the origins of contemporary france-1-第39部分

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and　how　to　die；　there　was　no　such　thing　as　troublesome　infirmities。　　If

any　one　had　the　gout；　'he　walked　along　all　the　same　and　made　no　faces；

people　well　brought　up　concealed　their　sufferings。　　There　was　none　of

that　absorption　in　business　which　spoils　a　man　inwardly　and　dulls　his

brain。　　People　knew　how　to　ruin　themselves　without　letting　it　appear；

like　good　gamblers　who　lose　their　money　without　showing　uneasiness　or

spite。　　A　man　would　be　carried　half　dead　to　a　hunt。　　It　was　thought

better　to　die　at　a　ball　or　at　the　play　than　in　one's　bed；　between　four

wax　candles　and　horrid　men　in　black。　　People　were　philosophers；　they

did　not　assume　to　be　austere；　but　often　were　so　without　making　a

display　of　it。　　If　one　was　discreet；　it　was　through　inclination　and

without　pedantry　or　prudishness。　　People　enjoyed　this　life；　and　when

the　hour　of　departure　came　they　did　not　try　to　disgust　others　with

living。　　The　last　request　of　my　old　husband　was　that　I　would　survive

him　as　long　as　possible　and　live　as　happily　as　I　could。〃







When；　especially；　women　are　concerned　it　is　not　sufficient　to　be

polite；　it　is　important　to　be　gallant。　　Each　lady　invited　by　the　Prince

de　Conti　to　Ile…Adam　〃finds　a　carriage　and　horses　at　her　disposal；　she

is　free　to　give　dinners　every　day　in　her　own　rooms　to　her　own

friends。〃＇45＇　Mme。　　de　Civrac　having　to　go　to　the　springs；　her　friends

undertake　to　divert　her　on　the　journey；　they　keep　ahead　of　her　a　few

posts；　and；　at　every　place　where　she　rests　for　the　night；　they　give

her　a　little　féte　champêtre　disguised　as　villagers　and　in　bourgeois

attire；　with　bailiff　and　scrivener；　and　other　masks　all　singing　and

reciting　verses。　　A　lady　on　the　eve　of　Longchamp；　knowing　that　the

Vicomte　de　V　…　　possesses　two　calèches；　makes　a　request　for　one　of

them；　it　is　disposed　of；　but　he　is　careful　not　to　decline；　and

immediately　has　one　of　the　greatest　elegance　purchased　to　lend　it　for

three　hours；　he　is　only　too　happy　that　anybody　should　wish　to　borrow

from　him；　his　prodigality　appearing　amiable　but　not　astonishing。＇46＇

The　reason　is　that　women　then　were　queens　in　the　drawing…room；　it　is

their　right；　this　is　the　reason　why；　in　the　eighteenth　century；　they

prescribe　the　law　and　the　fashion　in　all　things。＇47＇　Having　formed　the

code　of　usages；　it　is　quite　natural　that　they　should　profit　by　it；　and

see　that　all　its　prescriptions　are　carried　out。　　In　this　respect　any

circle　〃of　the　best　company　〃　is　a　superior　tribunal；　serving　as　a

court　of　last　appeal。＇48＇　The　Maréchale　de　Luxembourg　is　an　authority；

there　is　no　point　of　manners　which　she　does　not　justify　with　an

ingenious　argument。　　Any　expression；　any　neglect　of　the　standard；　the

slightest　sign　of　pretension　or　of　vanity　incurs　her　disapprobation；

from　which　there　is　no　appeal；　and　the　delinquent　is　for　ever　banished

from　refined　society。　　Any　subtle　observation；　any　well…timed　silence；

an　〃　oh〃　uttered　in　an　appropriate　place　instead　of　an　〃　Ah；〃　secures

from　her；　as　from　M。　Talleyrand；　a　diploma　of　good　breeding　which　is

the　commencement　of　fame　and　the　promise　of　a　fortune。　　Under　such　an

〃instructress〃　it　is　evident　that　deportment；　gesture；　language；　every

act　or　omission　in　this　mundane　sphere；　becomes；　like　a　picture　or

