the women of the french salons-第11章

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moiselle；　Mademoiselle　de；　Mademoiselle；　guess　the　name；　he　marries　Mademoiselle；　MA　FOI；　PAR　MA　FOI；　MA　FOI　JUREE；　Mademoiselle；　la　grande　Mademoiselle；　Mademoiselle；　daughter　of　the　late　Monsieur；　Mademoiselle；　grand…daughter　of　Henry　IV；　Mademoiselle　d'Eu；　Mademoiselle　de　Dombes；　Mademoiselle　de　Montpensier；　Mademoiselle　d'Orleans；　Mademoiselle；　cousin　of　the　king；　Mademoiselle；　destined　to　the　throne；　Mademoiselle；　the　only　parti　in　France　worthy　of　Monsieur。　　VOILA　a　fine　subject　for　conversation。　　If　you　cry　out；　if　you　are　beside　yourself；　if　you　say　that　we　have　deceived　you；　that　it　is　false；　that　one　trifles　with　you；　that　it　is　a　fine　bit　of　raillery；　that　it　is　very　stupid　to　imagine；　if；　in　fine；　you　abuse　us；　we　shall　find　that　you　are　right；　we　have　done　as　much　ourselves。

In　spite　of　the　prudent　warnings　of　her　friends；　the　happy　princess　could　not　forego　the　eclat　of　a　grand　wedding；　and　before　the　hasty　arrangements　were　concluded；　the　permission　was　withdrawn。　　Her　tears；　her　entreaties；　her　cries；　her　rage；　and　her　despair；　were　of　no　avail。　　Louis　XIV　took　her　in　his　arms；　and　mingled　his　tears　with　hers；　even　reproaching　her　for　the　two　or　three　days　of　delay；　but　he　was　inexorable。　　Ten　years　of　loyal　devotion　to　her　lover；　shortly　afterward　imprisoned　at　Pignerol；　and　of　untiring　efforts　for　his　release　which　was　at　last　secured　at　the　cost　of　half　her　vast　estates；　ended　in　a　brief　reunion。　　A　secret　marriage；　a　swift　discovery　that　her　idol　was　of　very　common　clay；　abuse　so　violent　that　she　was　obliged　to　forbid　him　forever　her　presence；　and　the　disenchantment　was　complete。　　The　sad　remnant　of　her　existence　was　devoted　to　literature　and　to　conversation；　the　latter　she　regarded　as　〃the　greatest　pleasure　in　life；　and　almost　the　only　one。〃　　When　she　died；　the　Count　de　Lauzun　wore　the　deepest　mourning；　had　portraits　of　her　everywhere；　and　adopted　permanently　the　subdued　colors　that　would　fitly　express　the　inconsolable　nature　of　his　grief。

Without　tact　or　fine　discrimination；　the　Grande　Mademoiselle　was　a　woman　of　generous　though　undisciplined　impulses；　loyal　disposition；　and　pure　character；　but　her　egotism　was　colossal。　　Under　different　conditions；　one　might　readily　imagine　her　a　second　Joan　of　Arc；　or　a　heroine　of　the　Revolution。　　She　says　of　herself：　〃I　know　not　what　it　is　to　be　a　heroine；　I　am　of　a　birth　to　do　nothing　that　is　not　grand　or　elevated。　　One　may　call　that　what　one　likes。　　As　for　myself；　I　call　it　to　follow　my　own　inclination　and　to　go　my　own　way。　　I　am　not　born　to　take　that　of　others。〃　　She　lacked　the　measure；　the　form；　the　delicacy　of　the　typical　precieuse；　but　her　quick；　restless　intellect　and　ardent　imagination　were　swift　to　catch　the　spirit　of　the　Hotel　de　Rambouillet；　and　to　apply　it　in　an　original　fashion。　　Though　many　subjects　were　interdicted　in　her　salon；　and　many　people　were　excluded；　it　gives　us　interesting　glimpses　into　the　life　of　the　literary　noblesse；　and　furnishes　a　complete　gallery　of　pen…　portraits　of　more　or　less　noted　men　and　women。　　With　all　the　brilliant　possibilities　of　her　life；　it　was　through　the　diversion　of　her　idle　hours　that　this　princess；　author；　amazon；　prospective　queen；　and　disappointed　woman　has　left　the　most　permanent　trace　upon　the　world。


CHAPTER　V。　A　LITERARY　SALON　AT　PORT　ROYAL　Mme。　de　SableHer　Worldly　LifeHer　RetreatHer　Friends　PascalThe　Maxims　of　La　RochefoucauldLast　Days　of　the　Marquise

