the women of the french salons-第22节

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e　lover。　　His　nature　was　one　that　recoiled　from　all　violent　commotions　of　the　soul。　　The　cold　philosophy　of　the　Maxims　marked　perhaps　the　reaction　of　his　intellect　against　the　disenchanting　experiences　of　his　life。　　In　the　tranquil　atmosphere　of　Mme。　de　Sable　he　found　a　certain　mental　equilibrium；　but　his　character　was　finally　tempered　and　softened　by　the　gentle　influence　of　Mme。　de　La　Fayette；　whose　exquisite　poise　and　delicacy　were　singularly　in　harmony　with　a　nature　that　liked　nothing　in　exaggeration。　　〃I　have　seen　him　weep　with　a　tenderness　that　made　me　adore　him；〃　writes　Mme。　de　Sevigne；　after　the　death　of　his　mother。　　〃The　heart　or　M。　de　La　Rochefoucauld　for　his　family　is　a　thing　incomparable。〃　　When　the　news　came　that　his　favorite　grandson　had　been　killed　in　battle；　she　says　again：　〃I　have　seen　his　heart　laid　bare　in　this　cruel　misfortune；　he　ranks　first　among　all　I　have　ever　known　for　courage；　fortitude；　tenderness；　and　reason；　I　count　for　nothing　his　esprit　and　his　charm。〃　　In　all　the　confidences　of　the　two　women；　La　Rochefoucauld　makes　a　third。　　He　seems　always　to　be　looking　over　the　shoulder　of　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　while　she　writes　to　the　one　who　〃satisfies　his　idea　of　friendship　in　all　its　circumstances　and　dependences〃；　adding　usually　a　message；　a　line　or　a　pretty　compliment　to　Mme。　de　Grignan　that　is　more　amiable　than　sincere；　because　he　knows　it　will　gladden　the　heart　of　her　adoring　mother。

The　side　of　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　which　has　the　most　fascination　for　us　is　this　intimate　life　of　which　Mme。　de　Sevigne　gives　such　charming　glimpses。　　For　a　moment　it　was　her　ambition　to　establish　a　popular　salon；　a　role　for　which　she　had　every　requisite　of　position；　talent；　and　influence。　　〃She　presumed　very　much　upon　her　esprit；〃　says　Gourville；　who　did　not　like　her；　〃and　proposed　to　fill　the　place　of　the　Marquise　de　Sable；　to　whom　all　the　young　people　were　in　the　habit　of　paying　great　deference；　because；　after　she　had　fashioned　them　a　little；　it　was　a　passport　for　entering　the　world；　but　this　plan　did　not　succeed；　as　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　was　not　willing　to　give　her　time　to　a　thing　so　futile。〃　　One　can　readily　understand　that　it　would　not　have　suited　her　tastes　or　her　temperament。　　Besides；　her　health　was　too　delicate；　and　her　moods　were　too　variable。　　〃You　know　how　she　is　weary　sometimes　of　the　same　thing；〃　wrote　Mme。　de　Sevigne。　　But　she　had　her　coterie；　which　was　brilliant　in　quality　if　not　in　numbers。　　The　fine　house　with　its　pretty　garden；　which　may　be　seen　today　opposite　the　Petit　Luxembourg；　was　a　favorite　meeting　place　for　a　distinguished　circle。　　The　central　figure　was　La　Rochefoucauld。　　Every　day　he　came　in　and　seated　himself　in　the　fauteuil　reserved　for　him。　　One　is　reminded　of　the　little　salon　in　the　Abbaye…aux…　Bois；　where　more　than　a　century　later　Chateaubriand　found　the　pleasure　and　the　consolation　of　his　last　days　in　the　society　of　Mme。　Recamier。　　They　talk；　they　write；　they　criticize　each　other；　they　receive　their　friends。　　The　Cardinal　de　Retz　comes　in；　and　they　recall　the　fatal　souvenirs　of　the　Fronde。　　Perhaps　he　thinks　of　the　time　when　he　found　the　young　Mlle。　De　LaVergne　pretty　and　amiable；　and　she　did　not　smile　upon　him。　　The　Prince　de　Conde　is　there　sometimes；　and　honors　her　with　his　confidence；　which　Mme。　de　Sevigne　thinks　very　flattering；　as　he　does　not　often　pay　such　consideration　to　women。　　Segrais　has　transferred　his　allegiance　from　the　Grande　Mademoiselle　to　Mme。　de　La　Fayette；　and　is　her　literary　counselor　as　well　as　a　constant　visitor。　　La　Fontaine；　〃so　well　known　by　his　fables　and　tales；　and　sometimes　so　heavy　in　conversation；〃　may　be　found　there。　　Mme。　de　Sevigne　comes　almost　every　day　with　her　sunny　face　and　her　witty　story。　　〃The　Mist〃　she　calls　Mme。　de　La　Fayette；　who　is　so　often　ill　and　sad。　　She　might　have　called　herself　The　Sunbeam；　though　she；　too；　has　her　hours　when　she　can　only　dine　tete…a…tete　with　her　friend；　because　she　is　〃so　gloomy　that　she　cannot　support　four　people　together。〃　　Mme。　de　Coulanges　adds　her　graceful；　vivacious；　and　sparkling　presence。　　Mme。　Scarron；　before　her　days　of　grandeur；　is　frequently　of　the　company；　and　has　lost　none　of　the　charm　which　made　the　salon　of　her　poet…husband　so　attractive　during　his　later　years。　〃She　has　an　amiable　and　marvelously　just　mind；〃　says　Mme。　de　Sevigne。　。　。　　〃It　is　pleasant　to　hear　her　talk。　　These　conversations　often　lead　us　very　far；　from　morality　to　morality；　sometimes　Christian；　sometimes　political。〃　　This　circle　was　not　limited　however　to　a　few　friends；　and　included　from　time　to　time　the　learning；　the　elegance　and　the　aristocracy　of　Paris。

