the women of the french salons-第17节

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ughts　crystallize　with　wonderful　brilliancy；　and　the　world　is　reflected　in　a　thousand　varying　colors。　　The　sparkling　wit；　the　swift　judgment；　the　subtle　insight；　the　lightness　of　touch；　the　indefinable　charm　of　stylethese　belong　to　her　temperament　and　her　genius。　　But　the　clearness；　the　justness　of　expression；　the　precision；　the　simplicity　that　was　never　banalsuch　qualities　nature　does　not　bestow。　　One　must　find　their　source　in　careful　training；　in　wise　criticism；　in　early　familiarity　with　good　models。

Living　from　1626　to　1696；　Mme。　de　Sevigne　was　en　rapport　with　the　best　life　of　the　great　century　of　French　letters。　　She　was　the　granddaughter　of　the　mystical　Mme。　de　Chantal；　who　was　too　much　occupied　with　her　convents　and　her　devotions　to　give　much　attention　to　the　little　Marie；　left　an　orphan　at　the　age　of　six　years。　　The　child　did　not　inherit　much　of　her　grandmother's　spirit　of　reverence；　and　at　a　later　period　was　wont　to　indulge　in　many　harmless　pleasantries　about　her　pious　ancestress　and　〃our　grandfather；　St。　Francois　de　Sales。〃　　Deprived　so　early　of　the　care　of　a　mother；　she　was　brought　up　by　an　uncle；　the　good　Abbe　de　Coulangesthe　〃Bien…Bon〃whose　life　was　devoted　to　her　interests。　　Though　born　in　the　Place　Royale；　that　long…faded　center　of　so　much　that　was　brilliant　and　fascinating　two　centuries　ago；　much　of　her　youth　was　passed　in　the　family　chateau　at　Livry；　where　she　was　carefully　educated　in　a　far　more　solid　fashion　than　was　usual　among　the　women　of　her　time。　　She　had　an　early　introduction　to　the　Hotel　de　Rambouillet；　and　readily　caught　its　intellectual　tastes；　though　she　always　retained　a　certain　bold　freedom　of　speech　and　manners；　quite　opposed　to　its　spirit。

Her　instructors　were　Chapelain　and　Menage；　both　honored　habitues　of　that　famous　salon。　　The　first　was　a　dull　poet；　a　profound　scholar；　somewhat　of　a　pedant；　and　notoriously　careless　in　his　dressle　vieux　Chapelain；　his　irreverent　pupil　used　to　call　him。　　When　he　died　of　apoplexy；　years　afterwards；　she　wrote　to　her　daughter：　〃He　confesses　by　pressing　the　hand；　he　is　like　a　statue　in　his　chair。　　So　God　confounds　the　pride　of　philosophers。〃　　But　he　taught　her　Latin；　Spanish；　and　Italian；　made　her　familiar　with　the　beauties　of　Virgil　and　Tasso；　and　gave　her　a　critical　taste　for　letters。