The　transition　from　the　restless　character　and　stormy　experiences　of　the　Grande　Mademoiselle；　to　the　gentler　nature　and　the　convent　salon　of　her　friend　and　literary　confidante；　Mme。　de　Sable；　is　a　pleasant　one。　　Perhaps　no　one　better　represents　the　true　precieuse　of　the　seventeenth　century；　the　happy　blending　of　social　savoir…faire　with　an　amiable　temper　and　a　cultivated　intellect。　　Without　the　genius　of　Mme。　de　Sevigne　or　Mme。　de　La　Fayette；　without　the　force　or　the　rare　attractions　of　Mme。　de　Longueville；　without　the　well…poised　character　and　catholic　sympathies　of　Mme。　de　Rambouillet；　she　played　an　important　part　in　the　life　of　her　time；　through　her　fine　insight　and　her　consummate　tact　in　bringing　together　the　choicest　spirits；　and　turning　their　thoughts　into　channels　that　were　fresh　and　unworn。　　Born　in　1599；　Madeleine　de　Souvre　passed　her　childhood　in　Touraine；　of　which　province　her　father　was　governor。　　In　the　brilliancy　of　her　youth；　we　find　her　in　Paris　among　the　early　favorites　of　the　Hotel　de　Rambouillet；　and　on　terms　of　lifelong　intimacy　with　its　hostess　and　her　daughter　Julie。　　Beautiful；　versatile；　generous；　but　fastidious　and　exacting　in　her　friendships；　with　a　dash　of　coquetryinevitable　when　a　woman　is　fascinating　and　Frenchshe　repeated　the　oft…played　role　of　a　mariage　de　convenance　at　sixteen；　a　few　brilliant　years　of　social　triumphs　marred　by　domestic　neglect　and　suffering；　a　period　of　enforced　seclusion　after　the　death　of　her　unworthy　husband；　a　brief　return　to　the　world；　and　an　old　age　of　mild　and　comfortable　devotion。

〃The　Marquise　de　Sable；〃　writes　Mme。　de　Motteville；　〃was　one　of　those　whose　beauty　made　the　most　sensation　when　the　Queen　（Anne　of　Austria）　came　into　France。　　But　if　she　was　amiable；　she　desired　still　more　to　appear　so。　　Her　self…love　rendered　her　a　little　too　sensible　to　that　which　men　professed　for　her。　　There　was　still　in　France　some　remnant　of　the　politeness　which　Catherine　de　Medicis　had　brought　from　Italy；　and　Mme。　de　Sable　found　so　much　delicacy　in　the　new　dramas；　as　well　as　in　other　works；　in　prose　and　verse；　which　came　from　Madrid；　that　she　conceived　a　high　idea　of　the　gallantry　which　the　Spaniards　had　learned　from　the　Moors。　　She　was　persuaded　that　men　may　without　wrong　have　tender　sentiments　for　women；　that　the　desire　of　pleasing　them　leads　men　to　the　greatest　and　finest　actions；　arouses　their　spirit；　and　inspires　them　with　liberality　and　all　sorts　of　virtues；　but　that；　on　the　other　side；　women；　who　are　the　ornaments　of　the　world；　and　made　to　be　served　and　adored；　ought　to　permit　only　respectful　attentions。　　This　lady；　having　sustained　her　views　with　much　talent　and　great　beauty；　gave　them　authority　in　her　time。〃

The　same　writer　says　that　she　has　〃much　light　and　sincerity；〃　with　〃penetration　enough　to　unfold　all　the　secrets　of　one's　heart。〃

Mlle。　de　Scudery　introduces　her　in　the　〃Grand　Cyrus；〃　as　Parthenie；　〃a　tall　and　graceful　woman；　with　fine　eyes；　the　most　beautiful　throat　in　the　world；　a　lovely　complexion；　blonde　hair；　and　a　pleasant　mouth；　with　a　charming　air；　and　a　fine　and　eloquent　smile；　which　expresses　the　sweetness　or　the　bitterness　of　her　soul。〃　　She　dwells　upon　her　surprising　and　changeful　beauty；　upon　the　charm　of　her　conversation；　the　variety　of　her　knowledge；　the　delicacy　of　her　tact；　and　the　generosity　of　her　tender　and　passionate　heart。　　One　may　suspect　this　portrait　of　being　idealized；　but　it　seems　to　have　been　in　the　main　correct。

