The "World" between Seigneur and Peasant

The “World” betweenbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Seigneur and Peasant ROBERT FORSTER It m u st h av e b e e n a b rig h t, c h e e rfu l su m m e r d a y a t th e e n d o f Ju n e , 1 7 8 2 , in th is p a rtic u la r v illag e o f L o rra in e . A ll o f F a u lq u e m o n t w as fu ll o f jo y a n d a p p re c ia tio n fro m th e m o m e n t o f a rriv a l to th e m o m e n t o f d e p a rtu re o f M a d a m e L a C o m te sse d e C h o ise u l. C a v a lry w ith flag s a n d d ru m s, in fa n try in fu ll u n ifo rm , m u sic fro m th e re g im e n ta l b a n d o f S c h o m b e rg , illu m in a tio n s, b o n fire s, fire w o rk s, arcs de triomphe—e v e ry th in g p o ssib le to sh o w M a d a m e la C o m te sse h o w h a p p y th e v illag e w as to re c e iv e h e r. . . J T h is w as n o t th e L o rra in e o f m e ta llu rg y , th a t lu g u b rio u s a m b i­ an ce e v o k e d b y fo rg es, so o t, a n d p in e tre e s, b u t o n e th a t a t le a st a p p ro a c h e d th e id e a liz e d p a sto ra l L o rra in e so d e a r to M au rice B arres. In Ju n e , 1 7 8 2 , th e v illag e (o r ville) o f F a u lq u e m o n t (6 5 0 in h a b ita n ts) w as th e c e n te r o f a c lu ste r o f fo u rte e n v illag es th a t m a d e u p th e M a rq u isa t o f F a u lq u e m o n t. It h a d b e lo n g e d to a b ra n c h o f th e fa m ily C h o ise u l, o n e o f th e g re a t fam ilies o f F ra n c e , sin ce 1 7 5 1 . T h e C o u n te ss C h o ise u l-B e a u p re , d o w a g e r o f fifty , w as v isitin g h e r e sta te fo r th e first tim e in th irty y e a rs. H er lo c a l 4 0 1 402 / ihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA ROBERT FORSTERbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA ste w a rd a n d la n d a g e n t, P ierre D u S eu il, w as fu ll o f e n th u sia sm fo r th is visite w h ic h h e h a d b e e n u rg in g fo r so m e tim e . H is le tte r to th e c h ie f m a n...