the women of the french salons-第26章

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　queen　of　a　salon。　　Louise…Benedicte　de　Bourbon　belonged　to　the　royal　race；　and　this　was　by　far　the　most　vivid　fact　in　her　life。　　She　was　but　a　few　steps　from　the　throne；　and　political　intrigues　played　a　conspicuous　part　in　her　singular　career。　　But　while　she　waited　for　the　supreme　power　to　which　she　aspired；　and　later；　when　the　feverish　dream　of　her　life　was　ended；　she　must　be　amused；　and　her　diversions　must　have　an　intellectual　and　imaginative　flavor。　　Wits；　artists；　literary　men；　and　savants　were　alike　welcome　at　Sceaux；　if　they　amused　her　and　entertained　her　guests。　　〃One　lived　there　by　esprit；　and　esprit　is　my　God；〃　said　Mme。　du　Deffand；　who　was　among　the　brightest　ornaments　of　this　circle。

Born　in　1676；　the　Duchesse　du　Maine　lived　through　the　first　half　of　the　next　century；　of　which　her　little　court　was　one　of　the　most　notable　features。　　Scarcely　above　the　stature　of　a　child　of　ten　years；　slightly　deformed；　with　a　fair　face　lighted　by　fine　eyes；　classically　though　superficially　educated；　gifted　in　conversation；　witty；　brilliant；　adoring　talent；　but　cherishing　all　the　prejudices　of　the　old　noblesseshe　represented　in　a　superlative　degree　the　passion　for　esprit　which　lent　such　exceptional　brilliancy　to　the　social　life　of　the　time。

In　character　the　duchess　was　capricious　and　passionate。　　〃If　she　were　as　good　as　she　is　wicked；〃　said　the　sharp…tongued　Palatine；　〃there　would　be　nothing　to　say　against　her。　　She　is　tranquil　during　the　day　and　passes　it　playing　at　cards；　but　at　its　close　the　extravagances　and　fits　of　passion　begin；　she　torments　her　husband；　her　children；　her　servants；　to　such　a　point　that　they　do　not　know　which　way　to　turn。〃　　Her　will　brooked　no　opposition。　　When　forced　to　leave　the　Tuileries　after　the　collapse　of　her　little　bubble　of　political　power；　she　deliberately　broke　every　article　of　value　in　her　apartments；　consigning　mirrors；　vases；　statues；　porcelains　alike　to　a　common　ruin；　that　no　one　else　might　enjoy　them　after　her。　　This　fiery　scion　of　a　powerful　family；　who　had　inherited　its　pride；　its　ambition；　its　uncontrollable　passions；　and　its　colossal　will；　had　little　patience　with　the　serene　temperament　and　dilettante　tastes　of　her　amiable　husband；　and　it　is　said　she　did　not　scruple　to　make　him　feel　the　force　of　her　small　hands。　　〃You　will　waken　some　morning　to　find　yourself　in　the　Academie　Francaise；　and　the　Duc　d'Orleans　regent；〃　she　said　to　him　one　day　when　he　showed　her　a　song　he　had　translated。　　Her　device　was　a　bee；　with　this　motto：　〃I　am　small；　but　I　make　deep　wounds。〃　　Doubtless　its　fitness　was　fully　realized　by　those　who　belonged　to　the　Ordre　de　la　Mouche…a…miel　which　she　had　instituted；　and　whose　members　were　obliged　to　swear；　by　Mount　Hymettus；　fidelity　and　obedience　to　their　perpetual　dictator。　　But　what　pains　and　chagrins　were　not　compensated　by　the　bit　of　lemon…colored　ribbon　and　its　small　meed　of　distinction！

The　little　princess　worked　valiantly　for　political　power；　but　she　worked　in　vain。　　The　conspiracy　against　the　regent；　which　seemed　to　threaten　another　Fronde；　came　to　nothing；　and　this　ardent　instrigante；　who　had　the　disposition　to　〃set　the　four　corners　of　the　kingdom　on　fire〃　to　attain　her　ends；　found　her　party　dispersed　and　herself　in　prison。　　But　this　was　only　an　episode；　and　though　it　gave　a　death　blow　to　her　dreams　of　power；　it　did　not　quench　her　irrepressible　ardor。　　If　she　could　not　rule　in　one　way；　she　would　in　another。　　As　soon　as　she　regained　her　freedom；　her　little　court　was　again　her　kingdom；　and　no　sovereign　ever　reigned　more　imperiously。　　〃I　am　fond　of　company；〃　she　said；　〃for　I　listen　to　no　one；　and　every　one　listens　to　me。〃　　It　was　an　incessant　thirst　for　power；　a　perpetual　need　of　the　sweet　incense　of　flattery；　that　was　at　the　bottom　of　this　〃passion　for　a　multitude。〃　　〃She　believed　in　herself；〃　writes　Mlle。　de　Launay；　afterward　Baronne　de　Staal；　〃as　she　believed　in　God　or　Descartes；　without　examination　and　without　discussion。〃