Menage　was　younger；　and　aspired　to　be　a　man　of　the　world　as　well　as　a　savant。　　Repeating　one　day　the　remark　of　a　friend；　that　out　of　ten　things　he　knew　he　had　learned　nine　in　conversation；　he　added；　〃I　could　say　about　the　same　thing　myself〃a　confession　that　savors　more　of　the　salon　than　of　the　library。　　He　had　a　good　deal　of　learning；　but　much　pretension；　and　Moliere　has　given　him　an　undesirable　immortality　as　Vadius　in　〃Les　Femmes　Savantes；〃　in　company　with　his　deadly　enemy；　the　Abbe　Cotin；　who　figures　as　〃Trissotin。〃　　It　appears　that　the　susceptible　savant　lost　his　heart　to　his　lively　pupil；　and　sighed　not　only　in　secret　but　quite　openly。　　He　wrote　her　bad　verses　in　several　languages；　loaded　her　with　eulogies；　and　followed　her　persistently。　　〃The　name　of　Mme。　de　Sevigne；〃　said　the　Bishop　of　Laon；　〃is　in　the　works　of　Menage　what　Bassan's　dog　is　in　his　portraits。　　He　cannot　help　putting　it　there。〃　　She　treated　him　in　a　sisterly　fashion　that　put　to　flight　all　sentimental　illusions；　but　she　had　often　to　pacify　his　wounded　vanity。　　One　day；　in　the　presence　of　several　friends；　she　gave　him　a　greeting　rather　more　cordial　than　dignified。　　Noticing　the　looks　of　surprise；　she　turned　away　laughing　and　said；　〃So　they　kissed　in　the　primitive　church。〃　　But　the　wide　knowledge　and　scholarly　criticism　of　Menage　were　of　great　value　to　the　versatile　woman；　who　speedily　surpassed　her　master　in　style　if　not　in　learning。　　Evidently　she　appreciated　him；　since　she　addressed　him　in　one　of　her　letters　as　〃friend　of　all　friends；　the　best。〃

At　eighteen　the　gay　and　unconventional　Marie　de　Rabutin…Chantal　was　married　to　the　Marquis　de　Sevigne；　but　her　period　of　happiness　was　a　short　one。　　The　husband；　who　was　rich；　handsome；　and　agreeable；　proved　weak　and　faithless。　　He　was　one　of　the　temporary　caprices　of　the　dangerous　Ninon；　led　a　dashing；　irresponsible　life；　spent　his　fortune　recklessly；　and　left　his　pretty　young　wife　to　weep　alone　at　a　convenient　distance；　under　the　somber　skies　of　Brittany。　　Fortunately　for　her　and　for　posterity；　his　career　was　rapid　and　brief。　　For　some　trifling　affair　of　so…called　honora　quality　of　which；　from　our　point　of　view；　he　does　not　seem　to　have　possessed　enough　to　be　worth　the　trouble　of　defendinghe　had　the　kindness　to　get　himself　killed　in　a　duel；　after　seven　years　of　marriage。　　His　spirited　wife　had　loved　him　sincerely；　and　first　illusions　die　slowly。　　She　shed　many　bitter　and　natural　tears；　but　she　never　showed　any　disposition　to　repeat　the　experiment。　　Perhaps　she　was　of　the　opinion　of　another　young　widow　who　thought　it　〃a　fine　thing　to　bear　the　name　of　a　man　who　can　commit　no　more　follies。〃　　But　it　is　useless　to　speculate　upon　the　reasons　why　a　woman　does　or　does　not　marry。　　It　is　certain　that　the　love　of　her　two　children　filled　the　heart　of　Mme。　de　Sevigne；　her　future　life　was　devoted　to　their　training；　and　to　repairing　a　fortune　upon　which　her　husband's　extravagance　had　made　heavy　inroads。

But　the　fascinating　widow　of　twenty…five　had　a　dangerous　path　to　tread。　　That　she　lived　in　a　society　so　lax　and　corrupt；　unprotected　and　surrounded　by　distinguished　admirers；　without　a　shadow　of　suspicion　having　fallen　upon　her　fair　reputation　is　a　strong　proof　of　her　good　judgment　and　her　discretion。　　She　was　not　a　great　beauty；　though　the　flattering　verses　of　her　poet　friends　might　lead　one　to　think　so。　　A　complexion　fresh　and　fair；　eyes　of　remarkable　brilliancy；　an　abundance　of　blond　hair；　a　face　mobile　and　animated；　and　a　fine　figurethese　were　her　visible　attractions。　　She　danced　well；　sang　well；　talked　well；　and　had　abounding　health。　　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　made　a　pen…portrait　of　her；　which　was　thought　to　be　strikingly　true。　　It　was　in　the　form　of　a　letter　from　an　unknown　man。　　A　few　extracts　will　serve　to　bring　her　more　vividly　before　us。

