the women of the french salons-第38章
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e mildest poison；〃 said the Abbe Trublet。
〃I cannot express the illusion which her air of nonchalance and easy grace left with me；〃 says Marmontel。 〃Mme。 de Tencin； the woman in the kingdom who moved the most political springs； both in the city and at court； was for me only an indolente。 Ah； what finesse； what suppleness； what activity were concealed beneath this naive air； this appearance of calm and leisure！〃 But he confesses that she aided him greatly with her counsel； and that he owed to her much of his knowledge of the world。
〃Unhappy those who depend upon the pen；〃 she said to him； 〃nothing is more chimerical。 The man who makes shoes is sure of his wages； the man who makes a book or a tragedy is never sure of anything。〃 She advises him to make friends of women rather than of men。 〃By means of women； one attains all that one wishes from men； of whom some are too pleasure…loving； others too much preoccupied with their personal interests not to neglect yours； whereas women think of you； if only from idleness。 Speak this evening to one of them of some affair that concerns you； tomorrow at her wheel； at her tapestry； you will find her dreaming of it； and searching in her head for some means of serving you。〃
Prominent among her friends were Bolingbroke and Fontenelle。 〃It is not a heart which you have there；〃 she said to the latter； laying her hand on the spot usually occupied by that organ； 〃but a second brain。〃 She had enlisted what stood in the place of it； however； and he interested himself so far as to procure her final release from her vows； through Benedict XIV； who； as Cardinal Lambertini； had frequented her salon； and who sent her his portrait as a souvenir； after his election to the papacy。
Through her intimacy with the Duc de Richelieu； Mme。 de Tencin made herself felt even in the secret councils of Louis XV。 Her practical mind comprehended more clearly than many of the statesmen the forces at work and the weakness that coped with them。 〃Unless God visibly interferes；〃 she said； 〃it is physically impossible that the state should not fall in pieces。〃 It was her influence that inspired Mme。 de Chateauroux with the idea of sending her royal lover to revive the spirits of the army in Flanders。 〃It is not； between ourselves； that he is in a state to command a company of grenadiers；〃 she wrote to her brother； 〃but his presence will avail much。 The troops will do their duty better； and the generals will not dare to fail them so openly 。 。 。 A king； whatever he may be； is for the soldiers and people what the ark of the covenant was for the Hebrews； his presence alone promises success。〃
Her devotion to her friends was the single redeeming trait in her character； and she hesitated at nothing to advance the interests of her brother； over whose house she gracefully presided。 But she failed in her ultimate ambition to elevate him to the ministry； and her intrigues were so much feared that Cardinal Fleury sent her away from Paris for a short time。 Her disappointments； which it is not the purpose to trace here； left her one of the disaffected party； and on her return her drawing room became a rallying point for the radical thinkers of France。
Such was the woman who courted； flattered； petted； and patronized the literary and scientific men of Paris； called them her menagerie； put them into a sort of uniform； gave them two suppers a week； and sent them two ells of velvet for small clothes at New Year's。 Of her salon； Marmontel gives us an interesting glimpse。 He had been invited to read one of his tragedies； and it was his first introduction。
〃I saw assembled there Montesquieu； Fontenelle； Mairan； Marivaux； the young Helvetius； Astruc； and others； all men of science or letters； and； in the midst of them； a woman of brilliant intellect and profound judgment； who； with her kind and simple exterior； had rather the appearance of the housekeeper than the mistress。 This was Mme。 de Tencin。 。 。 。 I soon perceived that the guests came there prepared to play their parts； and that their wish to shine did not leave the conversation always free to follow its easy and natural course。 Every one tried to seize quickly and on the wing the moment to bring in his word； his story； his anecdote； his maxim； or to add his dash of light and sparkling wit； and； in order to do this opportunely； it was often rather far…fetched。 In Marivaux； the impatience to display his finesse and sagacity was quite apparent。 Montesquieu； with more calmness； waited for the ball to come to him； but he waited。 Mairan watched his opportunity。 Astruc did not deign to wait。 Fontenelle alone let it come to him without seeking it； and he used so discreetly the attention given him； that his witty sayings and his clever stories never occupied more than a moment。 Alert and reserved； Helvetius listened and gathered material for the future。〃
Mme。 de Tencin loved literature and philosophy for their own sake； and received men of letters at their intrinsic value。 She encouraged； too； the freedom of thought and expression at that time so rare and so dangerous。 It was her influence that gave its first impulse to the success of Montesquieu's esprit DES LOIS； of which she personally bought and distributed many copies。 If she talked well； she knew also how to listen； to attract by her sympathy； to aid by her generosity； to inspire by her intelligence； to charm by her versatility。
Another figure flits in and out of this salon； whose fine qualities of soul shine so brightly in this morally stifling atmosphere that one forgets her errors in a mastering impulse of love and pity。 There is no more pathetic history in this arid and heartless age than that of Mlle。 Aisse； the beautiful Circassian； with the lustrous； dark； Oriental eyes；〃 who was brought from Constantinople in infancy by the French envoy； and left as a precious heritage to Mme。 de Ferriol； the intriguing sister of Mme。 de Tencin； and her worthy counterpart； if not in talent； in the faults that darkened their common womanhood。 This delicate young girl； surrounded by worldly and profligate friends； and drawn in spite of herself into the errors of her time； redeemed her character by her romantic heroism； her unselfish devotion； and her final revolt against what seemed to be an inexorable fate。 The struggle between her self…forgetful love for the knightly Chevalier d'Aydie and her sensitive conscience； her refusal to cloud his future by a portionless marriage； and her firmness in severing an unholy tie； knowing that the sacrifice would cost her life； as it did； form an episode as rare as it is tragical。 But her exquisite personality； her rich gifts of mind and soul； her fine intelligence； her passionate love； almost consecrated by her pious but fatal renunciation； call up one of the loveliest visions of the centurya vision that lingers in the memory like a medieval poem。
Mme。 de Tencin amused her later years b writing sentimental tales； which were found among her papers after her death。 These were classed with the romances of Mme。 de La Fayette。 Speaking of the latter； La Harpe said； 〃Only one other woman succeeded； a century later； in painting with equal power the struggles of love and virtue。〃 It is one of the curious inconsistencies of her character； that her creations contained an element which her life seems wholly to have lacked。 Behind all her faults of conduct there was clearly an ideal of purity and goodness。 Her stories are marked by a vividness and an ardor of passion rarely found in the insipid and colorless romances of the preceding age。 Her pictures of love and intrigue and crime are touched with the religious enthusiasm of the cloister； the poetry of devotion； the heroism of self…sacrifice。 Perhaps the dark and mysterious facts of her own history shaped themselves in her imagination。 Did the tragedy of La Fresnaye； the despairing lover who blew out his brains at her feet； leaving the shadow of a crime hanging over her； with haunting memories of the Bastille； recall the innocence of her own early convent days？ Did she remember some long…buried love； and the child left to perish upon the steps of St。 Jean le Rond； but grown up to be her secret pride in the pers
