The thrice-famous Pompadour, who had been known to him in the
Chrysalis state, did not forget him on becoming Head-Butterfly of
the Universe. By her help, one long wish of his soul was gratified,
and did not hunger or thirst any more. Some uncertain footing at
Court, namely, was at length vouchsafed him:--uncertain; for the
Most Christian Majesty always rather shuddered under those
carbuncle eyes, under that voice "sombre and majestious," with such
turns lying in it:--some uncertain footing at Court; and from the
beginning of 1745, his luck, in the Court spheres, began to mount
in a wonderful and world-evident manner. On grounds tragically
silly, as he thought them. On the Dauphin's Wedding,--a Termagant's
Infanta coming hither as Dauphiness, at this time,--there needed to
be Court-shows, Dramaticules, Transparencies, Feasts of Lanterns,
or I know not what. Voltaire was the chosen man; Voltaire and
Rameau (readers have heard of RAMEAU'S NEPHEW, and musical readers
still esteem Rameau) did their feat; we may think with what
perfection, with what splendor of reward. Alas, and the feat done
was, to one of the parties, so unspeakably contemptible!
Voltaire pensively surveying Life, brushes the sounding strings;
and hums to himself, the carbuncle eyes carrying in them almost
something of wet:--
"MON Henri Quatre ET MA Zaire,
ET MON AMERICAIN Alzire,
NE M'ONT VALU JAMAIS UN SEUL REGARD DU ROI;
J'AVAIS MILLE ENNEMIS AVEC TRES PEU DE GLOIRE:
LES HONNEURS ET LES BIENS PLEUVENT ENFIN SUR MOI
POUR UN FARCE DE LA FOIRE."
["My HENRI QUATRE, my ZAIRE, my ALZIRE [high works very many],
could never purchase me a single glance of the King; I had