the women of the french salons-第39章

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ne　readily　pardons　her　natural　complacency　in　the　brilliancy　of　a　position　which　took　little　added　luster　from　the　fame　of　the　man　who　had　wooed　and　so　easily　forgotten　her。

This　period　of　Mme。　Necker's　career　shows　her　character　on　a　very　engaging　side。　　Loving　her　husband　with　a　devotion　that　verged　upon　idolatry；　she　was　rich　in　the　friendship　of　men　like　Thomas；　Buffon；　Grimm；　Diderot；　and　Voltaire；　whose　respectful　tone　was　the　highest　tribute　to　her　dignity　and　her　delicacy。　　But　the　true　nature　of　a　woman　is　best　seen　in　her　relations　with　her　own　sex。　　There　are　a　thousand　fine　reserves　in　her　relations　with　men　that；　in　a　measure；　veil　her　personality。　　They　doubtless　call　out　the　most　brilliant　qualities　of　her　intellect；　and　reveal　her　character；　in　some　points；　on　its　best　and　most　lovable　side；　but　the　rare　shades　of　generous　and　unselfish　feeling　are　more　clearly　seen　in　the　intimate　friendships；　free　from　petty　vanities　and　jealous　rivalries；　rich　in　cordial　appreciation　and　disinterested　affection；　which　we　often　find　among　women　of　the　finest　type。　　It　is　impossible　that　one　so　serious　and　so　earnest　as　Mme。　Necker　should　have　cherished　such　passionate　friendships　for　her　own　sex；　if　she　had　been　as　cold　or　as　calculating　as　she　has　been　sometimes　represented。　　Her　intimacy　with　Mme。　de　Marchais；　of　which　we　have　so　many　pleasant　details；　furnishes　a　case　in　point。

This　graceful　and　vivacious　woman；　who　talked　so　eloquently　upon　philosophical；　political；　and　economic　questions；　was　the　center　of　a　circle　noted　for　its　liberal　tendencies。　　A　friend　of　Mme。　de　Pompadour；　at　whose　suppers　she　often　sang；　gifted；　witty；　and；　in　spite　of　a　certain　seriousness；　retaining　always　the　taste；　the　elegance；　the　charming　manners　which　were　her　native　heritage；　she　attracted　to　her　salon　not　only　a　distinguished　literary　company；　but　many　men　and　women　from　the　great　world　of　which　she　only　touched　the　borders。　　Mme。　Necker　had　sought　the　aid　and　advice　of　Mme。　de　Marchais　in　the　formation　of　her　own　salon；　and　had　taken　for　her　one　of　those　ardent　attachments　so　characteristic　of　earnest　and　susceptible　natures。　　She　confided　to　her　all　the　secrets　of　her　heart；　she　felt　a　double　pleasure　when　her　joys　and　her　little　troubles　were　shared　with　this　sympathetic　companion。　　〃I　had　for　her　a　passionate　affection；〃　she　says。　　〃When　I　first　saw　her　my　whole　soul　was　captivated。　　I　thought　her　one　of　those　enchanting　fairies　who　combine　all　the　gifts　of　nature　and　of　magic。　　I　loved　her；　or；　rather；　I　idolized　her。〃　　So　pure；　so　confiding；　so　far　above　reproach　herself；　she　refuses　to　see　the　faults　of　one　she　loves　so　tenderly。　　Her　letters　glow　with　exalted　sentiment。　　〃Adieu；　my　charming；　my　beautiful；　my　sweet　friend；〃　she　writes。　　〃I　embrace　you。　　I　press　you　to　my　bosom；　or；　rather；　to　my　soul；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　no　interval　can　separate　yours　from　mine。〃

But　the　character　of　Mme。　de　Marchais　was　evidently　not　equal　to　her　fascination。　　Her　vanity　was　wounded　by　the　success　of　her　friend。　　She　took　offense　at　a　trifling　incident　that　touched　her　self…love。　　〃The　great　ladies　have　disgusted　me　with　friendship；〃　she　wrote；　in　reply　to　Mme。　Necker's　efforts　to　repair　the　breach。　　They　returned　to　each　other　the　letters　so　full　of　vows　of　eternal　fidelity；　and　were　friends　no　more。　　Apparently　without　any　fault　of　her　own；　Mme。　Necker　was　left　with　an　illusion　the　less；　and　the　world　has　another　example　to　cite　of　the　frail　texture　of　feminine　friendships。