This　lady's　maid；　who　loved　mathematics　and　anatomy；　was　familiar　with　Malebranche　and　Descartes；　and　left　some　literary　reputation　as　a　writer　of　gossipy　memoirs；　was　a　prominent　figure　in　the　lively　court　at　Sceaux　for　more　than　forty　years；　and　has　given　us　some　vivid　pictures　of　her　capricious　mistress。　　A　young　girl　of　clear　intellect　and　good　education；　but　without　rank；　friends；　or　fortune；　she　was　forced　to　accept　the　humiliating　position　of　femme　de　chambre　with　the　Duchesse　du　Maine；　who　had　been　attracted　by　her　talents。　　She　was　brought　into　notice　through　a　letter　to　Fontenelle；　which　was　thought　witty　enough　to　be　copied　and　circulated。　　If　she　had　taken　this　cool　dissector　of　human　motives　as　a　model；　she　certainly　did　credit　to　his　teaching。　　Her　curiously　analytical　mind　is　aptly　illustrated　by　her　novel　method　of　measuring　her　lover's　passion。　　He　was　in　the　habit　of　accompanying　her　home　from　the　house　of　a　friend。　　When　he　began　to　cross　the　square；　instead　of　going　round　it；　she　concluded　that　his　love　had　diminished　in　the　exact　proportion　of　two　sides　of　a　square　to　the　diagonal。　　Promoted　to　the　position　of　a　companion；　she　devoted　herself　to　the　interests　of　her　restless　mistress；　read　to　her；　talked　with　her；　wrote　plays　for　her；　and　was　the　animating　spirit　of　the　famous　Nuits　Blanches。　　While　the　duchess　was　in　exile　she　shared　her　disgrace；　refused　to　betray　her；　and　was　sent　to　the　Bastille　for　her　loyalty。　　She　resigned　herself　to　her　imprisonment　with　admirable　philosophy；　amused　herself　in　the　study　of　Latin；　in　watching　the　gambols　of　a　cat　and　kitten；　and　in　carrying　on　a　safe　and　sentimental　flirtation　with　the　fascinating　Duc　de　Richelieu；　who　occupied　an　adjoining　cell　and　passed　the　hours　in　singing　with　her　popular　airs　from　Iphigenie。　　〃Sentimental〃　is　hardly　a　fitting　word　to　apply　to　the　coquetries　of　this　remarkably　clear　and　calculating　young　woman。　　She　returned　with　her　patroness　to　Sceaux；　found　many　admirers；　but　married　finally　with　an　eye　to　her　best　worldly　interests；　and；　it　appears；　in　the　main　happilyat　least；　not　unhappily。　　The　shade　of　difference　implies　much。　　She　had　a　keen；　penetrating　intellect　which　nothing　escaped；　and　as　it　had　the　peculiar　clearness　in　which　people　and　events　are　reflected　as　in　a　mirror；　her　observations　are　of　great　value。　　〃Aside　from　the　prose　of　Voltaire；　I　know　of　none　more　agreeable　than　that　of　Mme。　de　Staal　de　Launay；〃　said　Grimm。　　Her　portrait　of　her　mistress　serves　to　paint　herself　as　well。

〃Mme。　la　Duchesse　du　Maine；　at　the　age　of　sixty　years；　has　yet　learned　nothing　from　experience；　she　is　a　child　of　much　talent；　she　has　its　defects　and　its　charms。　　Curious　and　credulous；　she　wishes　to　be　instructed　in　all　the　different　branches　of　knowledge；　but　she　is　contented　with　their　surface。　　The　decisions　of　those　who　educated　her　have　become　for　her　principles　and　rules　upon　which　her　mind　has　never　formed　the　least　doubt；　she　submits　once　for　all。　　Her　provision　for　ideas　is　made；　she　rejects　the　best　demonstrated　truths　and　resists　the　best　reasonings；　if　they　are　contrary　to　the　first　impressions　she　has　received。　　All　examination　is　impossible　to　her　lightness；　and　doubt　is　a　state　which　her　weakness　cannot　support。　　Her　catechism　and　the　philosophy　of　Descartes　are　two　systems　which　she　understands　equally　well　。　。　。　。　　Her　mirror　cannot　make　her　doubt　the　charms　of　her　face；　the　testimony　of　her　eyes　is　more　questionable　than　the　judgment　of　those　who　have　decided　that　she　is　beautiful　and　well…formed。　　Her　vanity　is　of　a　singular　kind；　but　seems　the　less　offensive　because　it　is　not　reflective；　though　in　reality　it　is　the　more　ridiculous；　　Intercourse　with　her　is　a　slavery；　her　tyranny　is　open；　she　does　not　deign　to　color　it　with　the　appearance　of　friendship。　　She　says　frankly　that　she　has　the　misfortune　of　not　being　able　to　do　without　people　for　whom　she　does　not　care。　　She　proves　it　effectually。　　One　sees　her　learn　with　indifference　the　death　of　those　who　would　call　forth　torrents　of　tears　if　they　were　a　quarter　of　an　hour　too　late　for　a　card　party　or　a　promenade。〃

