Memoirs of Count Grammont | Page 9

take it, I care as little about it as you do." He died in 1674. "Matta
est mort sans confession," says Madame Maintenon, in a letter to her
brother. Tome I., p. 67.]
He was agreeable in his person, but still more by the natural turn of his
wit; he was plain and simple in his manners, but endued with a quick
discernment and refined delicacy, and full of candour and integrity in
all his actions. The Chevalier Grammont was not long in discovering

his amiable qualities; an acquaintance was soon formed, and was
succeeded by the strictest intimacy.
Matta insisted that the Chevalier should take up his quarters with him;
to which he only consented on condition of equally contributing to the
expense. As they were both liberal and magnificent, at their common
cost they gave the best designed and most luxurious entertainments that
had ever yet been seen. Play was wonderfully productive at first, and
the Chevalier restored by a hundred different ways that which he
obtained only by one. The generals, being entertained by turns, admired
their magnificence, and were dissatisfied with their own officers for not
keeping such good tables and attendance. The Chevalier had the talent
of setting off the most indifferent things to advantage; and his wit was
so generally acknowledged, that it was a kind of disgrace not to submit
to his taste. To him Matta resigned the care of furnishing the table and
doing its honours; and, charmed with the general applause, persuaded
himself that nothing could be more honourable than their way of living,
and nothing more easy than to continue it; but he soon perceived that
the greatest prosperity is not the most lasting. Good living, bad
economy, dishonest servants, and ill-luck, all uniting together to
disconcert their housekeeping, their table was going to be gradually
laid aside, when the Chevalier's genius, fertile in resources, undertook
to support his former credit by the following expedient.
They had never yet conferred about the state of their finances, although
the steward had acquainted each, separately, that he must either receive
money to continue the expenses, or give in his accounts. One day,
when the Chevalier came home sooner than usual, he found Matta fast
asleep in an easy chair, and, being unwilling to disturb his rest, he
began musing on his project. Matta awoke without his perceiving it;
and having, for a short time, observed the deep contemplation he
seemed involved in, and the profound silence between two persons who
had never held their tongues for a moment when together before, he
broke it by a sudden fit of laughter, which increased in proportion as
the other stared at him. "A merry way of waking, and ludicrous
enough," said the Chevalier; "what is the matter, and whom do you
laugh at!" "Faith, Chevalier," said Matta, "I am laughing at a dream I

had just now, which is so natural and diverting, that I must make you
laugh at it also. I was dreaming that we had dismissed our
maitre-d'hotel, our cook, and our confectioner, having resolved, for the
remainder of the campaign, to live upon others as others have lived
upon us: this was my dream. Now tell me, Chevalier, on what were you
musing?" "Poor fellow!" said the Chevalier, shrugging up his shoulders,
"you are knocked down at once, and thrown into the utmost
consternation and despair at some silly stories which the maitre- d'hotel
has been telling you as well as me. What! after the figure we have made
in the face of the nobility and foreigners in the army, shall we give it up,
and like fools and beggars sneak off, upon the first failure of our money!
Have you no sentiments of honour? Where is the dignity of France?"
"And where is the money?" said Matta; "for my men say, the devil may
take them, if there be ten crowns in the house, and I believe you have
not much more, for it is above a week since I have seen you pull out
your purse, or count your money, an amusement you were very fond of
in prosperity." "I own all this," said the Chevalier, "but yet I will force
you to confess, that you are but a mean-spirited fellow upon this
occasion. What would have become of you if you had been reduced to
the situation I was in at Lyons, four days before I arrived here? I will
tell you the story."
CHAPTER THIRD.
EDUCATION AND ADVENTURES OF THE CHEVALIER
GRAMMONT BEFORE HIS COMING TO THE SIEGE OF TRINO.
"This," said Matta, "smells strongly of romance, except that it should
have been your squire's part to tell your adventures."
"True," said the Chevalier; "however, I may acquaint you with my first
exploits without offending my modesty; besides,