the women of the french salons-第25章

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e。　　Perhaps　he　thinks　of　the　time　when　he　found　the　young　Mlle。　De　LaVergne　pretty　and　amiable；　and　she　did　not　smile　upon　him。　　The　Prince　de　Conde　is　there　sometimes；　and　honors　her　with　his　confidence；　which　Mme。　de　Sevigne　thinks　very　flattering；　as　he　does　not　often　pay　such　consideration　to　women。　　Segrais　has　transferred　his　allegiance　from　the　Grande　Mademoiselle　to　Mme。　de　La　Fayette；　and　is　her　literary　counselor　as　well　as　a　constant　visitor。　　La　Fontaine；　〃so　well　known　by　his　fables　and　tales；　and　sometimes　so　heavy　in　conversation；〃　may　be　found　there。　　Mme。　de　Sevigne　comes　almost　every　day　with　her　sunny　face　and　her　witty　story。　　〃The　Mist〃　she　calls　Mme。　de　La　Fayette；　who　is　so　often　ill　and　sad。　　She　might　have　called　herself　The　Sunbeam；　though　she；　too；　has　her　hours　when　she　can　only　dine　tete…a…tete　with　her　friend；　because　she　is　〃so　gloomy　that　she　cannot　support　four　people　together。〃　　Mme。　de　Coulanges　adds　her　graceful；　vivacious；　and　sparkling　presence。　　Mme。　Scarron；　before　her　days　of　grandeur；　is　frequently　of　the　company；　and　has　lost　none　of　the　charm　which　made　the　salon　of　her　poet…husband　so　attractive　during　his　later　years。　〃She　has　an　amiable　and　marvelously　just　mind；〃　says　Mme。　de　Sevigne。　。　。　　〃It　is　pleasant　to　hear　her　talk。　　These　conversations　often　lead　us　very　far；　from　morality　to　morality；　sometimes　Christian；　sometimes　political。〃　　This　circle　was　not　limited　however　to　a　few　friends；　and　included　from　time　to　time　the　learning；　the　elegance　and　the　aristocracy　of　Paris。

But　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　herself　is　the　magnet　that　quietly　draws　together　this　fascinating　world。　　In　her　youth　she　had　much　life　and　vivacity；　perhaps　a　spice　of　discreet　coquetry；　but　at　this　period　she　was　serious；　and　her　fresh　beauty　had　given　place　to　the　assured　and　captivating　grace　of　maturity。　　She　had　a　face　that　might　have　been　severe　in　its　strength　but　for　the　sensibility　expressed　in　the　slight　droop　of　the　head　to　one　side；　the　tender　curve　of　the　full　lips；　and　the　variable　light　of　the　dark；　thoughtful　eyes。　　In　her　last　years；　when　her　stately　figure　had　grown　attenuated；　and　her　face　was　pallid　with　long　suffering；　the　underlying　force　of　her　character　was　more　distinctly　defined　in　the　clear　and　noble　outlines　of　her　features。　　Her　nature　was　full　of　subtle　shades。　　Over　her　reserved　strength；　her　calm　judgment；　her　wise　penetration　played　the　delicate　light　of　a　lively　imagination；　the　shifting　tints　of　a　tender　sensibility。　　Her　sympathy　found　ready　expression　in　tears；　and　she　could　not　even　bear　the　emotion　of　saying　good…by　to　Mme。　de　Sevigne　when　she　was　going　away　to　Provence。　　But　her　accents　were　always　tempered；　and　her　manners　had　the　gracious　and　tranquil　ease　of　a　woman　superior　to　circumstances。　　Her　extreme　frankness　lent　her　at　times　a　certain　sharpness；　and　she　deals　many　light　blows　at　the　small　vanities　and　affectations　that　come　under　her　notice。　　〃Mon　Dieu；〃　said　the　frivolous　Mme。　de　Marans　to　her　one　day；　〃I　must　have　my　hair　cut。〃　　〃Mon　Dieu；〃　replied　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　simply；　〃do　not　have　it　done；　that　is　becoming　only　to　young　persons。〃　　Gourville　said　she　was　imperious　and　over…bearing；　scolding　those　she　loved　best；　as　well　as　those　she　did　not　love。　　But　this　valet…de…chambre　of　La　Rochefoucauld；　who　amassed　a　fortune　and　became　a　man　of　some　note；　was　jealous　of　her　influence　over　his　former　master；　and　his　opinions　should　be　taken　with　reservation。　　Her　delicate　satire　may　have　been　sometimes　a　formidable　weapon；　but　it　was　directed　only　against　follies；　and　rarely；　if　ever；　used　unkindly。　　She　was　a　woman　for　intimacies；　and　it　is　to　those　who　knew　her　best　that　we　must　look　for　a　just　estimate　of　her　qualities。　　〃You　would　love　her　as　soon　as　you　had　time　to　be　with　her；　and　to　become　familiar　with　her　esprit　and　her　wisdom；〃　wrote　Mme。　de　Sevigne　to　her　daughter；　who　was　disposed　to　be　critical；　〃the　better　one　knows　her；　the　more　one　is　attached　to　her。〃

