ROCHEFIDE (Marquise de), wife of the preceding, younger daughter of the Marquis de Casteran; born Beatrix-Maximilienne-Rose de Casteran, about 1808, in the Casteran Castle, department of Orne. After being reared there she became the wife of the Marquis of Rochefide in 1828. She was fair of skin, but a flighty vain coquette, without heart or brains—a second Madame d’Espard, except for her lack of intelligence. About 1832 she left her husband to flee into Italy with the musician, Gennaro Conti, whom she took from her friend, Mademoiselle des Touches. Finally she allowed Calyste du Guenic to pay her court. She had met him also at her friend’s house, and at first resisted the young man. Afterwards, when he was married, she abandoned herself to him. This liaison filled Madame du Guenic with despair, but was ended after 1840 by the crafty manoeuvres of the Abbe Brossette. Madame de Rochefide then rejoined her husband in the elegant mansion on rue d’Anjou-Saint-Honore, but not until she had retired with him to Nogent-sur-Marne, to care for her health which had been injured during the resumption of marital relations. Before this reconciliation she lived in Paris on rue de Chartres-du-Roule, near Monceau Park. The Marquise de Rochefide had, by her husband, a son, who was for some time under the care of Madame Schontz. [Beatrix. The Secrets of a Princess.] In 1834, in the presence of Madame Felix de Vandenesse, then in love with the poet Nathan, the Marquise Charles de Vandenesse, sister-in-law of Madame Felix, Lady Dudley, Mademoiselle des Touches, the Marquise d’Espard, Madame Moina de Saint Hereen and Madame de Rochefide expressed their ideas on love and marriage. “Love is heaven,” said Lady Dudley. “It is hell!” cried Mademoiselle des Touches. “But it is a hell where there is love,” replied Madame de Rochefide. “There is often more pleasure in suffering than in happiness; remember the martyrs!” [A Daughter of Eve.] The history of Sarrasine was told her about 1830. The marquise was acquainted with the Lantys, and at their house saw the strange Zambinella. [Sarrasine.] One afternon, in the year 1836 or 1837, in her house on rue des Chartres, Madame de Rochefide heard the story of the “Prince of Bohemia” told by Nathan. After this narrative she became wild over La Palferine. [A Prince of Bohemia.]


