the origins of contemporary france-1-第36章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



that　slow　bending　forward；　with　lowered　eyes　and　straightened　figure；

gradually　recovering　and　modestly　glancing　at　the　person　while

gracefully　raising　the　body　up；　altogether　much　more　refined　and　more

delicate　than　words；　but　very　expressive　as　the　means　of　manifesting

respect。〃　　…　　This　is　but　a　single　action；　and　very　common；　there　are

a　hundred　others；　and　of　importance。　　Imagine；　if　it　is　possible；　the

degree　of　elegance　and　perfection　to　which　they　attained　through　good

breeding。　　I　select　one　at　random；　a　duel　between　two　princes　of　the

blood；　the　Comte　d'Artois　and　the　Duc　de　Bourbon；　the　latter　being　the

offended　party；　the　former；　his　superior；　had　to　offer　him　a

meeting＇51＇；　　〃As　soon　as　the　Comte　d'Artois　saw　him　he　leaped　to　the

ground；　and　walking　directly　up　to　him；　said　to　him　smiling：

'Monsieur；　the　public　pretends　that　we　are　seeking　each　other。'　The

Duc　de　Bourbon；　removing　his　hat；　replied；　'Monsieur；　I　am　here　to

receive　your　orders。'　　…　　'To　execute　your　own；'　returned　the　Comte

d'Artois；　'but　you　must　allow　me　to　return　to　my　carriage。'　He　comes

back　with　a　sword；　and　the　duel　begins。　　After　a　certain　time　they　are

separated；　the　seconds　deciding　that　honor　is　satisfied；　'It　is　not

for　me　to　express　an　opinion；'　says　the　Comte　d'Artois；　'Monsieur　le

Duc　de　Bourbon　is　to　express　his　wishes；　I　am　here　only　to　receive　his

orders。'　　…　　'Monsieur；'　responds　the　Duc　de　Bourbon；　addressing　the

Comte　d'Artois；　meanwhile　lowering　the　point　of　his　sword；　'I　am

overcome　with　gratitude　for　your　kindness；　and　shall　never　be

insensible　to　the　honor　you　have　done　me。'　〃　　…　　Could　there　be　a　more

just　and　delicate　sentiment　of　rank；　position；　and　circumstance；　and

could　a　duel　be　surrounded　with　more　graces？　There　is　no　situation；

however　thorny；　which　is　not　saved　by　politeness。　　Through　habit；　and　a

suitable　expression；　even　in　the　face　of　the　king；　they　conciliate

resistance　and　respect。　　When　Louis　XV；　having　exiled　the　Parliament；

caused　it　to　be　proclaimed　through　Mme。　　Du　Barry　that　his　mind　was

made　up　and　that　it　would　not　be　changed；　〃Ah；　Madame；〃　replied　the

Duc　de　Nivernais；　〃when　the　king　said　that　he　was　looking　at

yourself。〃　　…　　〃My　dear　Fontenelle；〃　said　one　of　his　lady　friends　to

him；　placing　her　hand　on　his　heart；　〃the　brain　is　there　likewise。〃

Fontenelle　smiled　and　made　no　reply。　　We　see　here；　even　with　an

academician；　how　truths　are　forced　down；　a　drop　of　acid　in　a　sugar…

plum；　the　whole　so　thoroughly　intermingled　that　the　piquancy　of　the

flavor　only　enhances　its　sweetness。　　Night　after　night；　in　each

drawing…room；　sugar…plums　of　this　description　are　served　up；　two　or

three　along　with　the　drop　of　acidity；　all　the　rest　not　less　exquisite；

but　possessing　only　the　sweetness　and　the　perfume。　　Such　is　the　art　of


social　worldliness；　an　ingenious　and　delightful　art；　which；　entering

into　all　the　details　of　speech　and　of　action；　transforms　them　into

graces；　which　imposes　on　man　not　servility　and　falsehood；　but　civility

and　concern　for　others；　and　which；　in　exchange；　extracts　for　him　out

of　human　society　all　the　pleasure　it　can　afford。



V。　　HAPPINESS。



What　constitutes　happiness　in　the　18th　Century。　　…　The　fascination

of　display。　　…　Indolence；　recreation；　light　conversation。



One　can　very　well　understand　this　kind　of　pleasure　in　a　summary

way；　but　how　is　it　to　be　made　apparent？　Taken　by　themselves　the

pastimes　of　society　are　not　to　be　described；　they　are　too　ephemeral；

their　charm　arises　from　their　accompaniments。　　A　narrative　of　them

would　be　but　tasteless　dregs；　does　the　libretto　of　an　opera　give　any

