilst the chivalrous bravery of his character added lustre to his name. He was deeply beloved in the family, and many a voice foretold that his name would be seen high inscribed in the temple of fame.

During two days this appointment formed the subject of our conversation, when it gave place to new ideas excited by the arrival of some music

VOL. I.

L

ordered by me, and which I intended as a present for the grand-duke of Russia, who was passionately fond of the science of sweet sounds. We practised all the ariettes before packing them. Heaven only knows what a confusion of sounds was there! Each of the performers sang his appointed air, his royal highness stopped his ears, and we laughed heartily at the discord we had raised. The duchess looked very sad.

"That reminds me of my Dorothea, and the concerts in which you played together. Do you remember the blind-man's buff the day the princeregnant arrived ?"

We both sighed in thinking that these leaves of paper would meet the eyes of her whose absence we never ceased to deplore, whilst years might elapse before we should see her again; nay, that happiness may never be granted to us.

This music, as it appears, was an agreeable gift to his imperial highness. It was the occasion of my receiving the following charming epistle :

"Madam,

:

"St. Petersburg, 3rd (14th) February 1779.

"I am very grateful for the have been so kind as to send me.

music that you

I have not yet

had an opportunity of hearing it, but the deep conviction that I entertain of the taste of her who