letters of two brides-第2章

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unlike　a　griffin）　and　Philippe　took　me　to　my　rooms。

The　suite　is　the　one　which　belonged　to　my　beloved　grandmother；　the
Princess　de　Vauremont；　to　whom　I　owe　some　sort　of　a　fortune　which　no
one　has　ever　told　me　about。　As　you　read　this；　you　will　understand　the
sadness　which　came　over　me　as　I　entered　a　place　sacred　to　so　many
memories；　and　found　the　rooms　just　as　she　had　left　them！　I　was　to
sleep　in　the　bed　where　she　died。

Sitting　down　on　the　edge　of　the　sofa；　I　burst　into　tears；　forgetting　I
was　not　alone；　and　remembering　only　how　often　I　had　stood　there　by　her
knees；　the　better　to　hear　her　words。　There　I　had　gazed　upon　her　face；
buried　in　its　brown　laces；　and　worn　as　much　by　age　as　by　the　pangs　of
approaching　death。　The　room　seemed　to　me　still　warm　with　the　heat
which　she　kept　up　there。　How　comes　it　that　Armande…Louise…Marie　de
Chaulieu　must　be　like　some　peasant　girl；　who　sleeps　in　her　mother's
bed　the　very　morrow　of　her　death？　For　to　me　it　was　as　though　the
Princess；　who　died　in　1817；　had　passed　away　but　yesterday。

I　saw　many　things　in　the　room　which　ought　to　have　been　removed。　Their
presence　showed　the　carelessness　with　which　people；　busy　with　the
affairs　of　state；　may　treat　their　own；　and　also　the　little　thought
which　had　been　given　since　her　death　to　this　grand　old　lady；　who　will
always　remain　one　of　the　striking　figures　of　the　eighteenth　century。
Philippe　seemed　to　divine　something　of　the　cause　of　my　tears。　He　told
me　that　the　furniture　of　the　Princess　had　been　left　to　me　in　her　will
and　that　my　father　had　allowed　all　the　larger　suites　to　remain
dismantled；　as　the　Revolution　had　left　them。　On　hearing　this　I　rose；
and　Philippe　opened　the　door　of　the　small　drawing…room　which　leads
into　the　reception…rooms。

In　these　I　found　all　the　well…remembered　wreckage；　the　panels　above
the　doors；　which　had　contained　valuable　pictures；　bare　of　all　but
empty　frames；　broken　marbles；　mirrors　carried　off。　In　old　days　I　was
afraid　to　go　up　the　state　staircase　and　cross　these　vast；　deserted
rooms；　so　I　used　to　get　to　the　Princess'　rooms　by　a　small　staircase
which　runs　under　the　arch　of　the　larger　one　and　leads　to　the　secret
door　of　her　dressing…room。

My　suite；　consisting　of　a　drawing…room；　bedroom；　and　the　pretty
morning…room　in　scarlet　and　gold；　of　which　I　have　told　you；　lies　in
the　wing　on　the　side　of　the　Invalides。　The　house　is　only　separated
from　the　boulevard　by　a　wall；　covered　with　creepers；　and　by　a　splendid
avenue　of　trees；　which　mingle　their　foliage　with　that　of　the　young
elms　on　the　sidewalk　of　the　boulevard。　But　for　the　blue…and…gold　dome
of　the　Invalides　and　its　gray　stone　mass；　you　might　be　in　a　wood。

The　style　of　decoration　in　these　rooms；　together　with　their　situation；
indicates　that　they　were　the　old　show　suite　of　the　duchesses；　while
the　dukes　must　have　had　theirs　in　the　wing　opposite。　The　two　suites
are　decorously　separated　by　the　two　main　blocks；　as　well　as　by　the
central　one；　which　contained　those　vast；　gloomy；　resounding　halls
shown　me　by　Philippe；　all　despoiled　of　their　splendor；　as　in　the　days
of　my　childhood。

Philippe　grew　quite　confidential　when　he　saw　the　surprise　depicted　on
my　countenance。　For　you　must　know　that　in　this　home　of　diplomacy　the
very　servants　have　a　reserved　and　mysterious　air。　He　went　on　to　tell
me　that　it　was　expected　a　law　would　soon　be　passed　restoring　to　the
fugitives　of　the　Revolution　the　value　of　their　property；　and　that　my
father　is　waiting　to　do　up　his　house　till　this　restitution　is　made；
the　king's　architect　having　estimated　the　damage　at　three　hundred
thousand　livres。

This　piece　of　news　flung　me　back　despairing　on　my　drawing…room　sofa。
Could　it　be　that　my　father；　instead　of　spending　this　money　in
arranging　a　marriage　for　me；　would　have　left　me　to　die　in　the　convent？
This　was　the　first　thought　to　greet　me　on　the　threshold　of　my　home。

Ah！　Renee；　what　would　I　have　given　then　to　rest　my　head　upon　your
shoulder；　or　to　transport　myself　to　the　days　when　my　grandmother　made
the　life　of　these　rooms？　You　two　in　all　the　world　have　been　alone　in
loving　meyou　away　at　Maucombe；　and　she　who　survives　only　in　my
heart；　the　dear　old　lady；　whose　still　youthful　eyes　used　to　open　from
sleep　at　my　call。　How　well　we　understood　each　other！

