X.; had under his command Philippe Bridau, the Vicomte de Serizy,
Oscar Husson. He was on intimate terms with Messieurs de Grandlieu and
d'Espard. [The Secrets of a Princess. A Start in Life. A Bachelor's
Establishment. Scenes from a Courtesan's Life.]

MAUFRIGNEUSE (Duchesse de), wife of the preceding, born Diane
d'Uxelles in 1796, married in 1815. She was in turn the mistress of
Marsay, Miguel d'Ajuda-Pinto, Victurnien d'Esgrignon, Maxime de
Trailles, Eugene de Rastignac, Armand de Montriveau, Marquis de
Ronquerolles, Prince Galathionne, the Duc de Rhetore, a Grandlieu,
Lucien de Rubempre, and Daniel d'Arthez. She lived at various times in
the following places: Anzy, near Sancerre; Paris, on rue Saint-Honore
in the suburbs and on rue Miromesnil; Cinq-Cygne in Champagne; Geneva
and the borders of Leman. She inspired a foolish platonic affection in
Michel Chrestien, and kept at a distance the Duc d'Herouville, who
courted her towards the end of the Restoration by sarcasm and
brilliant repartee. Her first and last love affairs were especially
well known. For her the Marquis Miguel d'Ajudo-Pinto gave up Berthe de
Rochefide, his wife, avenging thus a former mistress, Claire de
Beauseant. Her liaison with Victurnien d'Esgrignon became the most
stormy of romances. Madame de Maufrigneuse, disguised as a man and
possessed of a passport, bearing the name of Felix de Vandenesse,
succeeded in rescuing from the Court of Assizes the young man who had
compromised himself in yielding to the foolish extravagance of his
mistress. The duchesse received even her tradesmen in an angelic way,
and became their prey. She scattered fortunes to the four winds, and
her indiscretions led to the sale of Anzy in a manner advantageous to
Polydore Milaud de la Baudraye. Some years later she made a vain
attempt to rescue Lucien de Rubempre, against whom a criminal charge
was pending. The Restoration and the Kingdom of 1830 gave to her life