Confessions of J. J. Rousseau, the — Complete eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 958 pages of information about Confessions of J. J. Rousseau, the — Complete.

Confessions of J. J. Rousseau, the — Complete eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 958 pages of information about Confessions of J. J. Rousseau, the — Complete.
her account in being so, and concealed the faults of her daughter to turn them to her own advantage.  This woman, who had so much of my care and attention, to whom I made so many little presents, and by whom I had it extremely at heart to make myself beloved, was, from the impossibility of my succeeding in this wish, the only cause of the uneasiness I suffered in my little establishment.  Except the effects of this cause I enjoyed, during these six or seven, years, the most perfect domestic happiness of which human weakness is capable.  The heart of my Theresa was that of an angel; our attachment increased with our intimacy, and we were more and more daily convinced how much we were made for each other.  Could our pleasures be described, their simplicity would cause laughter.  Our walks, tete-a-tete, on the outside of the city, where I magnificently spent eight or ten sous in each guinguette.—­[Ale-house]—­Our little suppers at my window, seated opposite to each other upon two little chairs, placed upon a trunk, which filled up the spare of the embrasure.  In this situation the window served us as a table, we respired the fresh air, enjoyed the prospect of the environs and the people who passed; and, although upon the fourth story, looked down into the street as we ate.

Who can describe, and how few can feel, the charms of these repasts, consisting of a quartern loaf, a few cherries, a morsel of cheese, and half-a-pint of wine which we drank between us?  Friendship, confidence, intimacy, sweetness of disposition, how delicious are your reasonings!  We sometimes remained in this situation until midnight, and never thought of the hour, unless informed of it by the old lady.  But let us quit these details, which are either insipid or laughable; I have always said and felt that real enjoyment was not to be described.

Much about the same time I indulged in one not so delicate, and the last of the kind with which I have to reproach myself.  I have observed that the minister Klupssel was an amiable man; my connections with him were almost as intimate as those I had with Grimm, and in the end became as familiar; Grimm and he sometimes eat at my apartment.  These repasts, a little more than simple, were enlivened by the witty and extravagant wantonness of expression of Klupssel, and the diverting Germanicisms of Grimm, who was not yet become a purist.

Sensuality did not preside at our little orgies, but joy, which was preferable, reigned in them all, and we enjoyed ourselves so well together that we knew not how to separate.  Klupssel had furnished a lodging for a little girl, who, notwithstanding this, was at the service of anybody, because he could not support her entirely himself.  One evening as we were going into the coffee-house, we met him coming out to go and sup with her.  We rallied him; he revenged himself gallantly, by inviting us to the same supper, and there rallying us in our turn.  The poor young creature appeared to be of a good

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Confessions of J. J. Rousseau, the — Complete from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.