continually as Chardon, he counseled the young man to become a Royalist, in order that Louis XVIII. might restore to him the title and name of Rubempres, his maternal ancestors. The Duc de Rhetore, however, disliked Lucien de Rubempre, and a little later at a performance in the Italiens, he traduced him to Madame de Serizy, who was really in love with the poet. (A Bachelor's Establishment, A Distinguished Provincial at Paris, Scenes from a Courtesan's Life, Letters of Two Brides) In 1835, he married the Duchesse d'Argaiolo, born the Princesse Soderini, a woman of great beauty and fortune. (Albert Savarus) In 1839, he had a duel with Dorlange-Sallenauve, having provoked the latter, by speaking in a loud voice, which he knew could be easily understood, and slandering Marie Gaston, second husband of Dorlange's sister, Louise de Chaulieu. Dorlange was wounded. (The Member for Arcis)
RHETORE (Duchess de), born Francesca Soderini in 1802; a very beautiful and wealthy Florentine; married, when very young, by her father, to the Duc d'Argaiolo, who was also very rich and much older than herself. In Switzerland or Italy she became acquainted with Albert Savarus, when, as a result of political events, she and her husband were proscribed and deprived of their property. The Duchesse d'Argaiolo and Albert Savarus loved platonically, and Francesca-like she promised her hand to her Francois whenever she should become a widow. In 1835, having been widowed for some time, and, as a result of Rosalie de Watteville's plots, believing herself forgotten and betrayed by Savarus, from whom she had received no news, she gave her hand to the Duc de Rhetore, the ex-ambassador. The marriage took place in the month of May at Florence and was celebrated with much pomp. The Duchesse d'Argaiolo is pictured under the name of the Princesse Gandolphini in "L'Ambitieux par Amour," published in 1834 by the Revue de l'Est. Under Louis Philippe, the Duchesse de Rhetore became acquainted with Mademoiselle de Watteville at a charity entertainment. On their second meeting, which took place at the Opera ball,