But　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　herself　is　the　magnet　that　quietly　draws　together　this　fascinating　world。　　In　her　youth　she　had　much　life　and　vivacity；　perhaps　a　spice　of　discreet　coquetry；　but　at　this　period　she　was　serious；　and　her　fresh　beauty　had　given　place　to　the　assured　and　captivating　grace　of　maturity。　　She　had　a　face　that　might　have　been　severe　in　its　strength　but　for　the　sensibility　expressed　in　the　slight　droop　of　the　head　to　one　side；　the　tender　curve　of　the　full　lips；　and　the　variable　light　of　the　dark；　thoughtful　eyes。　　In　her　last　years；　when　her　stately　figure　had　grown　attenuated；　and　her　face　was　pallid　with　long　suffering；　the　underlying　force　of　her　character　was　more　distinctly　defined　in　the　clear　and　noble　outlines　of　her　features。　　Her　nature　was　full　of　subtle　shades。　　Over　her　reserved　strength；　her　calm　judgment；　her　wise　penetration　played　the　delicate　light　of　a　lively　imagination；　the　shifting　tints　of　a　tender　sensibility。　　Her　sympathy　found　ready　expression　in　tears；　and　she　could　not　even　bear　the　emotion　of　saying　good…by　to　Mme。　de　Sevigne　when　she　was　going　away　to　Provence。　　But　her　accents　were　always　tempered；　and　her　manners　had　the　gracious　and　tranquil　ease　of　a　woman　superior　to　circumstances。　　Her　extreme　frankness　lent　her　at　times　a　certain　sharpness；　and　she　deals　many　light　blows　at　the　small　vanities　and　affectations　that　come　under　her　notice。　　〃Mon　Dieu；〃　said　the　frivolous　Mme。　de　Marans　to　her　one　day；　〃I　must　have　my　hair　cut。〃　　〃Mon　Dieu；〃　replied　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　simply；　〃do　not　have　it　done；　that　is　becoming　only　to　young　persons。〃　　Gourville　said　she　was　imperious　and　over…bearing；　scolding　those　she　loved　best；　as　well　as　those　she　did　not　love。　　But　this　valet…de…chambre　of　La　Rochefoucauld；　who　amassed　a　fortune　and　became　a　man　of　some　note；　was　jealous　of　her　influence　over　his　former　master；　and　his　opinions　should　be　taken　with　reservation。　　Her　delicate　satire　may　have　been　sometimes　a　formidable　weapon；　but　it　was　directed　only　against　follies；　and　rarely；　if　ever；　used　unkindly。　　She　was　a　woman　for　intimacies；　and　it　is　to　those　who　knew　her　best　that　we　must　look　for　a　just　estimate　of　her　qualities。　　〃You　would　love　her　as　soon　as　you　had　time　to　be　with　her；　and　to　become　familiar　with　her　esprit　and　her　wisdom；〃　wrote　Mme。　de　Sevigne　to　her　daughter；　who　was　disposed　to　be　critical；　〃the　better　one　knows　her；　the　more　one　is　attached　to　her。〃