One　must　also　take　into　consideration　her　bad　health。　　People　thought　her　selfish　or　indifferent　when　she　was　only　sad　and　suffering。　　For　more　than　twenty　years　she　was　ill；　consumed　by　a　slow　fever　which　permitted　her　to　go　out　only　at　intervals。　　La　Rochefoucauld　had　the　gout；　and　they　consoled　each　other。　　Mme。　de　Sevigne　thought　it　better　not　to　have　the　genius　of　a　Pascal；　than　to　have　so　many　ailments。　　〃Mme。　De　La　Fayette　is　always　languishing；　M。　de　La　Rochefoucauld　always　lame；〃　she　writes；　〃we　have　conversations　so　sad　that　it　seems　as　if　there　were　nothing　more　to　do　but　to　bury　us；　the　garden　of　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　is　the　prettiest　spot　in　the　world；　everything　blooming；　everything　perfumed；　we　pass　there　many　evenings；　for　the　poor　woman　does　not　dare　go　out　in　a　carriage。〃　　〃Her　health　is　never　good；〃　she　writes　again；　〃nevertheless　she　sends　you　word　that　she　should　not　like　death　better；　AU　CONTRAIRE。〃　　There　are　times　when　she　can　no　longer　〃think；　or　speak；　or　answer；　or　listen；　she　is　tired　of　saying　good　morning　and　good　evening。〃　　Then　she　goes　away　to　Meudon　for　a　few　days；　leaving　La　Rochefoucauld　〃incredibly　sad。〃　　She　speaks　for　herself　in　a　letter　from　the　country　house　which　Gourville　has　placed　at　her　disposal。

〃I　am　at　Saint　Maur；　I　have　left　all　my　affairs　and　all　my　husbands；　I　have　my　children　and　the　fine　weather；　that　suffices。　　I　take　the　waters　of　Forges；　I　look　after　my　health；　I　see　no　one。　　I　do　not　mind　at　all　the　privation；　every　one　seems　to　me　so　attached　to　pleasures　which　depend　entirely　upon　others；　that　I　find　my　disposition　a　gift　of　the　fairies。

〃I　do　not　know　but　Mme　de　Coulanges　has　already　sent　you　word　of　our　after…dinner　conversations　at　Gourville's　about　people　who　have　taste　above　or　below　their　intelligence。　　Mme。　Scarron　and　the　Abbe　Tetu　were　there；　we　lost　ourselves　in　subtleties　until　we　no　longer　understood　anything。　　If　the　air　of　Provence；　which　subtilizes　things　still　more；　magnifies　for　you　our　visions；　you　will　be　in　the　clouds。　　You　have　taste　below　your　intelligence；　so　has　M。　de　La　Rochefoucauld；　and　myself　also；　but　not　so　much　as　you　two。　　VOILA　an　example　which　will　guide　you。〃

She　disliked　writing　letters；　and　usually　limited　herself　to　a　few　plain　facts；　often　in　her　late　years　to　a　simple　bulletin　of　her　health。　　This　negligence　was　the　subject　of　many　passages…at…　arms　between　herself　and　Mme。　de　Sevigne。　　〃If　I　had　a　lover　who　wished　my　letters　every　morning；　I　would　break　with　him；〃　she　writes。　　〃Do　not　measure　our　friendship　by　our　letters。　　I　shall　love　you　as　much　in　writing　you　only　a　page　in　a　month；　as　you　me　in　writing　ten　in　eight　days。〃　　Again　she　replies　to　some　reproach：　〃Make　up　your　mind；　ma　belle；　to　see　me　sustain；　all　my　life；　with　the　whole　force　of　my　eloquence；　that　I　love　you　still　more　than　you　love　me。　　I　will　make　Corbinelli　agree　with　me　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　your　distrust　is　your　sole　defect；　and　the　only　thing　in　you　that　can　displease　me。〃

But　in　spite　of　a　certain　apparent　indolence；　and　her　constant　ill　health；　there　were　many　threads　that　connected　with　the　outside　world　the　pleasant　room　in　which　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　spent　so　many　days　of　suffering。　　〃She　finds　herself　rich　in　friends　from　all　sides　and　all　conditions；〃　writes　Mme。　de　Sevigne；　〃she　has　a　hundred　arms；　she　reaches　everywhere。　　Her　children　appreciate　all　this；　and　thank　her　every　day　for　possessing　a　spirit　so　engaging。〃　　She　goes　to　Versailles；　on　one　of　her　best　days；　to　thank　the　king　for　a　pension；　and　receives　so　many　kind　words　that　it　〃suggests　more　favors　to　come。〃　　He　orders　a　carriage　and　accompanies　her　with　other　ladies　through　the　park；　directing　his　conversation　to　her；　and　seeming　greatly　pleased　with　her　judicious　praise。　　She　spends　a　few　days　at　Chantilly；　where　she　is　invited　to　all　the　fetes；　and　regrets　that　Mme。　de　Sevigne　could　not　be　with　her　in　that　charming　spot；　which　she　is　〃fitted　better　than　anyone　else　to　enjoy。〃　　No　one　understands　so　well　the　extent　of　her　influence　and　her　credit　as　this　devoted　friend；　who　often　quotes　her　to　Mme。　de　Grignan　as　a　model。　　〃Never　did　any　one　accomplish　so　much　without　leaving　her　place；〃　she　says。

But　there　was　one　phase　in　the　life　of　Mme。　de　La　Fay