the women of the french salons-第37节

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uired　for　the　white…haired　old　gentleman　who　was　in　the　habit　of　sitting　at　the　head　of　the　table。　　〃That　was　my　husband；〃　replied　Mme。　Geoffrin；　〃he　is　dead。〃

But　if　her　marriage　was　not　an　ideal　one；　it　does　not　appear　that　it　was　unhappy。　　Perhaps　her　bourgeois　birth　and　associations　saved　her　youth　from　the　domestic　complications　which　were　so　far　the　rule　in　the　great　world　as　to　have；　in　a　measure；　its　sanction。　　At　all　events　her　life　was　apparently　free　from　the　shadows　that　rested　upon　many　of　her　contemporaries。

〃Her　character　was　a　singular　one；〃　writes　Marmontel；　who　lived　for　ten　years　in　her　house；　〃and　difficult　to　understand　or　paint；　because　it　was　all　in　half…tints　and　shades；　very　decided　nevertheless；　but　without　the　striking　traits　by　which　one's　nature　distinguishes　and　defines　itself。　　She　was　kind；　but　had　little　sensibility；　charitable；　without　any　of　the　charms　of　benevolence；　eager　to　aid　the　unhappy；　but　without　seeing　them；　for　fear　of　being　moved；　a　sure；　faithful；　even　officious　friend；　but　timid　and　anxious　in　serving　others；　lest　she　should　compromise　her　credit　or　her　repose。　　She　was　simple　in　her　taste；　her　dress；　and　her　furniture；　but　choice　in　her　simplicity；　having　the　refinements　and　delicacies　of　luxury；　but　nothing　of　its　ostentation　nor　its　vanity；　modest　in　her　air；　carriage；　and　manners；　but　with　a　touch　of　pride；　and　even　a　little　vainglory。　　Nothing　flattered　her　more　than　her　intercourse　with　the　great。　　At　their　houses　she　rarely　saw　them；　indeed　she　was　not　at　her　ease　there；but　she　knew　how　to　attract　them　to　her　own　by　a　coquetry　subtly　flattering；　and　in　the　easy；　natural；　half…respectful　and　half…familiar　air　with　which　she　received　them；　I　thought　I　saw　remarkable　address。〃

In　a　woman　of　less　tact　and　penetration；　this　curious　vein　of　hidden　vanity　would　have　led　to　pretension。　　But　Mme。　Geoffrin　was　preeminently　gifted　with　that　fine　social　sense　which　is　apt　to　be　only　the　fruit　of　generations　of　culture。　　With　her　it　was　innate　genius。　　She　was　mistress　of　the　amiable　art　of　suppressing　herself；　and　her　vanity　assumed　the　form　of　a　gracious　modesty。　　〃I　remain　humble；　but　with　dignity；〃　she　writes　to　a　friend；　〃that　is；　in　depreciating　myself　I　do　not　suffer　others　to　depreciate　me。〃　　She　had　the　instinct　of　the　artist　who　knows　how　to　offset　the　lack　of　brilliant　gifts　by　the　perfection　of　details；　the　modesty　that　disarms　criticism；　and　a　rare　facility　in　the　art　of　pleasing。

There　was　an　air　of　refinement　and　simple　elegance　in　her　personality　that　commanded　respect。　　Tall　and　dignified；　with　her　silvery　hair　concealed　by　her　coif；　she　combined　a　noble　presence　with　great　kindliness　of　manner。　　She　usually　wore　somber　colors　and　fine　laces；　for　which　she　had　great　fondness。　　Her　youth　was　long　past　when　she　came　before　the　world；　and　that　sense　of　fitness　which　always　distinguished　her　led　her　to　accept　her　age　seriously　and　to　put　on　its　hues。　　The　〃dead…leaf　mantle〃　of　Mme。　de　Maintenon　was　worn　less　severely　perhaps；　but　it　was　worn　without　affectation。　　Diderot　gives　us　a　pleasant　glimpse　of　her　at　Grandval；　where　they　were　dining　with　Baron　d'Holbach。　　〃Mme。　Geoffrin　was　admirable；〃　he　wrote　to　Mlle。　Volland。　　〃I　remark　always　the　noble　and　quiet　taste　with　which　this　woman　dresses。　　She　wore　today　a　simple　stuff　of　austere　color；　with　large　sleeves；　the　smoothest　and　finest　linen；　and　the　most　elegant　simplicity　throughout。〃

