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look of innocence and the bloom of youth may； and very often do； appear
on the faces of individuals who are far from being innocent or even young；
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it may well be that Sophie in 1810； servant…maid in a brothel though she
was； still kept a look of country freshness and health； unjaded enough to
whet the dulled appetence of a bagnio…haunting old rip。 The odds are； at
all events； that Sophie was much less artificial in her charms than the
practised ladies of complacency upon whom she attended。 With her odd
good looks she very likely had just that subacid leaven for which； in the
alchemy of attraction； the Duc was in search。
The Duc； however； was not the only one to whom Sophie looked
desirable。 Two English peers had an eye on herthe Earl of Winchilsea
and the Duke of Kent。 This is where the card affair comes in。 The Duc
either played whist with the two noblemen for sole rights in Sophie or；
what is more likely； cut cards with them during a game。 The Duc won。
Whether his win may be regarded as lucky or not can be reckoned；
according to the taste and fancy of the reader； from the sequelae of some
twenty years。
％ II
With the placing of Sophie dans ses meubles by the Duc de Bourbon
there began one of the most remarkable turns in her career。 In 1811 he
took a house for her in Gloucester Street； Queen's Square； with her mother
as duenna； and arranged for the completion of her education。
As a light on her character hardly too much can be made of this stage
in her development。 It is more than likely that the teaching was begun at
Sophie's own demand； and by the use she made of the opportunities given
her you may measure the strength of her ambition。 Here was no rich
man's doxy lazily seeking a veneer of culture； enough to gloss the rough
patches of speech and idea betraying humble origin。 This fisherman's
child； workhouse girl； ancilla of the bordels； with the thin smattering of
the three R's she had acquired in the poor institution； set herself； with a
wholehearted concentration which a Newnham ‘swot' might envy； to
master modern languages； with Greek； Latin； and music。 At the end of
three years she was a good linguist； could play and sing well enough to
entertain and not bore the most intelligent in the company the Duc kept；
and to pass in that company the French emigre set in Londonas a
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person of equal education。 If； as it is said； Sophie； while she could read
and write French faultlessly； never could speak it without an English
accent； it is to be remembered that the flexibility of tongue and mind
needed for native…sounding speech in French （or any other language） is so
exceptional as to be practically non…existent among her compatriots to this
day。 The fault scarcely belittles her achievement。 As well blame a one…
legged man for hopping when trying to run。 Consider the life Sophie had
led； the sort of people with whom she had associated； and that temptation
towards laissez…faire which conquers all but the rarest woman in the mode
of life in which she was existing； and judge of the constancy of purpose
that kept that little nose so steadfastly in Plutarch and Xenophon。
If in the year 1812 the Duc began to allow his little Sophie about L800
a year in francs as pin…money he was no more generous than Sophie
deserved。 The Duc was very rich； despite the fact that his father； the old
Prince de Conde； was still alive； and so； of course； was enjoying the
income from the family estates。
There is no room here to follow more than the barest outline of the
Duc de Bourbon's history。 Fully stated； it would be the history of France。
He was a son of the Prince de Conde who collected that futile army
beyond the borders of France in the royalist cause in the Revolution。
Louis…Henri was wounded in the left arm while serving there； so badly
wounded that the hand was practically useless。 He came to England；
where he lived until 1814； when he went back to France to make his
unsuccessful attempt to raise the Vendee。 Then he went to Spain。
At this time he intended breaking with Sophie； but when he got back
to Paris in 1815 he found the lady waiting for him。 It took Sophie some
eighteen months to bring his Highness up to scratch again。 During this
time the Duc had another English fancy； a Miss Harris； whose reign in
favour； however； did not withstand the manoeuvring of Sophie。
Sophie as a mistress in England was one thing； but Sophie unattached
as a mistress in France was another。 One wonders why the Duc should
have been squeamish on this point。 Perhaps it was that he thought it
would look vulgar to take up a former mistress after so long。 At all
events； he was ready enough to resume the old relationship with Sophie；
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provided she could change her name by marriage。 Sophie was nothing
loth。 The idea fell in with her plans。 She let it get about that she was
the natural daughter of the Duc； and soon had in tow one Adrien…Victor de
Feucheres。 He was an officer of the Royal Guard。 Without enlarging
on the all…round tawdriness of this contract it will suffice here to say that
Sophie and Adrien were married in London in August of 1818； the Duc
presenting the bride with a dowry of about L5600 in francs。 Next year de
Feucheres became a baron； and was made aide…de…camp to the Duc。
Incredible as it may seem； de Feucheres took four years to realize what
was the real relationship between his wife and the Prince de Conde。 The
aide…de…camp and his wife had a suite of rooms in the Prince's favourite
chateau at Chantilly； and the ambition which Sophie had foreseen would
be furthered by the marriage was realized。 She was received as La
Baronne de Feucheres at the Court of Louis XVIII。 She was happyup
to a point。 Some unpretty traits in her character began to develop： a
violent temper； a tendency to hysterics if crossed； and； it is said； a leaning
towards avaricious ways。 At the end of four years the Baron de
Feucheres woke up to the fact that Sophie was deceiving him。 It does not
appear； however； that he had seen through her main deception； because it
was Sophie herself； we are told； who informed him he was a foolthat she
was not the Prince's daughter； but his mistress。
Having waked up thus belatedly； or having been woken up by Sophie
in her ungoverned ill…temper； de Feucheres acted with considerable dignity。
He begged to resign his position as aide to the Prince； and returned his
wife's dowry。 The departure of Sophie's hitherto complacent husband
rather embarrassed the Prince。 He needed Sophie but felt he could not
keep her unattached under his roof and he sent her awaybut only for a
few days。 Sophie soon was back again in Chantilly。
The Prince made some attempt to get de Feucheres to return； but
without success。 De Feucheres applied for a post in the Army of Spain；
an application which was granted at once。 It took the poor man seven
years to secure a judicial separation from his wife。
The scandal of this change in the menage of Chantilly it happened in
1822reached the ears of the King； and the Baronne de Feucheres was
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forbidden to appear at Court。 All Sophie's energies from then on were
concentrated on getting the ban removed。