These　memories　suddenly　changed　my　mood。　What　at　first　had　seemed
profanation；　now　breathed　of　holy　association。　It　was　sweet　to　inhale
the　faint　odor　of　the　powder　she　loved　still　lingering　in　the　room；
sweet　to　sleep　beneath　the　shelter　of　those　yellow　damask　curtains
with　their　white　pattern；　which　must　have　retained　something　of　the
spirit　emanating　from　her　eyes　and　breath。　I　told　Philippe　to　rub　up
the　old　furniture　and　make　the　rooms　look　as　if　they　were　lived　in；　I
explained　to　him　myself　how　I　wanted　everything　arranged；　and　where　to
put　each　piece　of　furniture。　In　this　way　I　entered　into　possession；
and　showed　how　an　air　of　youth　might　be　given　to　the　dear　old　things。

The　bedroom　is　white　in　color；　a　little　dulled　with　time；　just　as　the
gilding　of　the　fanciful　arabesques　shows　here　and　there　a　patch　of
red；　but　this　effect　harmonizes　well　with　the　faded　colors　of　the
Savonnerie　tapestry；　which　was　presented　to　my　grandmother　by　Louis
XV。　along　with　his　portrait。　The　timepiece　was　a　gift　from　the
Marechal　de　Saxe；　and　the　china　ornaments　on　the　mantelpiece　came　from
the　Marechal　de　Richelieu。　My　grandmother's　portrait；　painted　at　the
age　of　twenty…five；　hangs　in　an　oval　frame　opposite　that　of　the　King。
The　Prince；　her　husband；　is　conspicuous　by　his　absence。　I　like　this
frank　negligence；　untinged　by　hypocrisya　characteristic　touch　which
sums　up　her　charming　personality。　Once　when　my　grandmother　was
seriously　ill；　her　confessor　was　urgent　that　the　Prince；　who　was
waiting　in　the　drawing…room；　should　be　admitted。

〃He　can　come　in　with　the　doctor　and　his　drugs；〃　was　the　reply。

The　bed　has　a　canopy　and　well…stuffed　back；　and　the　curtains　are
looped　up　with　fine　wide　bands。　The　furniture　is　of　gilded　wood；
upholstered　in　the　same　yellow　damask　with　white　flowers　which　drapes
the　windows；　and　which　is　lined　there　with　a　white　silk　that　looks　as
though　it　were　watered。　The　panels　over　the　doors　have　been　painted；
by　what　artist　I　can't　say；　but　they　represent　one　a　sunrise；　the
other　a　moonlight　scene。

The　fireplace　is　a　very　interesting　feature　in　the　room。　It　is　easy　to
see　that　life　in　the　last　century　centered　largely　round　the　hearth；
where　great　events　were　enacted。　The　copper　gilt　grate　is　a　marvel　of
workmanship；　and　the　mantelpiece　is　most　delicately　finished；　the
fire…irons　are　beautifully　chased；　the　bellows　are　a　perfect　gem。　The
tapestry　of　the　screen　comes　from　the　Gobelins　and　is　exquisitely
mounted；　charming　fantastic　figures　run　all　over　the　frame；　on　the
feet；　the　supporting　bar；　and　the　wings；　the　whole　thing　is　wrought
like　a　fan。

Dearly　should　I　like　to　know　who　was　the　giver　of　this　dainty　work　of
art；　which　was　such　a　favorite　with　her。　How　often　have　I　seen　the　old
lady；　her　feet　upon　the　bar；　reclining　in　the　easy…chair；　with　her
dress　half　raised　in　front；　toying　with　the　snuff…box；　which　lay　upon
the　ledge　between　her　box　of　pastilles　and　her　silk　mits。　What　a
coquette　she　was！　to　the　day　of　her　death　she　took　as　much　pains　with
her　appearance　as　though　the　beautiful　portrait　had　been　painted　only
yesterday；　and　she　were　waiting　to　receive　the　throng　of　exquisites
from　the　Court！　How　the　armchair　recalls　to　me　the　inimitable　sweep　of
her　skirts　as　she　sank　back　in　it！

These　women　of　a　past　generation　have　carried　off　with　them　secrets
which　are　very　typical　of　their　age。　The　Princess　had　a　certain　turn
of　the　head；　a　way　of　dropping　her　glance　and　her　remarks；　a　choice　of
words；　which　I　look　for　in　vain；　even　in　my　mother。　There　was　subtlety
in　it　all；　and　there　was　good…nature；　the　points　were　made　without　any
affectation。　Her　talk　was　at　once　lengthy　and　concise；　she　told　a　good
story；　and　could　put　her　meaning　in　three　words。　Above　all；　she　was
extremely　free…thinking；　and　this　has　undoubtedly　had　its　effect　on　my
way　of　looking　at　things。

From　seven　years　old　till　I　was　ten；　I　never　left　her　side；　it　plea