idea　of　the　opera　itself？　　…　　If　the　reader　would　revive　for　himself

this　vanished　world　let　him　seek　for　it　in　those　works　that　have

preserved　its　externals　or　its　accent；　and　first　in　the　pictures　and

engravings　of　Watteau；　Fragonard　and　the　Saint…Aubins；　and　then　in　the

novels　and　dramas　of　Voltaire　and　Marivaux；　and　even　in　Collé　and

Crébillon　fils；＇52＇　then　do　we　see　the　breathing　figures　and　hear

their　voices；　What　bright；　winning；　intelligent　faces　beaming　with

pleasure　and　with　the　desire　to　please！　What　ease　in　bearing　and　in

gesture！　What　piquant　grace　in　the　toilet；　in　the　smile；　in

vivaciousness　of　expression；　in　the　control　of　the　fluted　voice；　in

the　coquetry　of　hidden　meanings！　How　involuntarily　we　stop　to　look　and

listen！　Attractiveness　is　everywhere；　in　the　small　spirituelle　heads；

in　the　slender　hands；　in　the　rumpled　attire；　in　the　pretty　features；

in　the　demeanor。　　The　slightest　gesture；　a　pouting　or　mutinous　turn　of

the　head；　a　plump　little　wrist　peering　from　its　nest　of　lace；　a

yielding　waist　bent　over　an　embroidery　frame；　the　rapid　rustling　of　an

opening　fan；　is　a　feast　for　the　eyes　and　the　intellect。　　It　is　indeed

all　daintiness；　a　delicate　caress　for　delicate　senses；　extending　to

the　external　decoration　of　life；　to　the　sinuous　outlines；　the　showy

drapery；　and　the　refinements　of　comfort　in　the　furniture　and

architecture。　　Fill　your　imagination　with　these　accessories　and　with

these　figures　and　you　will　take　as　much　interest　in　their　amusements

as　they　did。　　In　such　a　place　and　in　such　company　it　suffices　to　be

together　to　be　content。　　Their　indolence　is　no　burden　to　them　for　they

sport　with　existence。　　…　　At　Chanteloup；　the　Duc　de　Choiseul；　in

disgrace；　finds　the　fashionable　world　flocking　to　see　him；　nothing　is

done　and　yet　no　hours　of　the　day　are　unoccupied。＇53＇　　〃The　Duchess　has

only　two　hours'　time　to　herself　and　these　two　hours　are　devoted　to　her

toilet　and　her　letters；　the　calculation　is　a　simple　one：　she　gets　up

at　eleven；　breakfasts　at　noon；　and　this　is　followed　by　conversation；

which　lasts　three　or　four　hours；　dinner　comes　at　six；　after　which

there　is　play　and　the　reading　of　the　memoirs　of　Mme。　　de　Maintenon。〃

Ordinarily　〃the　company　remains　together　until　two　o'clock　in　the

morning。〃　Intellectual　freedom　is　complete。　　There　is　no　confusion；　no

anxiety。　　They　play　whist　and　tric…trac　in　the　afternoon　and　faro　in

the　evening。　　〃They　do　to　day　what　they　did　yesterday　and　what　they

will　do　to…morrow；　the　dinner…supper　is　to　them　the　most　important

affair　in　life；　and　their　only　complaint　in　the　world　is　of　their

digestion。　　Time　goes　so　fast　I　always　fancy　that　I　arrived　only　the

evening　before。〃　Sometimes　they　get　up　a　little　race　and　the　ladies

are　disposed　to　take　part　in　it；　〃for　they　are　all　very　agile　and　able

to　run　around　the　drawing　room　five　or　six　times　every　day。〃　But　they

prefer　indoors　to　the　open　air；　in　these　days　true　sunshine　consists

of　candle…light　and　the　finest　sky　is　a　painted　ceiling；　is　there　any

other　less　subject　to　inclemencies　or　better　adapted　to　conversation

and　merriment？　　…　　They　accordingly　chat　and　jest；　in　words　with

present　friends；　and　by　letters　with　absent　friends。　　They　lecture　old

Mme。　　du　Deffant；　who　is　too　lively　and　whom　they　style　the　〃little

girl〃；　the　young　Duchesse；　tender　and　sensible；　is　〃her　grandmamma。〃

As　for　〃grandpapa；〃　M。　de　Choiseul；　〃a　slight　cold　keeping　him　in　bed

he　has　fairy　stories　read　to　him　all　day　long；　a　species　of　reading　to

which　we　are　all　given；　we　find　them　as　probable　as　modern　history。　　Do

not　imagine　that　he　is　unoccupied。　　He　has　had　a　tapestry　frame　put　up

