the women of the french salons-第41章

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　the　habit　of　meeting　in　her　salon。　　But　she　does　not　seem　to　have　borne　her　any　ill　will　for　her　rather　premature　schemes；　as　she　gave　her　a　characteristic　piece　of　advice：　〃Never　refuse　any　advance　of　friendship；〃　she　said；　〃for；　if　nine　out　of　ten　bring　you　nothing；　one　alone　may　repay　you。　　Everything　is　of　service　in　a　menage　if　one　knows　how　to　use　his　tools。〃　　Mme。　Geoffrin　was　an　apt　pupil　in　the　arts　of　diplomacy；　and　the　key　to　her　remarkable　social　success　may　be　found　in　her　ready　assimilation　of　the　worldly　wisdom　of　her　sage　counselor。　　But　to　this　she　added　a　far　kinder　heart　and　a　more　estimable　character。

Of　all　the　women　who　presided　over　famous　salons；　Mme。　Geoffrin　had　perhaps　the　least　claim　to　intellectual　preeminence。　　The　secret　of　her　power　must　have　lain　in　some　intangible　quality　that　has　failed　to　be　perpetuated　in　any　of　her　sayings　or　doings。　　A　few　commonplace　and　ill…spelled　letters；　a　few　wise　or　witty　words；　are　all　the　direct　record　she　has　left　of　herself。　　Without　rank；　beauty；　youth；　education；　or　remarkable　mental　gifts　of　a　sort　that　leave　permanent　traces；　she　was　the　best　representative　of　the　women　of　her　time　who　held　their　place　in　the　world　solely　through　their　skill　in　organizing　and　conducting　a　salon。　　She　was　in　no　sense　a　luminary；　and　conscious　that　she　could　not　shine　by　her　own　light；　she　was　bent　upon　shining　by　that　of　others。　　But；　in　a　social　era　so　brilliant；　even　this　implied　talent　of　a　high　order。　　A　letter　to　the　Empress　of　Russia；　in　reply　to　a　question　concerning　her　early　education；　throws　a　ray　of　light　upon　her　youth　and　her　peculiar　training。

〃I　lost　my　father　and　mother；〃　she　writes；　〃in　the　cradle。　　I　was　brought　up　by　an　aged　grandmother；　who　had　much　intelligence　and　a　well…balanced　head。　　She　had　very　little　education；　but　her　mind　was　so　clear；　so　ready；　so　active；　that　it　never　failed　her；　it　served　always　in　the　place　of　knowledge。　　She　spoke　so　agreeably　of　the　things　she　did　not　know　that　no　one　wished　her　to　understand　them　better；　and　when　her　ignorance　was　too　visible；　she　got　out　of　it　by　pleasantries　which　baffled　the　pedants　who　tried　to　humiliate　her。　　She　was　so　contented　with　her　lot　that　she　looked　upon　knowledge　as　a　very　useless　thing　for　a　woman。　　She　said：　'I　have　done　without　it　so　well　that　I　have　never　felt　the　need　of　it。　　If　my　granddaughter　is　stupid；　learning　will　make　her　conceited　and　insupportable；　if　she　has　talent　and　sensibility；　she　will　do　as　I　have　donesupply　by　address　and　with　sentiment　what　she　does　not　know；　when　she　becomes　more　reasonable；　she　will　learn　that　for　which　she　has　the　most　aptitude；　and　she　will　learn　it　very　quickly。'　　She　taught　me　in　my　childhood　simply　to　read；　but　she　made　me　read　much；　she　taught　me　to　think　by　making　me　reason；　she　taught　me　to　know　men　by　making　me　say　what　I　thought　of　them；　and　telling　me　also　the　opinion　she　had　formed。　　She　required　me　to　render　her　an　account　of　all　my　movements　and　all　my　feelings；　correcting　them　with　so　much　sweetness　and　grace　that　I　never　concealed　from　her　anything　that　I　thought　or　felt；　my　internal　life　was　as　visible　as　my　external。　　My　education　was　continual。〃

The　daughter　of　a　valet　de　chambre　of　the　Duchess　of　Burgundy；　who　gave　her　a　handsome　dowry；　Marie　Therese　Rodet　became；　at　fourteen；　the　wife　of　a　lieutenant…colonel　of　the　National　Guard　and　a　rich　manufacturer　of　glass。　　Her　husband　did　not　count　for　much　among　the　distinguished　guests　who　in　later　years　frequented　her　salon；　and　his　part　in　her　life　seems　to　have　consisted　mainly　in　furnishing　the　money　so　essential　to　her　success；　and　in　looking　carefully　after　the　interests　of　the　menage。　　It　is　related　that　some　one　gave　him　a　history　to　read；　and　when　he　called　for　the　successive　volumes　the　same　one　was　always　returned　to　him。　　Not　observing　this；　he　found　the　work　interesting；　but　〃thought　the　author　repeated　a　little。〃　　He　read　across　the　page　a　book　printed　in　two　columns；　remarking　that　〃it　seemed　to　be　very　good；　but　a　trifle　abstract。〃　　One　day　a　visitor　inquired　for　the　white…haired　old　gentleman　who　was　in　the　habit　of　sitting　at　the　head　of　the　table。　　〃That　was　my　husband；〃　replied　Mme。　Geoffrin；　〃he　is　dead。〃