In　her　equanimity　and　her　love　of　repose　she　was　a　worthy　disciple　of　Fontenelle。　　She　carefully　avoided　all　violent　passions　and　all　controversies。　　To　her　lawyer；　who　was　conducting　a　suit　that　worried　her；　she　said；　〃Wind　up　my　case。　　Do　they　want　my　money？　　I　have　some；　and　what　can　I　do　with　money　better　than　to　buy　tranquillity　with　it？〃　　This　aversion　to　annoyance　often　reached　the　proportions　of　a　very　amiable　selfishness。　　〃She　has　the　habit　of　detesting　those　who　are　unhappy；〃　said　the　witty　Abbe　Galiani；　〃for　she　does　not　wish　to　be　so；　even　by　the　sight　of　the　unhappiness　of　others。　　She　has　an　impressionable　heart；　she　is　old；　she　is　well；　she　wishes　to　preserve　her　health　and　her　tranquillity。　　As　soon　as　she　learns　that　I　am　happy　she　will　love　me　to　folly。〃

But　her　generosity　was　exceptional。　　〃Donner　et　pardonner〃　was　her　device。　　Many　anecdotes　are　related　of　her　charitable　temper。　　She　had　ordered　two　marble　vases　of　Bouchardon。　　One　was　broken　before　reaching　her。　　Learning　that　the　man　who　broke　it　would　lose　his　place　if　it　were　known；　and　that　he　had　a　family　of　four　children；　she　immediately　sent　word　to　the　atelier　that　the　sculptor　was　not　to　be　told　of　the　loss；　adding　a　gift　of　twelve　francs　to　console　the　culprit　for　his　fright。　　She　often　surprised　her　impecunious　friends　with　the　present　of　some　bit　of　furniture　she　thought　they　needed；　or　an　annuity　delicately　bestowed。　〃I　have　assigned　to　you　fifteen　thousand　francs；〃　she　said　one　day　to　the　Abbe　Morellet；　〃do　not　speak　of　it　and　do　not　thank　me。〃　　〃Economy　is　the　source　of　independence　and　liberty〃　was　one　of　her　mottoes；　and　she　denied　herself　the　luxuries　of　life　that　she　might　have　more　to　spend　in　charities。　　But　she　never　permitted　any　one　to　compromise　her；　and　often　withheld　her　approbation　where　she　was　free　with　her　purse。　　To　do　all　the　good　possible　and　to　respect　all　the　convenances　were　her　cardinal　principles。　　Marmontel　was　sent　to　the　Bastille　under　circumstances　that　were　rather　creditable　than　otherwise；　but　it　was　a　false　note；　and　she　was　never　quite　the　same　to　him　afterwards。　　She　wept　at　her　own　injustice；　schemed　for　his　election　to　the　Academy；　and　scolded　him　for　his　lack　of　diplomacy；　but　the　little　cloud　was　there。　　When　the　Sorbonne　censured　his　Belisarius　her　friendship　could　no　longer　bear　the　strain；　and；　though　still　received　at　her　dinners；　he　ceased　to　live　in　her　house。

Her　dominant　passion　seems　to　have　been　love　of　consideration；　if　a　calm　and　serene；　but　steadily　persistent；　purpose　can　be　called　a　passion。　　No　trained　diplomatist　ever　understood　better　the　world　with　which　he　had　to　deal；　or　managed　more　adroitly　to　avoid　small　antagonisms。　　It　was　her　maxim　not　to　create　jealousy　by　praising　people；　nor　irritation　by　defending　them。　　If　she　wished　to　say　a　kind　word；　she　dwelt　upon　good　qualities　that　were　not　contested。　　She　prided　herself　upon　ruling　her　life　by　reason。　　Sainte…Beuve　calls　her　the　Fontenelle　of　women；　but　it　was　Fontenelle　tempered　with　a　heart。

