In his Souvenirs Intimes the Count de Mesnard, First Equerry of the Duchess of Berry, writes:—­

“The King, Charles X., did not recognize in his daughter-in-law nearly the solidity that she had.  He believed her to be light-minded, and only looked upon her as a great child, though he loved her much and her gaiety pleased him beyond measure, being himself of a gay nature.  You may have heard that one day Madame rode in an omnibus.  That is not correct.  But it is true that one day Her Royal Highness said to the King:—­

“’Father, if you will wager ten thousand francs, I will ride in an omnibus to-morrow.’

“‘It’s the last thing I should do, my dear,’ replied His Majesty.  ‘You are quite crazy enough to do it.’”

M. de Mesnard adds this reflection:  “What the King regarded as folly was only the appearance of it.  There was in Madame a rich fund of reason, justice, and humanity.  Independently of all the acts of beneficence daily done here, Madame employs still more considerable sums in the support of young girls in the convents of Lucon and Mantes, and in several other establishments.  There are in the colleges a large number of young people of families of modest fortune, whose expenses she pays.  The Hospital of Rosny alone costs Madame from twenty thousand to twenty-five thousand francs a year.  The exhaustless bounty of this august Princess extends to all.  There is no sort of aid that Her Royal Highness does not take pleasure in according:  subscriptions without interest for her, for concerts that she will not hear, for benefit performances that she will not see, everything gets a subscription from her, and it all costs more than is convenient with the Princess’s revenue.  Sometimes it happens that her funds are exhausted, and as her benevolence never is, embarrassment follows.”

Apropos of this the Count de Mesnard relates a touching anecdote.  One winter exceedingly cold, the Duchess of Berry was about to give a fete in the Pavillon de Marsan.  During the day she had supervised the preparations.  Things were arranged perfectly, when all at once her face saddened.  She was asked respectfully what had displeased her.  “What icy weather!” she cried.  “Poor people may be dying of cold and hunger to-night while we are taking our delights.  That spoils my pleasure.”  Then she added emphatically:  “Go call the Marquis de Sassenay” (her Treasurer).

The Marquis came promptly.

“Monsieur,” said the good Princess, “you must write instantly to the twelve mayors of Paris, and in each letter put one thousand francs to be expended in wood, and distributed this very night to the poor families of each arrondissement.  It is very little, but it may save some unfortunates.”

The Treasurer responded:  “Madame, I should be eager to obey the orders of Her Royal Highness, but she has nothing, or almost nothing, in her treasury.”

A feeling of discontent was strongly depicted on the face of Madame, who was about to give expression to it, when M. de Mesnard hastened to say that the funds of the First Equerry were in better state than those of the Treasurer, and remitted to the latter the twelve thousand francs, which were distributed to the poor that evening according to the Princess’s wishes.