DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0372
332
LOUISA, OR LADY OF THE HAY-STACK.
having introduced her to Count Cobenzel, she spoke to him
in terms of the highest praise of his young unknown cor-
respondent. She extolled her beauty, her elegance, and
above all, that prudence and propriety of conduct, which
did so much honour to a person left at that tender age, at
her own disposal. She added, that the young lady had
a house of her own, that she was generous, expensive,.and
even magnificent; that she had been three years at Bour-
deaux; that the distinguished attention with which she
was treated by the Marshal de Richelieu, the great re-
semblance of her features to those of the late Emperor
Francis, and the entire ignorance of the world concerning
her birth, had given rise to strange conjectures; and that
though the young lady had often been questioned on the
subject of her family, she persisted in observing the most
scrupulous silence.
In one of her letters to Count Cobenzel, Mademoiselle
la Friilen expressed great displeasure against the Count
Mercy-Argenteau, the Austrian ambassador at Paris, on
account of his extreme curiosity concerning her. She
added that his persecution would be fruitless, as she was
determined not to admit him to her confidence. At the
same time, she declared her readiness to inform the count
of every particular; but as the secret was too important
to be trusted to chance, she intended to visit the Austrian
Netherlands, and acquaint him with her history. She
meanwhile sent him her picture, which she desired him
attentively to examine, and which she imagined would
lead him to some conjectures concerning what she had to
relate. The count saw in it nothing more than the fea-
tures of a lovely woman, but Prince Charles of Lorraine
thought the portrait bore a strong resemblance to the late
emperor his brother.
Count Cobenzel continued to answer her letters in a
polite, and even an affectionate manner, but was particu-
larly
LOUISA, OR LADY OF THE HAY-STACK.
having introduced her to Count Cobenzel, she spoke to him
in terms of the highest praise of his young unknown cor-
respondent. She extolled her beauty, her elegance, and
above all, that prudence and propriety of conduct, which
did so much honour to a person left at that tender age, at
her own disposal. She added, that the young lady had
a house of her own, that she was generous, expensive,.and
even magnificent; that she had been three years at Bour-
deaux; that the distinguished attention with which she
was treated by the Marshal de Richelieu, the great re-
semblance of her features to those of the late Emperor
Francis, and the entire ignorance of the world concerning
her birth, had given rise to strange conjectures; and that
though the young lady had often been questioned on the
subject of her family, she persisted in observing the most
scrupulous silence.
In one of her letters to Count Cobenzel, Mademoiselle
la Friilen expressed great displeasure against the Count
Mercy-Argenteau, the Austrian ambassador at Paris, on
account of his extreme curiosity concerning her. She
added that his persecution would be fruitless, as she was
determined not to admit him to her confidence. At the
same time, she declared her readiness to inform the count
of every particular; but as the secret was too important
to be trusted to chance, she intended to visit the Austrian
Netherlands, and acquaint him with her history. She
meanwhile sent him her picture, which she desired him
attentively to examine, and which she imagined would
lead him to some conjectures concerning what she had to
relate. The count saw in it nothing more than the fea-
tures of a lovely woman, but Prince Charles of Lorraine
thought the portrait bore a strong resemblance to the late
emperor his brother.
Count Cobenzel continued to answer her letters in a
polite, and even an affectionate manner, but was particu-
larly