Post by Louis XIV on May 11, 2022 1:09:13 GMT
The Social Whirlwind by Sieur Matheus Mallette
There is nothing like the Royal Court decamping for the provinces to suck the social life out of Paris! With Lords Bougiedure, Lagarde de Bearne, Bonnet and Dame Valerie following the royal baggage train like ducklings led by their mother, the city was almost entirely devoid of any diversions worthy of my quill.
Almost. Three events of scandalous note took place in December whilst their Majesties visited Picardy.
The first was during the Debutante’s Ball held at Madame Duschene’s. I know that many a reader will snicker to see that I am reduced to report the coming out of young noble ladies but it is not who attended the ball but rather what transpired. It seems that noted Parisian composer, Sieur Michel Lemoine and felt that it was appropriate to accompany himself on the Academy’s grand spinet piano by singing bawdy drinking songs! In this endeavor he was joined lustily by the newly turned out Mlles. Valluy and Bougiedure much to the chagrin of their attending chaperones. Mlle Trinttignant mercifully did not join in the singing.
Late in the month, Lord Ball’s held a small dinner party at his club, Bothwell’s, during which his wife and Mdm d’Armagnac became so inebriated that the former challenged the latter to a sausage swallowing contest, much to the delight of the on looking male patrons. Lady Ball’s eyes were apparently bigger than her…throat as she was unable to maintain pace with the widow and lost 60L in the process.
Finally, Father Ymbert was mugged in the Passy district and relieved of 17L in alms that he had collected from ministering to the unfortunates in that live in that poor neighborhood. Perhaps it was a random affair but in light of the recent religious disagreements and accusations between Sieur Bastion and the Hugenot priest, I suspect something more sinister.
And speaking of Sieur Bastion, the Commissioner for Public Safety caught up with Paris’ most notorious physician at the end of the month. Sieur Bastion has been invited to stay, free of charge, in the Bastille awaiting his trial for in the first week of January.
There is nothing like the Royal Court decamping for the provinces to suck the social life out of Paris! With Lords Bougiedure, Lagarde de Bearne, Bonnet and Dame Valerie following the royal baggage train like ducklings led by their mother, the city was almost entirely devoid of any diversions worthy of my quill.
Almost. Three events of scandalous note took place in December whilst their Majesties visited Picardy.
The first was during the Debutante’s Ball held at Madame Duschene’s. I know that many a reader will snicker to see that I am reduced to report the coming out of young noble ladies but it is not who attended the ball but rather what transpired. It seems that noted Parisian composer, Sieur Michel Lemoine and felt that it was appropriate to accompany himself on the Academy’s grand spinet piano by singing bawdy drinking songs! In this endeavor he was joined lustily by the newly turned out Mlles. Valluy and Bougiedure much to the chagrin of their attending chaperones. Mlle Trinttignant mercifully did not join in the singing.
Late in the month, Lord Ball’s held a small dinner party at his club, Bothwell’s, during which his wife and Mdm d’Armagnac became so inebriated that the former challenged the latter to a sausage swallowing contest, much to the delight of the on looking male patrons. Lady Ball’s eyes were apparently bigger than her…throat as she was unable to maintain pace with the widow and lost 60L in the process.
Finally, Father Ymbert was mugged in the Passy district and relieved of 17L in alms that he had collected from ministering to the unfortunates in that live in that poor neighborhood. Perhaps it was a random affair but in light of the recent religious disagreements and accusations between Sieur Bastion and the Hugenot priest, I suspect something more sinister.
And speaking of Sieur Bastion, the Commissioner for Public Safety caught up with Paris’ most notorious physician at the end of the month. Sieur Bastion has been invited to stay, free of charge, in the Bastille awaiting his trial for in the first week of January.