|
Here is an Excerpt from the Book Celebrities of London and Paris By Rees Howell Gronow 1865 Pages 65-68
Mademoiselle Le Normand -
One of the Most Extraordinary persons of my younger days was the Celebrated Fortune-Teller, Madamoiselle Le Normand.
Her Original Residence was the Rue de Tournon, but at the time of which I write is the Rue de St Peres. During the Restoration, the Practice of the "Black Art"
was strictly forbidden by the Police, and it was almost like entering a besieged Citadel to make ones way to her sanctum sanctorum.
I was first admitted into a good-sized drawing-room, plainly but comfortably furnished, with books and newspapers lying about, as one would see at a dentist's.
Two or three ladies were already there, who, from their quiet dress and the haste with which they drew down their veils, or got up and looked out the window, evidently
which belonged to the upper ten thousand. Each person was summoned by an attendant to the sybil's boudoir, and remained a considerable time, dissapearing by some other exit
without returning to the waiting room. At last I was summoned by an elderly servant to the mysterious chamber, which opened by secret panels in the walls, to prevent and unpleasant
surprises by the police. I confess that it was not without a slight feeling of trepitadtion that I entered the small square room, lighted from above, where sat Madaemoiselle le Normand in all her glory.
It was impossible for imagination to concieve a more hideous being. She looked like a monstrous toad, bloated and venomous. She had one Wall-eye, but the other one was a piercer.
She wore a fur cap upon her head, from beneath which she glared out upon her horified visitors. The walls of the room were covered with huge bats, nailed by their wings to the ceiling,
stuffed owls, cabalistic signs, skeletons- in short, everything that was likely to impress a weak or superstitious mind. This malignant-looking Hecate had spread out before her several packs of cards,
with all kinds of strange figures and ciphers depicted on them. Her first question, uttered in a deep voice, was whether you would have the Grand or Petit Jeu, which was merely a matter of form.
She then inquired your age, and the colour and animal you prefered. Then came in an Authoritative voice, the word "Coupez", repeated at intervals, till the requisite number of cards from the various
packs were selected and placed in rows side by side. No further questions were asked, and no attempt was made to discover who or what you were, or to watch upon your countenance the effect of the revelations.
She neither prophesied smooth things to you nor tried to exite your fears, but seemed really to believe in her own power. She informed me the I was un militaire, that I should be married twice and have several children, and foretold many other events which have also come to pass, though I did not at the time believe one word of the sybil's prediction.
Madaemoiselle Le Normand was born in 1768, and was already celebrated as a Fortune-Teller as early as 1790. She is said to have predicted the unfortunate Princesses de Lamballe her miserable death at the hands of the infuriated populace. She is also reported to have been frequently visited and consulted by Robespierre and St Just: to have reported his downfall to Danton, at the time the idol of the people; to have warned
the famous General Hoche of his approaching death by poison; to have foretold to Bernadotte a northern throne, and to Moreau exile and an untimely grave.
The Empress Josephine, who, like most Creoles, was very superstitious, used frequently send for Mademoiselle Le Normand to the Tuileries, and put great faith in her predictions; which she always asseretd after ten years had constantly been verified. But, unfortunately for the sybil, she did not content herself with telling Josephines fortune, but actually ventured to predict a future replete with malignant influences to the Emperor himself. This rash conduct entailed upon her great misfortunes and a long imprisonment; but she survived all her troubles and died as late as 1843, having long before given up Fotune-telling, but which she had ammassed a large sum of money.
|
