Avatar: Henri Louis Marie de Rohan (west.lyvingstone)
VW: Second Life
Location: London
Country: GB
VW: Second Life
Location: London
Country: GB
LETTRE III
Published with the tacit approval of Madame la Comtesse de Noailles - hopefully to better aid her not-inconsiderable task as outlined below!
Prince de Carpgne to Comtesse de Noailles, 11 May 17--
Madame la Comtesse,
I write to you on a most urgent and pressing matter - the subject, broached most recently by my father, of a suitable marriage for myself. I will be blunt: you are well aware of my father's reprehensible conduct, and I know your aid in this matter is of loyalty to my late mama and your great friendship with her, alongside your affection for me, rather than your sense of duty to my father.
I am sure my father has emphasised his own insistence on a guaranteed virtue for my wife-to-be. However, it is impossible for me not to be aware of how difficult a task this may prove in a court such as this!
Allow me to facilitate your search, madame. My father's request, as usual, is really quite unreasonable and I feel no heed should be paid to his insistence on a convent education and other virtues of the soul.
I myself have few requirements. I ask that she is delicately built - I see no reason why a woman should be built like a man-o-war merely to bear seed?! Beauty would be pleasant, but is by no means a requirement. A dowry, however, is a must - alongside an income of at least 500,000 livres and a substantial family fortune. I ask that her colouring be fair, so as to harmonise with the brocade I am having woven for my matrimonial suit
As an aside, I must stress it really is fine madame! Four weavers have collapsed from exhaustion and three further have lost their site due to the intense brilliance of the fabric! It will be the sensation of the court. Alas, I digress.
Above all, speed is of the essence. The ladies and gentleman of my circle have already begun to cast aspersions on my character and delicate temperament, and the only way to silence the whispers is to expedite my marriage as soon as possible.
I will be forever indebted to you for your help in this task, madame.
I am always your most humble and obedient servant,
WL
Prince de Carpgne to Comtesse de Noailles, 11 May 17--
Madame la Comtesse,
I write to you on a most urgent and pressing matter - the subject, broached most recently by my father, of a suitable marriage for myself. I will be blunt: you are well aware of my father's reprehensible conduct, and I know your aid in this matter is of loyalty to my late mama and your great friendship with her, alongside your affection for me, rather than your sense of duty to my father.
I am sure my father has emphasised his own insistence on a guaranteed virtue for my wife-to-be. However, it is impossible for me not to be aware of how difficult a task this may prove in a court such as this!
Allow me to facilitate your search, madame. My father's request, as usual, is really quite unreasonable and I feel no heed should be paid to his insistence on a convent education and other virtues of the soul.
I myself have few requirements. I ask that she is delicately built - I see no reason why a woman should be built like a man-o-war merely to bear seed?! Beauty would be pleasant, but is by no means a requirement. A dowry, however, is a must - alongside an income of at least 500,000 livres and a substantial family fortune. I ask that her colouring be fair, so as to harmonise with the brocade I am having woven for my matrimonial suit
As an aside, I must stress it really is fine madame! Four weavers have collapsed from exhaustion and three further have lost their site due to the intense brilliance of the fabric! It will be the sensation of the court. Alas, I digress.
Above all, speed is of the essence. The ladies and gentleman of my circle have already begun to cast aspersions on my character and delicate temperament, and the only way to silence the whispers is to expedite my marriage as soon as possible.
I will be forever indebted to you for your help in this task, madame.
I am always your most humble and obedient servant,
WL
Your highness, I am greatly flattered by your most kind comments. I do indeed hope your own feelings are reflected en masse by the ladies of the court. It would be a sore shame for my truly stunning wedding ensemble to go to waste!Yours humbly,WL
mon dieu!Have you an idea of the value of 500,000 livres?Some realism and modesty would suit you very well
I suspect it would be easier to find a lady in our court with such an income than the guaranteed virtue my father demands!
The irony, my dear Contessa, is the source from which these demands for virtue emanate! Needless to say, even before the death of my dear mother we had a most prodigious turnover of maidservants - many of whom I have seen about the province with a btard or two in tow bearing an uncanny resemblance to mine own fair features!As for his current malady - black pustules and lethargy, for which a treatment of mercury was prescribed alongside stern admonishment from the Abb - I will let you consult your Encyclopdie and share my disdain for the cause...Yours affectionately always,WL