He had no sooner left my neighborhood, than the girl at the inn where he eat, at Motiers, declared herself with child by him.  She was so dirty a creature, and Sauttern, generally esteemed in the country for his conduct and purity of morals, piqued himself so much upon cleanliness, that everybody was shocked at this impudent pretension.  The most amiable women of the country, who had vainly displayed to him their charms, were furious:  I myself was almost choked with indignation.  I used every effort to get the tongue of this impudent woman stopped, offering to pay all expenses, and to give security for Sauttersheim.  I wrote to him in the fullest persuasion, not only that this pregnancy could not relate to him, but that it was feigned, and the whole a machination of his enemies and mine.  I wished him to return and confound the strumpet, and those by whom she was dictated to.  The pusillanimity of his answer surprised me.  He wrote to the master of the parish to which the creature belonged, and endeavored to stifle the matter.  Perceiving this, I concerned myself no more about it, but I was astonished that a man who could stoop so low should have been sufficiently master of himself to deceive me by his reserve in the closest familiarity.

From Strasbourgh, Sauttersheim went to seek his fortune in Paris, and found there nothing but misery.  He wrote to me acknowledging his error.  My compassion was excited by the recollection of our former friendship, and I sent him a sum of money.  The year following, as I passed through Paris, I saw him much in the same situation; but he was the intimate friend of M. de Laliand, and I could not learn by what means he had formed this acquaintance, or whether it was recent or of long standing.  Two years afterwards Sauttersheim returned to Strasbourgh, whence he wrote to me and where he died.  This, in a few words, is the history of our connection, and what I know of his adventures; but while I mourn the fate of the unhappy young man, I still, and ever shall, believe he was the son of people of distinction, and the impropriety of his conduct was the effect of the situations to which he was reduced.

Such were the connections and acquaintance I acquired at Motiers.  How many of these would have been necessary to compensate the cruel losses I suffered at the same time.

The first of these was that of M. de Luxembourg, who, after having been long tormented by the physicians, at length became their victim, by being treated for the gout which they would not acknowledge him to have, as for a disorder they thought they could cure.

According to what La Roche, the confidential servant of Madam de Luxembourg, wrote to me relative to what had happened, it is by this cruel and memorable example that the miseries of greatness are to be deplored.

The loss of this good nobleman afflicted me the more, as he was the only real friend I had in France, and the mildness of his character was such as to make me quite forget his rank, and attach myself to him as his equal.  Our connection was not broken off on account of my having quitted the kingdom; he continued to write to me as usual.