Of　her　husband　we　know　very　little；　excepting　that　he　belonged　to　the　family　of　Montmorency；　passed　from　violent　love　to　heart…　breaking　indifference；　and　died　about　1640；　leaving　her　with　four　children　and　shattered　fortunes。　　To　recruit　her　failing　health；　and　to　hide　her　chagrin　and　sorrow　at　seeing　herself　supplanted　by　unworthy　rivals；　she　had　lived　for　some　time　in　the　country；　where　she　had　leisure　for　the　reading　and　reflection　which　fitted　her　for　her　later　life。　　But　after　the　death　of　her　husband　she　was　obliged　to　sell　her　estates；　and　we　find　her　established　in　the　Place　Royale　with　her　devoted　friend；　the　Comtesse　de　Maure；　and　continuing　the　traditions　of　the　Hotel　de　Rambouillet。　　Her　tastes　had　been　formed　in　this　circle；　and　she　had　also　been　under　the　instruction　of　the　Chevalier　de　Mere；　a　litterateur　and　courtier　who　had　great　vogue；　was　something　of　an　oracle；　and　molded　the　character　and　manners　of　divers　women　of　this　period；　among　others　the　future　Mme。　de　Maintenon。　　His　confidence　in　his　own　power　of　bringing　talent　out　of　mediocrity　was　certainly　refreshing。　　Among　his　pupils　was　the　Duchesse　de　Lesdiguieres；　who　said　to　him　one　day；　〃I　wish　to　have　esprit。〃〃Eh　bien；　Madame；〃　replied　the　complaisant　chevalier；　〃you　shall　have　it。〃

How　much　Mme。　de　Sable　may　have　been　indebted　to　this　modest　bel　esprit　we　do　not　know；　but　her　finished　manner；　fine　taste；　exquisite　tact；　cultivated　intellect；　and　great　experience　of　the　world　made　her　an　authority　in　social　matters。　　To　be　received　in　her　salon　was　to　be　received　everywhere。　　Cardinal　Mazarin　watched　her　influence　with　a　jealous　eye。　　〃Mme。　de　Longueville　is　very　intimate　with　the　Marquise　de　Sable；〃　he　writes　in　his　private　note　book。　　〃She　is　visited　constantly　by　D'Andilly；　the　Princesse　de　Guemene；　d'Enghien　and　his　sister；　Nemours；　and　many　others。　　They　speak　freely　of　all　the　world。　　It　is　necessary　to　have　some　one　who　will　advise　us　of　all　that　passes　there。〃

But　the　death　of　her　favorite　sona　young　man　distinguished　for　graces　of　person；　mind；　heart；　and　character；　who　lost　his　life　in　one　of　the　battles　of　his　friend　and　comrade；　the　Prince　de　Condetogether　with　the　loss　of　her　fortune　and　the　fading　of　her　beauty；　turned　the　thoughts　of　the　Marquise　to　spiritual　things。　　We　find　many　traces　of　the　state　of　mind　which　led　her　first　into　a　mild　form　of　devotion；　serious　but　not　too　ascetic；　and　later　into　pronounced　Jansenism。　　In　a　note　to　a　friend　who　had　neglected　her；　she　dwells　upon　〃the　misery　and　nothingness　of　the　world；〃　recalls　the　strength　of　their　long　friendship；　the　depth　of　her　own　affection；　and　tries　to　account　for　the　disloyalty　to　herself；　by　the　inherent　weakness　and　emptiness　of　human　nature；　which　renders　it　impossible　for　even　the　most　perfect　to　do　anything　that　is　not　defective。　　All　this　is　very　charitable；　to　say　the　least；　as　well　as　a　little　abstract。　　Time　has　given　a　strange　humility　and　forgivingness　to　the　woman　who　broke　with　her　dearest　friend；　the　unfortunate　Duc　de　Montmorency；　because　he　presumed　to　lift　his　eyes　to　the　Queen；　saying　that　she　〃could　not　receive　pleasantly　the　regards　which　she　had　to　share　with　the　greatest　princess　in　the　world。〃

The　fashion　of　the　period　furnished　a　peaceful　and　dignified　refuge　for　women；　when　their　beauty　waned　and　the　〃terrible　forties〃　ended　their　illusions。　　To　go　into　brief　retreat　for　penitence　and　prayer　was　at　all　times　a　graceful　thing　to　do；　besides　making　for　safety。　　It　was　only　a　step　further　to　retire　altogether　from　the　scenes　of　pleasure　which　had　begun　to　pall。　　The　convent　offered　a　haven　of　repose　to　the　bruised　heart；　a　fresh　aim　for　drooping　energies；　a　needed　outlet　for　devouring　emotions；　and　a　comfortable　sense　of　security；　not　only　for　this　world；　but　for　the　next。　　It　was　the　next　world　which　was　beginning　to　trouble　Mme。　de　Sable。　　She　had　great　fear　of　death；　and　after　many　penitential　retreats　to　Port　Royal；　she　finally　obtained　permission　to　build　a　suite　of　apartments　within　its　precincts；　and　retired　there　about　1655　to　prepare　for　that　unpleasant　event　which　she　put　off　as　long　as　possible　by　the　most　assiduous　care　of　her　health。　　〃If　she　was　not　devoted；　she　had　the　idea　of　becoming　so；〃　said　Mademoiselle。　　But　her　devotion　was　in　quite　a　mundane　fashion。　　Her　pleasant　rooms　were　separate　and　independent；　thus　enabling　her　to　give　herself　not　only　to　the　care　of　her　heal