in　the　drawing　room　at　which　he　works；　I　cannot　say　with　the　greatest

skill；　but　at　least　with　the　greatest　assiduity。　　。　　。　　。　　Now；　our

delight　is　in　flying　a　kite；　grandpapa　has　never　seen　this　sight　and

he　is　enraptured　with　it。〃　The　pastime；　in　itself；　is　nothing；　it　is

resorted　to　according　to　opportunity　or　the　taste　of　the　hour；　now

taken　up　and　now　let　alone；　and　the　abbé　soon　writes：　〃I　do　not　speak

about　our　races　because　we　race　no　more；　nor　of　our　readings　because

we　do　not　read；　nor　of　our　promenades　because　we　do　not　go　out。　　What；

then；　do　we　do？　Some　play　billiards；　others　dominoes；　and　others

backgammon。　　We　weave；　we　ravel　and　we　unravel。　　Time　pushes　us　on　and

we　pay　him　back。〃



Other　circles　present　the　same　spectacle。　　Every　occupation　being　an

amusement；　a　caprice　or　an　impulse　of　fashion　brings　one　into　favor。

At　present；　it　is　unraveling；　every　white　hand　at　Paris；　and　in　the

chateaux；　being　busy　in　undoing　trimmings；　epaulettes　and　old　stuffs；

to　pick　out　the　gold　and　silver　threads。　　They　find　in　this　employment

the　semblance　of　economy；　an　appearance　of　occupation；　in　any　event

something　to　keep　them　in　countenance。　　On　a　circle　of　ladies　being

formed；　a　big　unraveling　bag　in　green　taffeta　is　placed　on　the　table；

which　belongs　to　the　lady　of　the　house；　immediately　all　the　ladies

call　for　their　bags　and　〃voilà　les　laquais　en　l'air〃＇54＇　It　is　all　the

rage。　　They　　unravel　every　day　and　several　hours　in　the　day；　some

derive　from　it　a　hundred　louis　d'or　per　annum。　　The　gentlemen　are

expected　to　provide　the　materials　for　the　work；　the　Duc　de　Lauzun；

accordingly；　gives　to　Madame　de　V　…　　a　harp　of　natural　size　covered

with　gold　thread；　an　enormous　golden　fleece；　brought　as　a　present　from

the　Comte　de　Lowenthal；　and　which　cost　2　or　3；000　francs；　brings；

picked　to　pieces；　5　or　600　francs。　　But　they　do　not　look　into　matters

so　closely。　　Some　employment　is　essential　for　idle　hands；　some　manual

outlet　for　nervous　activity；　a　humorous　petulance　breaks　out　in　the

middle　of　the　pretended　work。　　One　day；　when　about　going　out；　Madame　de

R　…　　observes　that　the　gold　fringe　on　her　dress　would　be　capital　for

unraveling；　whereupon；　with　a　dash；　she　cuts　one　of　the　fringes　off。

Ten　women　suddenly　surround　a　man　wearing　fringes；　pull　off　his　coat

and　put　his　fringes　and　laces　into　their　bags；　just　as　if　a　bold　flock

of　tomtits；　fluttering　and　chattering　in　the　air；　should　suddenly　dart

on　a　jay　to　pluck　out　its　feathers；　thenceforth　a　man　who　enters　a

circle　of　women　stands　in　danger　of　being　stripped　alive。　　All　this

pretty　world　has　the　same　pastimes；　the　men　as　well　as　the　women。

Scarcely　a　man　can　be　found　without　some　drawing　room　accomplishment；

some　trifling　way　of　keeping　his　mind　and　hands　busy；　and　of　filling

up　the　vacant　hour；　almost　all　make　rhymes；　or　act　in　private

theatricals；　many　of　them　are　musicians　and　painters　of　still…life

subjects。　　M。　de　Choiseul；　as　we　have　just　seen；　works　at　tapestry；

others　embroider　or　make　sword…knots。　　M。　de　Francueil　is　a　good

violinist　and　makes　violins　himself；　and　besides　this　he　is

〃watchmaker；　architect；　turner；　painter；　locksmith；　decorator；　cook；

poet；　music…composer　and　he　embroiders　remarkably　well。〃＇55＇　In　this

general　state　of　inactivity　it　is　essential　〃to　know　how　to　be

pleasantly　occupied　in　behalf　of　others　as　well　as　in　one's　own

behalf。〃　Madame　de　Pompadour　is　a　musician；　an　actress；　a　painter　and

an　engraver。　　Madame　Adelaide　learns　watchmaking　and　plays　on　all

instruments　from　a　horn　to　the　jew's…harp；　not　very　well；　it　is　true；

but　as　well　as　a　queen　can　sing；　whose　fine　voice　is　ever　only　half　in

tune。　　But