This　〃foster…mother　of　philosophers〃　evidently　wished　to　make　sure　of　her　own　safety；　however　matters　might　turn　out　in　the　next　world。　　She　had　a　devotional　vein；　went　to　mass　privately；　had　a　seat　at　the　Church　of　the　Capucins；　and　an　apartment　for　retreat　in　a　convent。　　During　her　last　illness　the　Marquise　de　la　Ferte…Imbault；　who　did　not　love　her　mother's　freethinking　friends；　excluded　them；　and　sent　for　a　confessor。　　Mme。　Geoffrin　submitted　amiably；　and　said；　smiling；　〃My　daughter　is　like　Godfrey　of　Bouillon；　she　wishes　to　defend　my　tomb　against　the　infidels。〃

Into　the　composition　of　her　salon　she　brought　the　talent　of　an　artist。　　We　have　a　glimpse　of　her　in　1748　through　a　letter　from　Montesquieu。　　She　was　then　about　fifty；　and　had　gathered　about　her　a　more　or　less　distinguished　company；　which　was　enlarged　after　the　death　of　Mme。　de　Tencin；　in　the　following　year。　　She　gave　dinners　twice　a　weekone　on　Monday　for　artists；　among　whom　were　Vanloo；　Vernet；　and　Boucher；　and　one　on　Wednesday　for　men　of　letters。　　As　she　believed　that　women　were　apt　to　distract　the　conversation；　only　one　was　usually　invited　to　dine　with　them。　　Mlle。　de　Lespinasse；　the　intellectual　peer　and　friend　of　these　men；　sat　opposite　her；　and　aided　in　conducting　the　conversation　into　agreeable　channels。　　The　talent　of　Mme。　Geoffrin　seems　to　have　consisted　in　telling　a　story　well；　in　a　profound　knowledge　of　people；　ready　tact；　and　the　happy　art　of　putting　every　one　at　ease。　　She　did　not　like　heated　discussions　nor　a　too　pronounced　expression　of　opinion。　　〃She　was　willing　that　the　philosophers　should　remodel　the　world；〃　says　one　of　her　critics；　〃on　condition　that　the　kingdom　of　Diderot　should　come　without　disorder　or　confusion。〃　　But　though　she　liked　and　admired　this　very　free　and　eloquent　Diderot；　he　was　too　bold　and　outspoken　to　have　a　place　at　her　table。　　Helvetius；　too；　fell　into　disfavor　after　the　censure　which　his　atheistic　DE　L'esprit　brought　upon　him；　and　Baron　d'Holbach　was　too　apt　to　overstep　the　limits　at　which　the　hostess　interfered　with　her　inevitable　〃Voila　qui　est　bien。〃　　Indeed；　she　assumed　the　privilege　of　her　years　to　scold　her　guests　if　they　interfered　with　the　general　harmony　or　forgot　any　of　the　amenities。　　But　her　scoldings　were　very　graciously　received　as　a　slight　penalty　for　her　favor；　and　more　or　less　a　measure　of　her　friendship。　　She　graded　her　courtesies　with　fine　discrimination；　and　her　friends　found　the　reflection　of　their　success　or　failure　in　her　manner　of　receiving　them。　　Her　keen；　practical　mind　pierced　every　illusion　with　merciless　precision。　　She　defined　a　popular　abbe　who　posed　for　a　bel　esprit；　as　a　〃fool　rubbed　all　over　with　wit。〃　　Rulhiere　had　read　in　her　salon　a　work　on　Russia；　which　she　feared　might　compromise　him；　and　she　offered　him