DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0034
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have continued to dress like a man, if she could; she used at
first to laugh at her petticoats, her cap, &c. and on this occa-
sion she said, “ It is very hard, having been a captain, to be
degraded to a cornet.” The spirit of this pun evaporates in
English; cornet, in French, signifies a woman’s head dress,
as well as a subaltern of horse. With her new dress, she
still however retains the cross of St. Louis.
a The following incident will shew that her manners are far
from being prudish. In company with several foreigners,
who were strangers to her, 11 Chevalier,” said a lady, “ to
the best of my remembrance, when you were dressed like a
man, you had a very handsome leg.” “ Parbleu,” replied
D’Eon with vivacity, pulling up her petticoats, “ if you are
curious to see it, here it is.” “ Were I to affirm,” added she,
“ in this company, that I have lain with one hundred thou-
sand men, I should not assert an untruth: I have lain with
the French army, with the Austrian army, and even with the
Cossacks, but observe, that of all these not one has any thing
to say against me.” “ If you wanted satisfaction,” said one,
“ should not you regret your former situation and your arms.”
“ I have already considered that matter,” answered D’Eon,
“ and when I quitted my hat and sword, I own it gave me some
concern, but 1 said to myself, What signifies it ? I may do
as much, perhaps, with my slipper?” D’Eon is so little re-
conciled to her new metamorphosis, that whenever she is in
company with any knights of St. Louis, and one of them is
called “ Mr. Chevalier,” D’Eoa turns about thinking that
she is meant. She is not yet accustomed to the usual cere-
monials established between the sexes; or rather it is obvi-
ous, that having always in her former state of life shewn great
attention to the ladies, she finds it difficult to restrain it; at
table when she sits near them, she is always ready to fill their
glasses ; at coftee, no sooner has a lady emptied her c ip, then
D’Eon springs from her chair to hand it to the table.
“ As to the person and stature of our female hero, Made-
have continued to dress like a man, if she could; she used at
first to laugh at her petticoats, her cap, &c. and on this occa-
sion she said, “ It is very hard, having been a captain, to be
degraded to a cornet.” The spirit of this pun evaporates in
English; cornet, in French, signifies a woman’s head dress,
as well as a subaltern of horse. With her new dress, she
still however retains the cross of St. Louis.
a The following incident will shew that her manners are far
from being prudish. In company with several foreigners,
who were strangers to her, 11 Chevalier,” said a lady, “ to
the best of my remembrance, when you were dressed like a
man, you had a very handsome leg.” “ Parbleu,” replied
D’Eon with vivacity, pulling up her petticoats, “ if you are
curious to see it, here it is.” “ Were I to affirm,” added she,
“ in this company, that I have lain with one hundred thou-
sand men, I should not assert an untruth: I have lain with
the French army, with the Austrian army, and even with the
Cossacks, but observe, that of all these not one has any thing
to say against me.” “ If you wanted satisfaction,” said one,
“ should not you regret your former situation and your arms.”
“ I have already considered that matter,” answered D’Eon,
“ and when I quitted my hat and sword, I own it gave me some
concern, but 1 said to myself, What signifies it ? I may do
as much, perhaps, with my slipper?” D’Eon is so little re-
conciled to her new metamorphosis, that whenever she is in
company with any knights of St. Louis, and one of them is
called “ Mr. Chevalier,” D’Eoa turns about thinking that
she is meant. She is not yet accustomed to the usual cere-
monials established between the sexes; or rather it is obvi-
ous, that having always in her former state of life shewn great
attention to the ladies, she finds it difficult to restrain it; at
table when she sits near them, she is always ready to fill their
glasses ; at coftee, no sooner has a lady emptied her c ip, then
D’Eon springs from her chair to hand it to the table.
“ As to the person and stature of our female hero, Made-