She　was　not　always；　however；　so　unfortunate　in　her　choice。　　She　found　a　more　amiable　and　constant　object　for　her　affections　in　Mme。　d'Houdetot；　a　charming　woman　who；　in　spite　of　her　errors；　held　a　very　warm　place　in　the　hearts　of　her　cotemporaries。　　We　have　met　her　before　in　the　philosophical　circles　of　La　Chevrette；　and　in　the　beautiful　promenades　of　the　valley　of　Montmorency；　where　Rousseau　offered　her　the　incense　of　a　passionate　and　poetic　love。　　She　was　facile　and　witty；　graceful　and　gay；　said　wise　and　thoughtful　things；　wrote　pleasant　verses　which　were　the　exhalations　of　her　own　heart；　and　was　the　center　of　a　limited　though　distinguished　circle；　but　her　chief　attraction　was　the　magic　of　a　sunny　temper　and　a　loving　spirit。　　〃He　only　is　unhappy　who　can　neither　love；　nor　work；　nor　die；〃　she　writes。　　Though　more　or　less　linked　with　the　literary　coteries　of　her　time；　Mme。　d'Houdetot　seems　to　have　been　singularly　free　from　the　small　vanities　and　vulgar　ambitions　so　often　met　there。　　She　loved　simple　pleasures　and　the　peaceful　scenes　of　the　country。　　〃What　more　have　we　to　desire　when　we　can　enjoy　the　pleasures　of　friendship　and　of　nature？〃　she　writes。　　〃We　may　then　pass　lightly　over　the　small　troubles　of　life。〃　　She　counsels　repose　to　her　more　restless　friend；　and　her　warm　expressions　of　affection　have　always　the　ring　of　sincerity；　which　contrasts　agreeably　with　the　artificial　tone　of　the　time。　　Mme。　d'Houdetot　lived　to　a　great　age；　preserving　always　her　youthfulness　of　spirit　and　sweet　serenity　of　temper；　in　spite　of　sharp　domestic　sorrows。　　She　took　refuge　from　these　in　the　life…long　friendship　of　Saint…Lambert；　for　whom　Mme。　Necker　has　usually　a　gracious　message。　　It　is　a　curious　commentary　upon　the　manners　of　the　age　that　one　so　rigid　and　severe　should　have　chosen　for　her　intimate　companionship　two　women　whose　lives　were　so　far　removed　from　her　own　ideal　of　reserved　decorum。　　But　she　thought　it　best　to　ignore　errors　which　her　world　did　not　regard　as　grave；　if　she　was　conscious　of　them　at　all。

One　finds　greater　pleasure　in　recalling　her　ardent　and　romantic　attachment　to　the　granddaughter　of　the　Marechale　de　Luxembourg；　the　lovely　Amelie　de　Boufflers；　Duchesse　de　Lauzun；　whose　pen…　portrait　she　sketched　so　gracefully　and　so　tenderly；　whose　gentle　sweetness　and　shy　delicacy；　in　the　rather　oppressive　glare　of　her　surroundings；　suggest　a　modest　wild　flower　astray　among　the　pretentious　beauties　of　the　hothouse；　and　whose　untimely　death　on　the　scaffold　has　left　her　fragrant　memory　entwined　with　a　garland　of　cypress。　　But　we　cannot　dwell　upon　the　intimate　phases　of　this　friendship；　whose　fine　quality　is　shown　in　the　few　scattered　leaves　of　a　correspondence　overflowing　with　the　wealth　of　two　rare　though　unequally　gifted　natures。

At　a　later　period　her　husband's　position　in　the　ministry；　and　the　pronounced　opinions　of　her　brilliant　daughter；　gave　to　the　salon　of　Mme。　Necker　a　marked　political　and　semi…revolutionary　coloring。　　Her　inclinations　always　led　her　to　literary　diversions；　rather　than　to　the　discussion　of　economic　questions；　but　as　Mme。　de　Stael　gradually　took　the　scepter　that　was　falling　from　her　hand；　she　found　it　difficult　to　guide　the　conversation　into　its　old　channels。　　Her　pale；　thoughtful　face；　her　gentle　manner；　her　soft　and　penetrating　voice；　all　indicated　an　exquisitely　feminine　quality　quite　in　unison　with　the　spirit　of　urbanity　and　politeness　that　was　even　then　going　out　of　fashion。　　Her　quiet　and　earnest　though　interesting　conversation　was　somewhat　overshadowed　by　the　impetuous　eloquence　of　Mme。　de　Stael；　who　gave　the　tone　to　every　circle　into　which　she　came。　　〃I　am　more　and　more　convinced　that　I　am　not　made　for　the　great　world；〃　she　said　to　the　Duchesse　de　Lauzun；　with　an　accent　of　regret。　　〃It　is　Germaine　who　should　shine　there　and　who　should　love　it；　for　she　possesses　all　the　qualities　which　put　her　in　a　position　to　be　at　once　feared　and　sought。〃