poem；　a　veritable　work　of　art；　that　is　to　say；　infinite　in　refinement；

at　once　studied　and　easy；　and　so　harmonious　in　its　details　that　its

perfection　conceals　the　difficulty　of　combining　them。



A　great　lady　〃receives　ten　persons　with　one　courtesy；　bestowing　on

each；　through　the　head　or　by　a　glance；　all　that　he　is　entitled

to；〃＇49＇　meaning　by　this　the　shade　of　regard　due　to　each　phase　of

position；　consideration；　and　birth。　　〃She　has　always　to　deal　with

easily　irritated　amour…propres；　consequently　the　slightest　deficiency

in　proportion　would　be　promptly　detected；〃＇50＇　But　she　is　never

mistaken；　and　never　hesitates　in　these　subtle　distinctions；　with

incomparable　tact；　dexterity；　and　flexibility　of　tone；　she　regulates

the　degrees　of　her　welcome。　　She　has　one　〃for　women　of　condition；　one

for　women　of　quality；　one　for　women　of　the　court；　one　for　titled

women；　one　for　women　of　historic　names；　another　for　women　of　high

birth　personally；　but　married　to　men　beneath　them；　another　for　women

who　by　marriage　have　changed　a　common　into　a　distinguished　name；

another　still　for　women　of　reputable　names　in　the　law；　and；　finally；

another　for　those　whose　relief　consists　chiefly　of　expensive　houses

and　good　suppers。〃　A　stranger　would　be　amazed　on　seeing　with　what

certain　and　adroit　steps　she　circulates　among　so　many　watchful

vanities　without　ever　hurting　or　being　hurt。　　〃She　knows　how　to　express

all　through　the　style　of　her　salutations；　a　varied　style；　extending

through　imperceptible　gradations；　from　the　accessory　of　a　single　shrug

of　the　shoulder；　almost　an　impertinence；　to　that　noble　and　deferential

reverence　which　so　few　women；　even　of　the　court；　know　how　to　do　well；

that　slow　bending　forward；　with　lowered　eyes　and　straightened　figure；

gradually　recovering　and　modestly　glancing　at　the　person　while

gracefully　raising　the　body　up；　altogether　much　more　refined　and　more

delicate　than　words；　but　very　expressive　as　the　means　of　manifesting

respect。〃　　…　　This　is　but　a　single　action；　and　very　common；　there　are

a　hundred　others；　and　of　importance。　　Imagine；　if　it　is　possible；　the

degree　of　elegance　and　perfection　to　which　they　attained　through　good

breeding。　　I　select　one　at　random；　a　duel　between　two　princes　of　the

blood；　the　Comte　d'Artois　and　the　Duc　de　Bourbon；　the　latter　being　the

offended　party；　the　former；　his　superior；　had　to　offer　him　a

meeting＇51＇；　　〃As　soon　as　the　Comte　d'Artois　saw　him　he　leaped　to　the

ground；　and　walking　directly　up　to　him；　said　to　him　smiling：

'Monsieur；　the　public　pretends　that　we　are　seeking　each　other。'　The

Duc　de　Bourbon；　removing　his　hat；　replied；　'Monsieur；　I　am　here　to

receive　your　orders。'　　…　　'To　execute　your　own；'　returned　the　Comte

d'Artois；　'but　you　must　allow　me　to　return　to　my　carriage。'　He　comes

back　with　a　sword；　and　the　duel　begins。　　After　a　certain　time　they　are

separated；　the　seconds　deciding　that　honor　is　satisfied；　'It　is　not

for　me　to　express　an　opinion；'　says　the　Comte　d'Artois；　'Monsieur　le

Duc　de　Bourbon　is　to　express　his　wishes；　I　am　here　only　to　receive　his

orders。'　　…　　'Monsieur；'　responds　the　Duc　de　Bourbon；　addressing　the

Comte　d'Artois；　meanwhile　lowering　the　point　of　his　sword；　'I　am

overcome　with　gratitude　for　your　kindness；　and　shall　never　be

insensible　to　the　honor　you　have　done　me。'　〃　　…　　Could　there　be　a　more