One　must　also　take　into　consideration　her　bad　health。　　People　thought　her　selfish　or　indifferent　when　she　was　only　sad　and　suffering。　　For　more　than　twenty　years　she　was　ill；　consumed　by　a　slow　fever　which　permitted　her　to　go　out　only　at　intervals。　　La　Rochefoucauld　had　the　gout；　and　they　consoled　each　other。　　Mme。　de　Sevigne　thought　it　better　not　to　have　the　genius　of　a　Pascal；　than　to　have　so　many　ailments。　　〃Mme。　De　La　Fayette　is　always　languishing；　M。　de　La　Rochefoucauld　always　lame；〃　she　writes；　〃we　have　conversations　so　sad　that　it　seems　as　if　there　were　nothing　more　to　do　but　to　bury　us；　the　garden　of　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　is　the　prettiest　spot　in　the　world；　everything　blooming；　everything　perfumed；　we　pass　there　many　evenings；　for　the　poor　woman　does　not　dare　go　out　in　a　carriage。〃　　〃Her　health　is　never　good；〃　she　writes　again；　〃nevertheless　she　sends　you　word　that　she　should　not　like　death　better；　AU　CONTRAIRE。〃　　There　are　times　when　she　can　no　longer　〃think；　or　speak；　or　answer；　or　listen；　she　is　tired　of　saying　good　morning　and　good　evening。〃　　Then　she　goes　away　to　Meudon　for　a　few　days；　leaving　La　Rochefoucauld　〃incredibly　sad。〃　　She　speaks　for　herself　in　a　letter　from　the　country　house　which　Gourville　has　placed　at　her　disposal。

〃I　am　at　Saint　Maur；　I　have　left　all　my　affairs　and　all　my　husbands；　I　have　my　children　and　the　fine　weather；　that　suffices。　　I　take　the　waters　of　Forges；　I　look　after　my　health；　I　see　no　one。　　I　do　not　mind　at　all　the　privation；　every　one　seems　to　me　so　attached　to　pleasures　which　depend　entirely　upon　others；　that　I　find　my　disposition　a　gift　of　the　fairies。

〃I　do　not　know　but　Mme　de　Coulanges　has　already　sent　you　word　of　our　after…dinner　conversations　at　Gourville's　about　people　who　have　taste　above　or　below　their　intelligence。　　Mme。　Scarron　and　the　Abbe　Tetu　were　there；　we　lost　ourselves　in　subtleties　until　we　no　longer　understood　anything。　　If　the　air　of　Provence；　which　subtilizes　things　still　more；　magnifies　for　you　our　visions；　you　will　be　in　the　clouds。　　You　have　taste　below　your　intelligence；　so　has　M。　de　La　Rochefoucauld；　and　myself　also；　but　not　so　much　as　you　two。　　VOILA　an　example　which　will　guide　you。〃

She　disliked　writing　letters；　and　usual