But　this　vain　and　self…willed　woman　read　Virgil　and　Terence　in　the　original；　was　devoted　to　Greek　tragedies；　dipped　into　philosophy；　traversed　the　surface　of　many　sciences；　turned　a　madrigal　with　facility；　and　talked　brilliantly。　　〃The　language　is　perfect　only　when　you　speak　it　or　when　one　speaks　of　you；〃　wrote　Mme。　de　Lambert；　in　a　tone　of　discreet　flattery。　　〃No　one　has　ever　spoken　with　more　correctness；　clearness；　and　rapidity；　neither　in　a　manner　more　noble　or　more　natural；〃　said　Mlle。　de　Launay。

Through　this　feminine　La　Bruyere；　as　Sainte…Beuve　has　styled　her；　we　are　introduced　to　the　life　at　Sceaux。　　It　was　the　habit　of　the　guests　to　assemble　at　eight；　listen　to　music　or　plays；　improvise　verses　for　popular　airs；　relate　racy　anecdotes；　or　amuse　themselves　with　proverbs。　　〃Write　verses　for　me；〃　said　the　insatiable　duchess　when　ill；　〃I　feel　that　verses　only　can　give　me　relief。〃　　The　quality　does　not　seem　to　have　been　essential；　provided　they　were　sufficiently　flattering。　　Sainte…Aulaire　wrote　madrigals　for　her。　　Malezieu；　the　learned　and　versatile　preceptor　of　the　Duc　du　Maine；　read　Sophocles　and　Euripides。　　Mme。　du　Maine　herself　acted　the　roles　of　Athalie　and　Iphigenie　with　the　famous　Baron。　　They　played　at　science；　contemplated　the　heavens　through　a　telescope　and　the　earth　through　a　microscope。　　In　their　eager　search　for　novelty　they　improvised　fetes　that　rivaled　in　magnificence　the　Arabian　Nights；　they　posed　as　gods　and　goddesses；　or；　affecting　simplicity；　assumed　rustic　and　pastoral　characters；　even　to　their　small　economies　and　romantic　platitudes。　　Mythology；　the　chivalry　of　the　Middle　Ages；　costumes；　illuminations；　scenic　effects；　the　triumphs　of　the　artists；　the　wit　of　the　bel　espritall　that　ingenuity　could　devise　or　money　could　buy　was　brought　into　service。　　It　was　the　life　that　Watteau　painted；　with　its　quaint　and　grotesque　fancies；　its　sylvan　divinities；　and　its　sighing　lovers　wandering　in　endless　masquerade；　or　whispering　tender　nothings　on　banks　of　soft　verdure；　amid　the　rustle　of　leaves；　the　sparkle　of　fountains；　the　glitter　of　lights；　and　the　perfume　of　innumerable　flowers。　　It　was　a　perpetual　carnival；　inspired　by　imagination；　animated　by　genius；　and　combining　everything　that　could　charm　the　taste；　distract　the　mind；　and　intoxicate　the　senses。　　The　presiding　genius　of　this　fairy　scene　was　the　irrepressible　duchess；　who　reigned　as　a　goddess　and　demanded　the　homage　due　to　one。　　Well　might　the　weary　courtiers　cry　out　against　les　galeres　du　bel　esprit。

But　this　fantastic　princess　who　carried　on　a　sentimental　correspondence　with　the　blind　La　Motte；　and　posed　as　the　tender　shepherdess　of　the　adoring　but　octogenarian　Sainte…Aulaire；　had　no　really　democratic　notions。　　There　was　no　question　in　her　mind　of　the　divine　right　of　kings　or　of　princesses。　　She　welcomed　Voltaire　because　he　flattered　her　vanity　and　amused　her　guests；　but　she　was　far　enough　from　the　theories　which　were　slowly　fanning　the　sparks　of　the　Revolution。　　Her　rather　imperious　patronage　of　literary　and　scientific　men　set　a　fashion　which　all　her　world　tried　to　follow。　　It　added　doubtless　to　the　prestige　of　those　who　were　insidiously　preparing　the　destruction　of　the　very　foundations　on　which　this　luxurious　and　pleasur