Browse the archives

XD2/4182

LETTER: Marie Vernet, [2 rue des Ecuries d’Artois]; Paris to Viscountess [Hill, née Wynn], telling her that she had an interview with Mr. Spuller yesterday, on the subject of her play, and he is going to summon her next Monday. She is happy to submit her play to him, after having talked about it with.M. Bouvier, because he is the Minister of Arts. She says that this postponement is a setback but she has used her time well by going to see M. Robinet of Clery, the famous lawyer, to whom she sent all the work on Maria Stella, so that he could advise her on what she can demand from M. Bouvier. She then tells her what information he gave her. He told her that it was a pity that the family had not revived the entreaty 30 years after the initial lawsuit which M.S. had instigated in France; that this oversight had allowed the establishment of the regulation concerning the d’Orleans property and effects (or rather, theft) before the last war. He told her that it would be possible to discuss the 40 million [?francs] because there had been an interruption of the regulation granted because of the minority of M.S. and the hinderance of the defence which she proved in Paris. Finally he said that a lawsuit of honour could be undertaken, if the family were concerned with the honour of proving the true origin of M.S., that is to say, having as a result the impeding of the d’Orleans from carrying a name which does not belong to them. He fears, however, that justice is only just in name and that the court case would be jndged not on the strength of its rightness, but on the strength of the d’Orleans gold. She says he also told her that the Republic would not last much longer, nor the d’Orelans, who cannot re-enter France. The regime which will succeed the Republic will be the royalty with the Bourbon of the elder branch [of the family], that is to say, the Bourbons of Anjou, and the Bourbons Ranendorff, the latter being the most likely. She tells them that the little Dauphin Louis XVII did not die in the temple as it was wished to be believed. He was in Russia and he died in 1867 but he had issue: Prince Louis Charles and Princess Amélie. The family has incontrovertible proofs and when the most favourable moment arrives, the lawsuit will be restored. She says that everyone knows about governmental conspiracies of silence, as in the case of M.S. and the Modigliana exchange but that great causes always end by breaking out. She believes that it will be only two years before the monarchy is re-established and gives evidence of why this change will be favourable to the Newborough family. M. de Cléry said to her that if her play could be staged, it would have a prodigious effect and leave the d’Orleans with no possibility of returning. She says that she has written to Father Lebaillif, author of the brochure which she sent, Non. Il n’y a plus de Maison D’Orleans, about the documents at Rouen which she fears have been sold to the d’Orleans. He knows the gentleman in Rouen who holds them. He wrote to a Miss Dufayel who is a friend of the Catteau family. The reply was that M. Catteau wants six thousand francs, which makes her think that the d’Orleans have the documents. She explains M. Catteau’s stance in the matter and the suggestion of Father Lebaillif. She hopes that the Rouen document is out of the two papers which M. de St. Michel spoke about. She says she will attempt to verify the documents after she [Viscountess Hill] tells her what the Hon. Lord Newborough thinks of the situation. French. [N.L.W. Bodfean 76/25.]