If　she　was　allied　to　the　past；　however；　by　her　tastes　and　her　sympathies；　she　belonged　to　the　future　by　her　convictions；　and　her　many…sided　intellect　touched　upon　every　question　of　the　day。　　Profoundly　religious　herself；　she　was　broadly　tolerant；　always　delicate　in　health；　she　found　time　amid　her　numerous　social　duties　to　aid　the　poor　and　suffering；　and　to　establish　the　hospital　that　still　bears　her　name。　　Her　letters　and　literary　records　reveal　a　woman　of　liberal　thought　and　fine　insight；　as　well　as　scholarly　tastes。　　If　she　lacked　a　little　in　the　facile　graces　of　the　French　women；　she　had　to　an　eminent　degree　the　qualities　of　character　that　were　far　rarer　in　her　age　and　sphere。　　Though　she　was　cold　and　reserved　in　manner；　beneath　the　light　snow　which　she　brought　from　her　native　hills　beat　a　heart　of　warm　and　tender；　even　passionate；　impulses。　　Devoted　wife；　loyal　friend；　careful　mother；　large…minded　and　large…souled　woman；　she　stands　conspicuous；　in　a　period　of　lax　domestic　relations；　for　the　virtues　that　grace　the　fireside　as　well　as　for　the　talents　that　shine　in　the　salon。

But　she　was　not　exempt　from　the　sorrows　of　a　nature　that　exacts　from　life　more　than　life　can　give；　and　finds　its　illusions　vanish　before　the　cold　touch　of　experience。　　She　had　her　hours　of　darkness　and　of　suffering。　　Even　the　love　that　was　the　source　of　her　keenest　happiness　was　also　the　source　of　her　sharpest　griefs。　　In　the　days　of　her　husband's　power　she　missed　the　exclusive　attention　she　craved。　　There　were　moments　when　she　doubted　the　depth　of　his　affection；　and　felt　anew　that　her　〃eyes　were　wedded　to　eternal　tears。〃　　She　could　not　see　without　pain　his　extreme　devotion　to　her　daughter；　whose　rich　nature；　so　spontaneous；　so　original；　so　foreign　to　her　own；　gave　rise　to　many　anxieties　and　occasional　antagonisms。　　This　touches　the　weak　point　in　her　character。　　She　was　not　wholly　free　from　a　certain　egotism　and　intellectual　vanity；　without　the　imagination　to　comprehend　fully　an　individuality　quite　remote　from　all　her　preconceived　ideas。　　She　was　slow　to　accept　the　fact　that　her　system　of　education　was　at　fault；　and　her　failure　to　mold　her　daughter　after　her　own　models　was　long　a　source　of　grief　and　disappointment。　　She　was　ambitious　too；　and　had　not　won　her　position　without　many　secret　wounds。　　When　misfortunes　came；　the　blows　that　fell　upon　her　husband　struck　with　double　force　into　her　own　heart。　　She　was　destined　to　share　with　him　the　chill　of　censure　and　neglect；　the　bitter　sting　of　ingratitude；　the　lonely　isolation　of　one　fallen　from　a　high　place；　whose　friendship　and　whose　favors　count　no　more。

In　the　solitude　of　Coppet；　where　she　died　at　fifty…seven；　during　the　last　and　darkest　days　of　the　Revolution；　perhaps　she　realized　in　the　tireless　devotion　of　her　husband　and　the　loving　care　of　Mme。　de　Stael　the　repose　of　heart　which　the　brilliant　world　of　Paris　never　gave　her。

With　all　her　gifts；　which　have　left　many　records　that　may　be　read；　and　in　spite　of　a　few　shadows　that　fall　more　or　less　upon　all　earthly　relations；　not　the　least　of　her　legacies　to　posterity　was　the　beautiful　example；　rarer　then　than　now；　of　that　true　and　sympathetic　family　life　in　which　lies　the　complete　harmony　of　existence；　a　safeguard　against　the　storms　of　passion；　a　perennial　fount　of　love　that　keeps　the　spirit　young；　the　tranquility　out　of　which　spring　the　purest　flowers　of　human　happiness　and　human　endeavor。

There　were　many　salons　of　lesser　note　which　have　left　agreeable　memories。　　It　would　be　pleasant　to　recall　other　clever　and　beautiful　women　whose　names　one　meets　so　often　in　the　chronicles　of　the　time；　and　whose　faces；　conspicuous　for　their　clear；　strong　outlines；　still　look　out　upon　us　from　the　galleries　that　perpetuate　its　life；　but　the　list　is　too　long　and　would　lead　us　too　far。　　From　the　moving　procession　of　social　leaders　who　made　the　age　prec