secrets。 The panels above the doorways represent gay scenes； all the
embrasures； both of doors and windows； are in marble mosaics。 The room
is heated from below。 Every window looks forth on some delightful
view。
This room communicates with a bath…room on one side and on the other
with a boudoir which opens into the salon。 The bath…room is lined with
Sevres tiles； painted in monochrome； the floor is mosaic； and the bath
marble。 An alcove； hidden by a picture painted on copper； which turns
on a pivot； contains a couch in gilt wood of the truest Pompadour。 The
ceiling is lapis…lazuli starred with gold。 The tiles are painted from
designs by Boucher。 Bath； table and love are therefore closely united。
After the salon； which； I should tell you； my dear fellow； exhibits
the magnificence of the Louis XIV。 manner； you enter a fine billiard…
room unrivalled so far as I know in Paris itself。 The entrance to this
suite of ground…floor apartments is through a semi…circular
antechamber； at the lower end of which is a fairy…like staircase；
lighted from above； which leads to other parts of the house； all built
at various epochsand to think that they chopped off the heads of the
wealthy in 1793！ Good heavens！ why can't people understand that the
marvels of art are impossible in a land where there are no great
fortunes； no secure； luxurious lives？ If the Left insists on killing
kings why not leave us a few little princelings with money in their
pockets？
At the present moment these accumulated treasures belong to a charming
woman with an artistic soul； who is not content with merely restoring
them magnificently； but who keeps the place up with loving care。 Sham
philosophers； studying themselves while they profess to be studying
humanity； call these glorious things extravagance。 They grovel before
cotton prints and the tasteless designs of modern industry； as if we
were greater and happier in these days than in those of Henri IV。；
Louis XIV。； and Louis XVI。； monarchs who have all left the stamp of
their reigns upon Les Aigues。 What palace； what royal castle； what
mansions； what noble works of art； what gold brocaded stuffs are
sacred now？ The petticoats of our grandmothers go to cover the chairs
in these degenerate days。 Selfish and thieving interlopers that we
are； we pull down everything and plant cabbages where marvels once
were rife。 Only yesterday the plough levelled Persan； that magnificent
domain which gave a title to one of the most opulent families of the
old parliament； hammers have demolished Montmorency； which cost an
Italian follower of Napoleon untold sums； Val； the creation of
Regnault de Saint…Jean d'Angely； Cassan； built by a mistress of the
Prince de Conti； in all； four royal houses have disappeared in the
valley of the Oise alone。 We are getting a Roman campagna around Paris
in advance of the days when a tempest shall blow from the north and
overturn our plaster palaces and our pasteboard decorations。
Now see； my dear fellow； to what the habit of bombasticising in
newspapers brings you to。 Here am I writing a downright article。 Does
the mind have its ruts； like a road？ I stop； for I rob the mail； and I
rob myself； and you may be yawningto be continued in our next； I
hear the second bell； which summons me to one of those abundant
breakfasts the fashion of which has long passed away； in the dining…
rooms of Paris； be it understood。
Here's the history of my Arcadia。 In 1815； there died at Les Aigues
one of the famous wantons of the last century；a singer； forgotten of
the guillotine and the nobility； after preying upon exchequers； upon
literature； upon aristocracy； and all but reaching the scaffold；
forgotten； like so many fascinating old women who expiate their golden
youth in country solitudes； and replace their lost loves by another；
man by Nature。 Such women live with the flowers； with the woodland
scents； with the sky； with the sunshine； with all that sings and skips
and shines and sprouts；the birds； the squirrels； the flowers； the
grass； they know nothing about these things； they cannot explain them；
but they love them； they love them so well that they forget dukes；
marshals； rivalries； financiers； follies； luxuries； their paste jewels
and their real diamonds； their heeled slippers and their rouge；all；
for the sweetness of country life。
I have gathered； my dear fellow； much precious information about the
old age of Mademoiselle Laguerre； for； to tell you the truth； the
after life of such women as Florine； Mariette； Suzanne de Val Noble；
and Tullia has made me； every now and then； extremely inquisitive； as
though I were a child inquiring what had become of the old moons。
In 1790 Mademoiselle Laguerre； alarmed at the turn of public affairs；
came to settle at Les Aigues； bought and given to her by Bouret； who
passed several summers with her at the chateau。 Terrified at the fate
of Madame du Barry； she buried her diamonds。 At that time she was only