just　and　delicate　sentiment　of　rank；　position；　and　circumstance；　and

could　a　duel　be　surrounded　with　more　graces？　There　is　no　situation；

however　thorny；　which　is　not　saved　by　politeness。　　Through　habit；　and　a

suitable　expression；　even　in　the　face　of　the　king；　they　conciliate

resistance　and　respect。　　When　Louis　XV；　having　exiled　the　Parliament；

caused　it　to　be　proclaimed　through　Mme。　　Du　Barry　that　his　mind　was

made　up　and　that　it　would　not　be　changed；　〃Ah；　Madame；〃　replied　the

Duc　de　Nivernais；　〃when　the　king　said　that　he　was　looking　at

yourself。〃　　…　　〃My　dear　Fontenelle；〃　said　one　of　his　lady　friends　to

him；　placing　her　hand　on　his　heart；　〃the　brain　is　there　likewise。〃

Fontenelle　smiled　and　made　no　reply。　　We　see　here；　even　with　an

academician；　how　truths　are　forced　down；　a　drop　of　acid　in　a　sugar…

plum；　the　whole　so　thoroughly　intermingled　that　the　piquancy　of　the

flavor　only　enhances　its　sweetness。　　Night　after　night；　in　each

drawing…room；　sugar…plums　of　this　description　are　served　up；　two　or

three　along　with　the　drop　of　acidity；　all　the　rest　not　less　exquisite；

but　possessing　only　the　sweetness　and　the　perfume。　　Such　is　the　art　of


social　worldliness；　an　ingenious　and　delightful　art；　which；　entering

into　all　the　details　of　speech　and　of　action；　transforms　them　into

graces；　which　imposes　on　man　not　servility　and　falsehood；　but　civility

and　concern　for　others；　and　which；　in　exchange；　extracts　for　him　out

of　human　society　all　the　pleasure　it　can　afford。



V。　　HAPPINESS。



What　constitutes　happiness　in　the　18th　Century。　　…　The　fascination

of　display。　　…　Indolence；　recreation；　light　conversation。



One　can　very　well　understand　this　kind　of　pleasure　in　a　summary

way；　but　how　is　it　to　be　made　apparent？　Taken　by　themselves　the

pastimes　of　society　are　not　to　be　described；　they　are　too　ephemeral；

their　charm　arises　from　their　accompaniments。　　A　narrative　of　them

would　be　but　tasteless　dregs；　does　the　libretto　of　an　opera　give　any

idea　of　the　opera　itself？　　…　　If　the　reader　would　revive　for　himself

this　vanished　world　let　him　seek　for　it　in　those　works　that　have

preserved　its　externals　or　its　accent；　and　first　in　the　pictures　and

engravings　of　Watteau；　Fragonard　and　the　Saint…Aubins；　and　then　in　the

novels　and　dramas　of　Voltaire　and　Marivaux；　and　even　in　Collé　and

Crébillon　fils；＇52＇　then　do　we　see　the　breathing　figures　and　hear

their　voices；　What　bright；　winning；　intelligent　faces　beaming　with

pleasure　and　with　the　desire　to　please！　What　ease　in　bearing　and　in

gesture！　What　piquant　grace　in　the　toilet；　in　the　smile；　in

vivaciousness　of　expression；　in　the　control　of　the　fluted　voice；　in

the　coquetry　of　hidden　meanings！　How　involuntarily　we　stop　to　look　and

listen！　Attractiveness　is　everywhere；　in　the　small　spirituelle　heads；

in　the　slender　hands；　in　the　rumpled　attire；　in　the　pretty　features；

in　the　demeanor。　　The　slightest　gesture；　a　pouting　or　mutinous　turn　of

the　head；　a　plump　little　wrist　peering　from　its　nest　of　lace；　a

yielding　waist　bent　over　an　embroidery　frame；　the　rapid　rustling　of　an

opening　fan；　is　a　feast　for　the　eyes　and　the　intellect。　　It　is　indeed

all　daintiness；　a　delicate　caress　for　delicate　senses；　extending　to

the　external　decoration　of　life；　to　the　sinuous　outlines；　the　showy

drapery；　and　the　refinements　of　comfort　in　the　furniture　and

architecture。　　Fill　your　imag