But　if　her　marriage　was　not　an　ideal　one；　it　does　not　appear　that　it　was　unhappy。　　Perhaps　her　bourgeois　birth　and　associations　saved　her　youth　from　the　domestic　complications　which　were　so　far　the　rule　in　the　great　world　as　to　have；　in　a　measure；　its　sanction。　　At　all　events　her　life　was　apparently　free　from　the　shadows　that　rested　upon　many　of　her　contemporaries。

〃Her　character　was　a　singular　one；〃　writes　Marmontel；　who　lived　for　ten　years　in　her　house；　〃and　difficult　to　understand　or　paint；　because　it　was　all　in　half…tints　and　shades；　very　decided　nevertheless；　but　without　the　striking　traits　by　which　one's　nature　distinguishes　and　defines　itself。　　She　was　kind；　but　had　little　sensibility；　charitable；　without　any　of　the　charms　of　benevolence；　eager　to　aid　the　unhappy；　but　without　seeing　them；　for　fear　of　being　moved；　a　sure；　faithful；　even　officious　friend；　but　timid　and　anxious　in　serving　others；　lest　she　should　compromise　her　credit　or　her　repose。　　She　was　simple　in　her　taste；　her　dress；　and　her　furniture；　but　choice　in　her　simplicity；　having　the　refinements　and　delicacies　of　luxury；　but　nothing　of　its　ostentation　nor　its　vanity；　modest　in　her　air；　carriage；　and　manners；　but　with　a　touch　of　pride；　and　even　a　little　vainglory。　　Nothing　flattered　her　more　than　her　intercourse　with　the　great。　　At　their　houses　she　rarely　saw　them；　indeed　she　was　not　at　her　ease　there；but　she　knew　how　to　attract　them　to　her　own　by　a　coquetry　subtly　flattering；　and　in　the　easy；　natural；　half…respectful　and　half…familiar　air　with　which　she　received　them；　I　thought　I　saw　remarkable　address。〃

In　a　woman　of　less　tact　and　penetration；　this　curious　vein　of　hidden　vanity　would　have　led　to　pretension。　　But　Mme。　Geoffrin　was　preeminently　gifted　with　that　fine　social　sense　which　is　apt　to　be　only　the　fruit　of　generations　of　culture。　　With　her　it　was　innate　genius。　　She　was　mistress　of　the　amiable　art　of　suppressing　herself；　and　her　vanity　assumed　the　form　of　a　gracious　modesty。　　〃I　remain　humble；　but　with　dignity；〃　she　writes　to　a　friend；　〃that　is；　in　depreciating　myself　I　do　not　suffer　others　to　depreciate　me。〃　　She　had　the　instinct　of　the　artist　who　knows　how　to　offset　the　lack　of　brilliant　gifts　by　the　perfection　of　details；　the　modesty　that　disarms　criticism；　and　a　rare　facility　in　the　art　of　pleasing。

There　was　an　air　of　refinement　and　simple　elegance　in　her　personality　that　commanded　respect。　　Tall　and　dignified；　with　her　silvery　hair　concealed　by　her　coif；　she　combined　a　noble　presence　with　great　kindliness　of　manner。　　She　usually　wore　somber　colors　and　fine　laces；　for　which　she　had　great　fondness。　　Her　youth　was　long　past　when　she　came　before　the　world；　and　that　sense　of　fitness　which　always　distinguished　her　led　her　to　accept　her　age　seriously　and　to　put　on　its　hues。　　The　〃dead…leaf　mantle〃　of　Mme。　de　Maintenon　was　worn　less　severely　perhaps；　but　it　was　worn　without　affectation。　　Diderot　gives　us　a　pleasant　glimpse　of　her　at　Grandval；　where　they　were　dining　with　Baron　d'Holbach。　　〃Mme。　Geoffrin　was　admirable；〃　he　wrote　to　Mlle。　Volland。　　〃I　remark　always　the　noble　and　quiet　taste　with　which　this　woman　dresses。　　She　wore　today　a　simple　stuff　of　austere　color；　with　large　sleeves；　the　smoothest　and　finest　linen；　and　the　most　elegant　simplicity　throughout。〃

In　her　equanimity　and　her　love　of　repose　she　was　a　worthy　disciple　of　Fontenelle。　　She　carefully　avoided　all　violent　passions　and　all　controversies。　　To　her　lawyer；　who　was　conducting　a　suit　that　worried　her；　she　said；　〃Wind　up　my　case。　　Do　they　want　my　money？　　I　have　some；　and　what　can　I　do　with　money　better　than　to　buy　tranquillity　with　it？〃　　This　aversion　to　annoyance　often　reached　the　proportions　of　a　very　amiable　selfishness。　　〃She　has　the　habit　of　detesting　those　who　are　unhappy；〃　said　the　witty　Abbe　Galiani；　〃for　she　does　not　wish　to　be　so；　even　by　the　sight　of　the　unhappiness　of　others。　　She　has　an　impressionable　heart；　she　is　old；　she　is　well；　she　wishes　to　preserve　her　health　and　her　tranquillity。　　As　soon