the origins of contemporary france-1-第34章

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！



his　private　regiment；　his　post　at　court；　which　keeps　him　absent　from

home；　only　in　his　declining　years　does　his　wife　consent　to　follow　him

into　garrison　or　into　the　provinces。＇27＇　And　rather　is　this　the　case

because　she　is　herself　occupied；　and　as　seriously　as　himself；　often

with　a　position　near　a　princess；　and　always　with　an　important　circle

of　company　which　she　must　maintain。　　At　this　epoch　woman　is　as　active

as　man；＇28＇　following　the　same　career；　and　with　the　same　resources；

consisting　of　the　flexible　voice；　the　winning　grace；　the　insinuating

manner；　the　tact；　the　quick　perception　of　the　right　moment；　and　the

art　of　pleasing；　demanding；　and　obtaining；　there　is　not　a　lady　at

court　who　does　not　bestow　regiments　and　benefices。　　Through　this　right

the　wife　has　her　personal　retinue　of　solicitors　and　protégés；　also；

like　her　husband；　her　friends；　her　enemies；　her　own　ambitions；

disappointments；　and　rancorous　feeling；　nothing　could　be　more

effectual　in　the　disruption　of　a　household　than　this　similarity　of

occupation　and　this　division　of　interests。　　…　　The　tie　thus　loosened

ends　by　being　sundered　under　the　ascendancy　of　opinion。　　〃It　looks　well

not　to　live　together；〃　to　grant　each　other　every　species　of　tolerance；

and　to　devote　oneself　to　society。　　Society；　indeed；　then　fashions

opinion；　and　through　opinion　it　creates　the　morals　which　it　requires。



Toward　the　middle　of　the　century　the　husband　and　wife　lodged　under

the　same　roof；　but　that　was　all。　　〃They　never　saw　each　other；　one　never

met　them　in　the　same　carriage；　they　are　never　met　in　the　same　house；

nor；　with　very　good　reason；　are　they　ever　together　in　public。〃　Strong

emotions　would　have　seemed　odd　and　even　〃ridiculous；〃　in　any　event

unbecoming；　it　would　have　been　as　unacceptable　as　an　earnest　remark

〃aside〃　in　the　general　current　of　light　conversation。　　Each　has　a　duty

to　all；　and　for　a　couple　to　entertain　each　other　is　isolation；　in

company　there　is　no　right　to　the　tête…à…tête。＇29＇　It　was　hardly

allowed　for　a　few　days　to　lovers。＇30＇　And　even　then　it　was　regarded

unfavorably；　they　were　found　too　much　occupied　with　each　other。　　Their

preoccupation　spread　around　them　an　atmosphere　of　〃constraint　and

ennui；　one　had　to　be　upon　one's　guard　and　to　check　oneself。〃　They　were

〃dreaded。〃　The　exigencies　of　society　are　those　of　an　absolute　king；

and　admit　of　no　partition。　　〃If　morals　lost　by　this；　society　was

infinitely　the　gainer；〃　says　M。　de　Bezenval；　a　contemporary；　〃having

got　rid　of　the　annoyances　and　dullness　caused　by　the　husbands'

