Juliette Recamier Owner of hearts Country: France

Talented and Enigmatic: The Biography of Adelaide Bernard (Madame Julie)

Adelaide Bernard, also known as Madame Julie, was a renowned beauty and the hostess of a famous literary and political salon. In France, her name is inseparably linked to Rene-Francois de Chateaubriand, although she herself represents an entire era in the history of France.

Early Life and Infatuation
Adelaide first laid her eyes on a portrait of Madame Recamier, painted by Gerard, when she was young. The woman depicted in the painting seemed to have just awakened from a dream. The lines of her body, reminiscent of an ancient statue, delicately emphasized the light folds of her robe or tunic. Adelaide was particularly struck by the juxtaposition of the lightness of the fabric on her body and the heaviness of the luxurious Persian shawl with tassels that lay on her lap. She couldn't help but wish for the shawl to come alive and drape itself over the beauty's exposed, rounded shoulders, as she seemed to be cold. The coldness permeated the entire painting, from the heavy, smooth marble column framed by the weight of the curtain to the impeccable, slitless floor tiles, to the subdued blue-green-gray background.

Infatuation and Admiration
Adelaide was mesmerized by the beauty with a swan-like neck, lively eyes, and the perfect, melodious lines of her hands, shoulders, and hips. As a schoolgirl, she felt an inexplicable connection with this woman and realized that she could fall in love with her madly, to the point of losing her mind and senses.

Adelaide herself fell in love with the enchanting stranger from the painting. For many years, a copy of Madame Recamier's portrait by Gerard accompanied her everywhere - on her desk, on the wall next to her bookshelf, and even inside a glass bookcase. The reproduction was lost in the chaos of a recent move, but the magic of the image remained, along with the enchantment of childhood memories and several letters to and about the Lady from the painting, which Adelaide read in various editions over the years.

Creating a Novel
Based on these few letters, Adelaide now creates her own fleeting novella, which can be read with a smirk by anyone who comes across it. She accepts the condescending and perhaps sarcastic coolness of this smirk, shrugging her shoulders. What can she do? She is not unfamiliar with such attitudes.

Interweaving Documents and Imagination
Adelaide weaves together the lines of documents with the whimsy of her imagination, creating a strange "vision of the heart" that often emerges in her and persistently compels her to search for words and comprehend the elusive laws of their interweaving into a unified whole - magical laws. It is up to the reader to decide whether they enjoy her way of "enchanting" words. Adelaide knows that describing paintings, even with the most brilliant epithets, is almost sacrilegious. Paintings must be seen and felt, with the expressiveness of colors, the brightness or mutedness of light, falling on the canvas.

Childhood Secrets
Adelaide treasures the secrets of her childhood. She recalls her love for the sun, her favorite flowers in the garden, and the pet dove that followed her everywhere. She remembers her innocent curiosity and the lively fire in her eyes. As a child, she was not afraid of the sun, and her skin never burned in its rays. She had always loved flowers, and her pet dove accompanied her during walks in the garden and even perched on her windowsill, protecting her dreams. Her mother, a remarkable woman known as Madame Bernard, was often surrounded by admirers and guests but occasionally visited Adelaide's room with a distinguished gentleman who watched her every move and showed great interest in Adelaide's daily activities. He asked her about her games, dolls, and flowers, gently touching her cheek with the soft bristles of his mustache. Adelaide enjoyed his attention. Her mother referred to him affectionately as "Marquis Jacques" or simply "Jacques."

Adelaide's father, a calm and gentle man, was good friends with Marquis Jacques. Adelaide sensed that both men adored her mother, but her father openly courted her, while Marquis Jacques displayed his affection more subtly, given the need to adhere to societal etiquette. Adelaide rarely saw her beautiful mother, who was always surrounded by noisy guests and admirers. However, she often appeared in Adelaide's room, holding hands with the respectable, prematurely graying gentleman, who not only observed her every move but also paid close attention to Adelaide. He kindly inquired about her daily activities, games, dolls, and flowers, gently touching her cheek with the fragrant brushes of his finely groomed mustache. Adelaide enjoyed these moments. Her mother referred to him affectionately as "Marquis Jacques."

Adelaide's Education
Adelaide's education was incomplete by the time she got married. It resembled a delicate watercolor painting of her soul rather than a finished masterpiece. Although she read books like "Abelard and Eloise," memoirs by de Retz and Cardinal Richelieu, she also delved into the works of Plato and Aristotle, which were challenging for her. However, she eventually made peace with Aristotle, as he led her to Tacitus and Tranquillus.

Adelaide admitted that the ancient style of high tragedy did not captivate her, often causing her to shed tears and feel pain. Her mother was horrified by her tears, scolding the nanny for allowing Adelaide to stay up late reading. She locked away the books, believing that one should not believe everything written and that Adelaide had to learn this lesson. In her moments of despair and tears, Adelaide would call upon her father or Marquis Jacques for solace.

Elegant Gatherings and Secrets
As time went on, people in France suffered from the cold drafts, prison doors creaked, and their acquaintances - the social bon vivants and "lace ladies" - rivals of Marie Antoinette - disappeared one by one. Some fled to the remote provinces, while others, like Princess Lamballe, met their fate on the nearby Place de la Greve.

Meanwhile, Madame's salon continued to host exposed shoulders and busts adorned with powder and jewels. However, the guests now included the wives or mistresses of financiers, bankers, and administrators, rather than languid countesses and gray-haired marquises. The faces changed like in a kaleidoscope, but the secrets remained. Adelaide listened attentively and kept them in her heart. Over time, she accumulated many, too many secrets. She grew tired and began to feel that people in her hands could become puppets if she wanted to use their innermost secrets. But she didn't dare. She didn't want to. She simply listened and kept.

The Ultimate Secret
Adelaide kept the most painful secret she accidentally overheard while bringing another bouquet of flowers to her mother's salon as an apology from one of the invited guests. Her mother was talking to Marquis Jacques in a small alcove by the window, hidden from prying eyes. Adelaide approached but involuntarily slowed her steps upon hearing their argument and agitated voices.

Marquis Jacques was desperate, explaining that the Jacobins could declare the nationalization of property at any moment, and the deranged Marat could sign another decree, order, or whatever they called it nowadays. He officially had no children, and there would always be room for a certain Recamier in the Conciergerie prison - a useless marquis-banker with million-dollar accounts.

Adelaide's mother, choking back tears, refused to give her consent, declaring it an act of madness. She reminded Marquis Jacques that he was, after all, Juliette's father. He pleaded with her, claiming that no one else knew about their secret except them. The abbess of the memorable monastery had long passed away, and Mr. Bernard knew how to keep a secret.

Madame Bernard couldn't fathom the idea of giving her own daughter's hand in marriage, declaring it an abomination. Marquis Jacques argued that it was the only way he could secure her future amid the turmoil. He planned to transfer all his assets to his legitimate wife, Juliette, so that even if he perished, she would be provided for.

The Ultimate Refusal
Madame Bernard refused to give her consent, utterly appalled by the idea and the audacity of Marquis Jacques. They argued, tears streaming down her mother's face. Adelaide continued to listen, although she knew it was not her place to pry into others' secrets.

Adelaide kept the secret buried deep within her, along with the countless other secrets she had accumulated. She soon became overwhelmed, feeling that people in her hands could become nothing more than puppets if she dared to use their secrets. But she didn't dare. She didn't want to. She simply listened and kept.

Adelaide's life was a delicate watercolor painting, incomplete and full of secrets, waiting to be unveiled to the world.

Mistress