〃Your　mind　so　adorns　and　embellishes　your　person；　that　there　is　no　one　in　the　world　so　fascinating　when　you　are　animated　by　a　conversation　from　which　constraint　is　banished。　　All　that　you　say　has　such　a　charm；　and　becomes　you　so　well；　that　the　words　attract　the　Smiles　and　the　Graces　around　you；　the　brilliancy　of　your　intellect　gives　such　luster　to　your　complexion　and　your　eyes；　that　although　it　seems　that　wit　should　touch　only　the　ears；　yours　dazzles　the　sight。

〃Your　soul　is　great　and　elevated。　　You　are　sensitive　to　glory　and　to　ambition；　and　not　less　so　to　pleasures；　you　were　born　for　them　and　they　seem　to　have　been　made　for　you　。　。　。　　In　a　word；　joy　is　the　true　state　of　your　soul；　and　grief　is　as　contrary　to　it　as　possible。　　You　are　naturally　tender　and　impassioned；　there　was　never　a　heart　so　generous；　so　noble；　so　faithful　。　。　。　　You　are　the　most　courteous　and　amiable　person　that　ever　lived；　and　the　sweet；　frank　air　which　is　seen　in　all　your　actions　makes　the　simplest　compliments　of　politeness　seem　from　your　lips　protestations　of　friendship。〃

Mlle。　de　Scudery　sketches　her　as　the　Princesse　Clarinte　in　〃Clelie；〃　concluding　with　these　words：　〃I　have　never　seen　together　so　many　attractions；　so　much　gaiety；　so　much　coquetry；　so　much　light；　so　much　innocence　and　virtue。　　No　one　ever　understood　better　the　art　of　having　grace　without　affectation；　raillery　without　malice；　gaiety　without　folly；　propriety　without　constraint；　and　virtue　without　severity。〃

Her　malicious　cousin；　Bussy…Rabutin；　who　was　piqued　by　her　indifference；　and　basely　wished　to　avenge　himself；　said　that　her　〃warmth　was　in　her　intellect；〃　that　for　a　woman　of　quality　she　was　too　badine；　too　economical；　too　keenly　alive　to　her　own　interests；　that　she　made　too　much　account　of　a　few　trifling　words　from　the　queen；　and　was　too　evidently　flattered　when　the　king　danced　with　her。　　This　opinion　of　a　vain　and　jealous　man　is　not　entitled　to　great　consideration；　especially　when　we　recall　that　he　had　already　spoken　of　her　as　〃the　delight　of　mankind；：〃　and　said　that　antiquity　would　have　dressed　altars　for　her　and　she　would　〃surely　have　been　goddess　of　something。〃　　The　most　incomprehensible　page　in　her　history　is　her　complaisance　towards　the　persistent　impertinences　of　this　perfidious　friend。　　The　only　solution　of　it　seems　to　lie　in　the　strength　of　family　ties；　and　in　her　unwillingness　to　be　on　bad　terms　with　one　of　her　very　few　near　relatives。　　Bussy…Rabutin　was　handsome；　witty；　brilliant；　a　bel　esprit；　a　member　of　the　Academie　Francaise；　and　very　much　in　love　with　his　charming　cousin；　who　clearly　appreciated　his　talents；　if　not　his　character。　　〃You　are　the　fagot　of　my　intellect；〃　she　says　to　him；　but　she　forbids　him　to　talk　of　love。　　Unfortunately　for　himself；　his　vanity　got　the　better　of　his　discretion。　　He　wrote　the　〃Histoire　Amoureuse　des　Gauls；〃　and　raised　such　a　storm　about　his　head　by　his　attack　upon　many　fair　reputations；　that；　after　a　few　months　of　lonely　meditation　in　the　Bastille；　he　was　exiled　from　Paris　for　seventeen　years。　　Long　afterwards　he　repented　the　unkind　blow　he　had　given　to　Mme。　de　Sevigne；　confessed　its　injustice；　apologized；　and　made　his　peace。　　But　the　world　is　le