presence；　the　freedom　was　extreme；　the　coquetry　both　of　men　and　women

kept　up　social　vivacity　and　daily　provided　piquant　adventures。〃　Nobody

is　jealous；　not　even　when　in　love。　　〃People　are　mutually　pleased　and

become　attached；　if　one　grows　weary　of　the　other；　they　part　with　as

little　concern　as　they　came　together。　　Should　the　sentiment　revive　they

take　to　each　other　with　as　much　vivacity　as　if　it　were　the　first　time

they　had　been　engaged。　　They　may　again　separate；　but　they　never

quarrel。　　As　they　have　become　enamored　without　love；　they　part　without

hate；　deriving　from　the　feeble　desire　they　have　inspired　the　advantage

of　being　always　ready　to　oblige。〃＇31＇　Appearances；　moreover；　are

respected。　　An　uninformed　stranger　would　detect　nothing　to　excite

suspicion。　　An　extreme　curiosity；　says　Horace　Walpole；＇32＇　or　a　great

familiarity　with　things；　is　necessary　to　detect　the　slightest　intimacy

between　the　two　sexes。　　No　familiarity　is　allowed　except　under　the

guise　of　friendship；　while　the　vocabulary　of　love　is　as　much

prohibited　as　its　rites　apparently　are。　　Even　with　Crébillon　fils；　even

with　Laclos；　at　the　most　exciting　moments；　the　terms　their　characters

employ　are　circumspect　and　irreproachable。　　Whatever　indecency　there

may　be；　it　is　never　expressed　in　words；　the　sense　of　propriety　in

language　imposing　itself　not　only　on　the　outbursts　of　passion；　but

again　on　the　grossness　of　instincts。　　Thus　do　the　sentiments　which　are

naturally　the　strongest　lose　their　point　and　sharpness；　their　rich　and

polished　remains　are　converted　into　playthings　for　the　drawing　room；

and；　thus　cast　to　and　fro　by　the　whitest　hands；　fall　on　the　floor　like

a　shuttlecock。　　We　must；　on　this　point；　listen　to　the　heroes　of　the

epoch；　their　free　and　easy　tone　is　inimitable；　and　it　depicts　both

them　and　their　actions。　　〃I　conducted　myself；〃　says　the　Duc　de　Lauzun；

〃very　prudently；　and　even　deferentially　with　Mme。　　de　Lauzun；　I　knew

Mme。　　de　Cambis　very　openly；　for　whom　I　concerned　myself　very　little；　I

kept　the　little　Eugénie　whom　I　loved　a　great　deal；　I　played　high；　I

paid　my　court　to　the　king；　and　I　hunted　with　him　with　great

punctuality。〃＇33＇　He　had　for　others；　withal；　that　indulgence　of　which

he　himself　stood　in　need。　　〃He　was　asked　what　he　would　say　if　his　wife

（whom　he　had　not　seen　for　ten　years）　should　write　to　him　that　she　had

just　discovered　that　she　was　enceinte。　　He　reflected　a　moment　and　then

replied；　'I　would　write；　and　tell　her　that　I　was　delighted　that　heaven

had　blessed　our　union；　be　careful　of　your　health；　I　will　call　and　pay

my　respects　this　evening。'　〃　There　are　countless　replies　of　the　same

sort；　and　I　venture　to　say　that；　without　having　read　them；　one　could

not　imagine　to　what　a　degree　social　art　had　overcome　natural

instincts。



〃Here　at　Paris；〃　writes　Mme。　　d'Oberkirk；　〃I　am　no　longer　my　own

mistress。　　I　scarcely　have　time　to　talk　with　my　husband　and　to　answer

my　letters。　　I　do　not　know　what　women　do　that　are　accustomed　to　lead

this　life；　they　certainly　have　no　families　to　look　after；　nor　children

to　educate。〃　At　all　events　they　act　as　if　they　had　none；　and　the　men

likewise。　　Married　people　not　living　together　live　but　rarely　with

their　children；　and　the　causes　that　disintegrate　wedlock　also

disintegrate　the　family。　　In　the　first　place　there　is　the　aristocratic

tradition；　which　interposes　a　barrier　between　parents　and　children

with　a　view　to　maintain　a　respectful　distance。　　Although　enfeebled　and

about　to　disappear；＇34＇　this　tradition　still　subsists。　　The　son　says　〃

Monsieur〃　to　his　father；　the　daughter　comes　〃respectfully〃　to　kiss　her

mother's　hand　at　her　toilet。　　A　caress　is　rare　and　seems　a　favor；

children　generally；　when　with　their　parents；　are　silent；　the　sentiment

that　usually　animates　them　being　that　of　deferential　timidity。　　At　one

time　they　were　regarded　as　so　many　subjects；　and　up　to　a　certain　point

they　are　so　still；　while　the　new　exigencies　of　worldly　life　place　them

or　keep　them　effectually　aside。　　M。　de　Talleyrand　stated　that　he　had

never　slept　under　the　same　roof　with　his　father　and　mother。　　And　if

they　do　sleep　there；　they　are　not　the　less　neglected。　　〃I　was

entrusted；〃　says　the　Count　de　Tilly；　〃to　valets；　and　to　a　kind　of

