按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
tragic tales abounded in Madame de T。's salon； and by dint of cursing Marat； they applauded Trestaillon。
Some deputies of the undiscoverable variety played their whist there； M。 Thibord du Chalard； M。 Lemarchant de Gomicourt； and the celebrated scoffer of the right； M。 Cornet…Dincourt。 The bailiff de Ferrette； with his short breeches and his thin legs； sometimes traversed this salon on his way to M。 de Talleyrand。
He had been M。 le te d'Artois' panion in pleasures and unlike Aristotle crouching under Campaspe； he had made the Guimard crawl on all fours； and in that way he had exhibited to the ages a philosopher avenged by a bailiff。 As for the priests； there was the Abbe Halma； the same to whom M。 Larose； his collaborator on la Foudre； said：
〃Bah！
Who is there who is not fifty years old？ a few greenhorns perhaps？〃 The Abbe Letourneur； preacher to the King； the Abbe Frayssinous； who was not； as yet； either count； or bishop； or minister； or peer； and who wore an old cassock whose buttons were missing； and the Abbe Keravenant； Cure of Saint…Germain…des…Pres； also the Pope's Nuncio； then Monsignor Macchi； Archbishop of Nisibi； later on Cardinal； remarkable for his long； pensive nose； and another Monsignor； entitled thus：
Abbate Palmieri； domestic prelate； one of the seven participant prothonotaries of the Holy See； Canon of the illustrious Liberian basilica； Advocate of the saints； Postulatore dei Santi； which refers to matters of canonization； and signifies very nearly： Master of Requests of the section of Paradise。
ly； two cardinals； M。 de la Luzerne； and M。 de Cl****** T*******。 The Cardinal of Luzerne was a writer and was destined to have； a few years later； the honor of signing in the Conservateur articles side by side with Chateaubriand； M。 de Cl****** T******* was Archbishop of Toul****； and often made trips to Paris； to his nephew； the Marquis de T*******； who was Minister of Marine and War。
The Cardinal of Cl****** T******* was a merry little man； who displayed his red stockings beneath his tucked…up cassock； his specialty was a hatred of the Encyclopaedia； and his desperate play at billiards； and persons who； at that epoch； passed through the Rue M***** on summer evenings； where the hotel de Cl****** T******* then stood； halted to listen to the shock of the balls and the piercing voice of the Cardinal shouting to his conclavist； Monseigneur Cotiret； Bishop in partibus of Caryste： 〃Mark； Abbe； I make a cannon。〃
The Cardinal de Cl****** T******* had been brought to Madame de T。's by his most intimate friend； M。 de Roquelaure； former Bishop of Senlis； and one of the Forty。 M。 de Roquelaure was notable for his lofty figure and his assiduity at the Academy； through the glass door of the neighboring hall of the library where the French Academy then held its meetings； the curious could； on every Tuesday； contemplate the Ex…Bishop of Senlis； usually standing erect； freshly powdered； in violet hose； with his back turned to the door； apparently for the purpose of allowing a better view of his little collar。
All these ecclesiastics； though for the most part as much courtiers as churchmen； added to the gravity of the T。 salon； whose seigniorial aspect was accentuated by five peers of France； the Marquis de Vib****； the Marquis de Tal***； the Marquis de Herb*******； the Vite Damb***； and the Duc de Val********。 This Duc de Val********； although Prince de Mon***； that is to say a reigning prince abroad； had so high an idea of France and its peerage； that he viewed everything through their medium。 It was he who said：
〃The Cardinals are the peers of France of Rome； the lords are the peers of France of England。〃
Moreover； as it is indispensable that the Revolution should be everywhere in this century； this feudal salon was； as we have said； dominated by a bourgeois。 M。 Gillenormand reigned there。
There lay the essence and quintessence of the Parisian white society。 There reputations； even Royalist reputations； were held in quarantine。 There is always a trace of anarchy in renown。
Chateaubriand； had he entered there； would have produced the effect of Pere Duchene。
Some of the scoffed…at did； nevertheless； penetrate thither on sufferance。 te Beug*** was received there； subject to correction。
The 〃noble〃 salons of the present day no longer resemble those salons。 The Faubourg Saint…Germain reeks of the fagot even now。
The Royalists of to…day are demagogues； let us record it to their credit。
At Madame de T。's the society was superior； taste was exquisite and haughty； under the cover of a great show of politeness。 Manners there admitted of all sorts of involuntary refinements which were the old regime itself； buried but still alive。
Some of these habits； especially in the matter of language； seem eccentric。 Persons but superficially acquainted with them would have taken for provincial that which was only antique。
A woman was called Madame la Generale。
Madame la Colonelle was not entirely disused。 The charming Madame de Leon； in memory； no doubt； of the Duchesses de Longueville and de Chevreuse； preferred this appellation to her title of Princesse。
The Marquise de Crequy was also called Madame la Colonelle。
It was this little high society which invented at the Tuileries the refinement of speaking to the King in private as the King； in the third person； and never as Your Majesty； the designation of Your Majesty having been 〃soiled by the usurper。〃
Men and deeds were brought to judgment there。
They jeered at the age； which released them from the necessity of understanding it。 They abetted each other in amazement。
They municated to each other that modicum of light which they possessed。 Methuselah bestowed information on Epimenides。
The deaf man made the blind man acquainted with the course of things。
They declared that the time which had elasped since Coblentz had not existed。 In the same manner that Louis XVIII。
was by the grace of God； in the five and twentieth year of his reign； the emigrants were； by rights； in the five and twentieth year of their adolescence。
All was harmonious； nothing was too much