"When the hour of her death had arrived," says Brantome, "Mademoiselle
sent for her valet, Julian, who could play the violin to perfection.
'Julian,' quoth she, 'take your violin and play on it until you see me
dead--for I am going--the Defeat of the Swiss, and play it as well as
you know how; and when you shall reach the words "tout est perdu,"
play it over four or five times as piteously as you can:' which the
other did. And when he came to 'tout est perdu' she sang it over
twice; then turning to the other side of the couch, she said to those
who stood around: 'Tout est perdu a ce coup et a bon escient;' all is
lost this time, sure.'"
CHAPTER X
Some of Ninon's Lovers
Notwithstanding her love of pleasure, and her admiration for the
society of men, Ninon was never vulgar or common in the distribution
of her favors, but selected those upon whom she decided to bestow
them, with the greatest care and discrimination. As has been already
said, she discovered in early life, that women were at a discount, and
she resolved to pursue the methods of men in the acceptance or
rejection of friendship, and in distributing her favors and
influences.
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