preceptor　resembling　these　in　more　respects　than　one。〃　During　this

time　his　father　ran　after　women。　　〃I　have　known　him；〃　adds　the　young

man；　〃to　have　mistresses　up　to　an　advanced　age；　he　was　always　adoring

them　and　constantly　abandoning　them。〃　The　Duc　de　Lauzun　finds　it

difficult　to　obtain　a　good　tutor　for　his　son；　for　this　reason　the

latter　writes；　〃he　conferred　the　duty　on　one　of　my　late　mother's

lackeys　who　could　read　and　write　tolerably　well；　and　to　whom　the　title

of　valet…de…chambre　was　given　to　insure　greater　consideration。　　They

gave　me　the　most　fashionable　teachers　besides；　but　M。　Roch　（which　was

my　mentor's　name）　was　not　qualified　to　arrange　their　lessons；　or　to

qualify　me　to　benefit　by　them。　　I　was；　moreover；　like　all　the　children

of　my　age　and　of　my　station；　dressed　in　the　handsomest　clothes　to　go

out；　and　naked　and　dying　with　hunger　in　the　house；〃＇35＇　and　not

through　unkindness；　but　through　household　oversight；　dissipation；　and

disorder；　attention　being　given　to　things　elsewhere。　　One　might　easily

count　the　fathers　who；　like　the　Marshal　de　Belle…Isle；　brought　up

their　sons　under　their　own　eyes；　and　themselves　attended　to　their

education　methodically；　strictly；　and　with　tenderness。　　As　to　the

girls；　they　were　placed　in　convents；　relieved　from　this　care；　their

parents　only　enjoy　the　greater　freedom。　　Even　when　they　retain　charge

of　them　they　are　scarcely　more　of　a　burden　to　them。　　Little　Fé1icité　de

Saint…Aubin＇36＇　sees　her　parents　〃only　on　their　waking　up　and　at　meal

times。〃　Their　day　is　wholly　taken　up；　the　mother　is　making　or

receiving　visits；　the　father　is　in　his　laboratory　or　engaged　in

hunting。　　Up　to　seven　years　of　age　the　child　passes　her　time　with

chambermaids　who　teach　her　only　a　little　catechism；　〃with　an　infinite

number　of　ghost　stories。〃　About　this　time　she　is　taken　care　of；　but　in

a　way　which　well　portrays　the　epoch。　　The　Marquise；　her　mother；　the

author　of　mythological　and　pastoral　operas；　has　a　theater　built　in　the

chateau；　a　great　crowd　of　company　resorts　to　it　from　Bourbon…Lancy　and

Moulins；　after　rehearsing　twelve　weeks　the　little　girl；　with　a　quiver

of　arrows　and　blue　wings；　plays　the　part　of　Cupid；　and　the　costume　is

so　becoming　she　is　allowed　to　wear　it　in　common　during　the　entire　day

for　nine　months。　　To　finish　the　business　they　send　for　a　dancing…

fencing　master；　and；　still　wearing　the　Cupid　costume；　she　takes

lessons　in　fencing　and　in　deportment。　　〃The　entire　winter　is　devoted　to

playing　comedy　and　tragedy。〃　Sent　out　of　the　room　after　dinner；　she　is

brought　in　again　only　to　play　on　the　harpsichord　or　to　declaim　the

monologue　of　Alzire　before　a　numerous　assembly。　　Undoubtedly　such

extravagances　are　not　customary；　but　the　spirit　of　education　is

everywhere　the　same；　that　is　to　say；　in　the　eyes　of　parents　there　is

but　one　intelligible　and　rational　existence；　that　of　society；　even　for

children；　and　the　attentions　bestowed　on　these　are　solely　with　a　view

to　introduce　them　into　it　or　to　prepare　them　for　it。　　Even　in　the　last

years　of　the　ancient　régime＇37＇　little　boys　have　their　hair　powdered；

〃a　pomatumed　chignon　（bourse）；　ringlets；　and　curls〃；　they　wear　the

sword；　the　chapeau　under　the　arm；　a　frill；　and　a　coat　with　gilded

cuffs；　they　kiss　young　ladies'　hands　with　the　air　of　little　dandies。　　A

lass　of　six　years　is　bound　up　in　a　whalebone　waist；　her　large　hoop…

petticoat　supports　a　skirt　covered　with　wreaths；　she　wears　on　her　head

a　skillful　combination　of　false　curls；　puffs；　and　knots；　fastened　with

pins；　and　crowned　with　plumes；　and　so　high　that　frequently　〃the　chin

is　half　way　down　to　her　feet〃；　sometimes　they　put　rouge　on　her　face。

She　is　a　miniature　lady；　and　she　knows　it；　she　is　fully　up　in　her

part；　without　effort　or　inconvenience；　by　force　of　habit；　the　unique；

the　perpetual　instruction　she　gets　is　that　on　her　deportment；　it　may

be　said　with　truth　that　the　fulcrum　of　education　in　this　country　is

the　dancing…master。＇38＇　They　could　get　along　with　him　without　any

others；　without　him　the　others　were　of　no　use。　　For；　without　him；　how

could　people　go　through　easily；　suitably；　and　gracefully　the　thousand

and　one　actions　of　daily　life；　walking；