fifty…three years of age； and according to her lady's…maid； afterwards
married to a gendarme named Soudry； 〃Madame was more beautiful than
ever。〃 My dear Nathan； Nature has no doubt her private reasons for
treating women of this sort like spoiled children； excesses； instead
of killing them； fatten them； preserve them； renew their youth。 Under
a lymphatic appearance they have nerves which maintain their
marvellous physique； they actually preserve their beauty for reasons
which would make a virtuous woman haggard。 No； upon my word； Nature is
not moral！
Mademoiselle Laguerre lived an irreproachable life at Les Aigues； one
might even call it a saintly one； after her famous adventure；you
remember it？ One evening in a paroxysm of despairing love； she fled
from the opera…house in her stage dress； rushed into the country； and
passed the night weeping by the wayside。 （Ah！ how they have
calumniated the love of Louis XV。's time！） She was so unused to see
the sunrise； that she hailed it with one of her finest songs。 Her
attitude； quite as much as her tinsel； drew the peasants about her；
amazed at her gestures； her voice； her beauty； they took her for an
angel； and dropped on their knees around her。 If Voltaire had not
existed we might have thought it a new miracle。 I don't know if God
gave her much credit for her tardy virtue； for love after all must be
a sickening thing to a woman as weary of it as a wanton of the old
Opera。 Mademoiselle Laguerre was born in 1740； and her hey…day was in
1760； when Monsieur （I forget his name） was called the 〃ministre de la
guerre；〃 on account of his liaison with her。 She abandoned that name；
which was quite unknown down here； and called herself Madame des
Aigues； as if to merge her identity in the estate； which she delighted
to improve with a taste that was profoundly artistic。 When Bonaparte
became First Consul； she increased her property by the purchase of
church lands； for which she used the proceeds of her diamonds。 As an
Opera divinity never knows how to take care of her money； she
intrusted the management of the estate to a steward； occupying herself
with her flowers and fruits and with the beautifying of the park。
After Mademoiselle was dead and buried at Blangy； the notary of
Soulangesthat little town which lies between Ville…aux…Fayes and
Blangy； the capital of the townshipmade an elaborate inventory； and
sought out the heirs of the singer； who never knew she had any。 Eleven
families of poor laborers living near Amiens； and sleeping in cotton
sheets； awoke one fine morning in golden ones。 The property was sold
at auction。 Les Aigues was bought by Montcornet； who had laid by
enough during his campaigns in Spain and Pomerania to make the
purchase； which cost about eleven hundred thousand francs； including
the furniture。 The general； no doubt； felt the influence of these
luxurious apartments； and I was arguing with the countess only
yesterday that her marriage was a direct result of the purchase of Les
Aigues。
To rightly understand the countess； my dear Nathan； you must know that
the general is a violent man； red as fire； five feet nine inches tall；
round as a tower； with a thick neck and the shoulders of a blacksmith；
which must have amply filled his cuirass。 Montcornet commanded the
cuirassiers at the battle of Essling （called by the Austrians Gross…
Aspern）； and came near perishing when that noble corps was driven back
on the Danube。 He managed to cross the river astride a log of wood。
The cuirassiers； finding the bridge down； took the glorious
resolution； at Montcornet's command； to turn and resist the entire
Austrian army； which carried off on the morrow over thirty wagon…loads
of cuirasses。 The Germans invented a name for their enemies on this
occasion which means 〃men of iron。〃＇*＇ Montcornet has the outer man of
a hero of antiquity。 His arms are stout and vigorous； his chest deep
and broad； his head has a leonine aspect； his voice is of those that
can order a charge in the thick of battle； but he has nothing more
than the courage of a daring man； he lacks mind and breadth of view。
Like other generals to whom military common…sense； the natural
boldness of those who spend their lives in danger； and the habit of
command gives an appearance of superiority； Montcornet has an imposing
effect when you first meet him； he seems a Titan； but he contains a
dwarf； like the pasteboard giant who saluted Queen Elizabeth at the
gates of Kenilworth。 Choleric though kind； and full of imperial
hauteur； he has the caustic tongue of a soldier； and is quick at
repartee； but quicker still with a blow。 He may have been superb on a
battle…field； in a household he is simply intolerable。 He knows no
love but barrack love；the love which those clever myth…makers； the
ancients； placed under the patronage of Eros； son of Mars and Venus。
Those delightful chroniclers of the old religions provided themselves
with a dozen d