DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0035
MEMOIRS OF THE CHEVALIER D’EON. 23
moiselle D’Eon, (for so she must be styled), has a handsome
neck and bosom, and appears to advantage as a woman. In-
deed as she formerly made herself a beard, her chin is fur-
nished with some hair, which she employs herself with
nipping: her complexion is fair, her stature about five feet,
four inches; so she could not be very tall in uniform.
Those who have not seen her in men’s dress, cannot conceive
how she could appear genteel in her former clothes; she
wears her heels very low, and somewhat large: she has a
particular accent which is not unbecoming, as her voice is
agreeable ; she makes her curtsey in a rustic fashion, without
moving her thighs, but bending her knees forward with great
quickness.
u On being advised to put on some rouge, her answer was,
that she had tried it, but that it would not stick upon her
face. Considering her body only as a case, or as the shell
of her soul, she despises it, and even pretends sometimes that
her neck is troublesome, every thing seems strange to her
new accoutrement, but she is convinced that use will recon-
cile it.
“ On her first return to France, she went to Tonnerre, and
passed some time with her relations ; she then came back to
Paris, and though she appeared seldom in public, she dined
sometimes with her old friends. To a lady who was giving
her some advice with regard to her behaviour, &c. she re-
plied, a Madam, I shall be always chaste, no doubt, but I
can never be modest.”
To these anecdotes we shall subjoin the following obser-
vations which have appeared in the Gazette de Sante, a
French periodical publication, since the decease of the Che-
valier, as more immediately applicable to that period of his
life of which we are now treating.
“ It is singular enough that while all Europe was making
a woman of this dubious character, there existed in Paris
many unimpeachable witnesses who would have vouched for
moiselle D’Eon, (for so she must be styled), has a handsome
neck and bosom, and appears to advantage as a woman. In-
deed as she formerly made herself a beard, her chin is fur-
nished with some hair, which she employs herself with
nipping: her complexion is fair, her stature about five feet,
four inches; so she could not be very tall in uniform.
Those who have not seen her in men’s dress, cannot conceive
how she could appear genteel in her former clothes; she
wears her heels very low, and somewhat large: she has a
particular accent which is not unbecoming, as her voice is
agreeable ; she makes her curtsey in a rustic fashion, without
moving her thighs, but bending her knees forward with great
quickness.
u On being advised to put on some rouge, her answer was,
that she had tried it, but that it would not stick upon her
face. Considering her body only as a case, or as the shell
of her soul, she despises it, and even pretends sometimes that
her neck is troublesome, every thing seems strange to her
new accoutrement, but she is convinced that use will recon-
cile it.
“ On her first return to France, she went to Tonnerre, and
passed some time with her relations ; she then came back to
Paris, and though she appeared seldom in public, she dined
sometimes with her old friends. To a lady who was giving
her some advice with regard to her behaviour, &c. she re-
plied, a Madam, I shall be always chaste, no doubt, but I
can never be modest.”
To these anecdotes we shall subjoin the following obser-
vations which have appeared in the Gazette de Sante, a
French periodical publication, since the decease of the Che-
valier, as more immediately applicable to that period of his
life of which we are now treating.
“ It is singular enough that while all Europe was making
a woman of this dubious character, there existed in Paris
many unimpeachable witnesses who would have vouched for