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which made her singing irresistibly charming。 Clever; and intimate
with every branch of literature; she might have made folks believe
that; as Mascarille says; people of quality come into the world
knowing everything。 She could argue fluently on Italian or Flemish
painting; on the Middle Ages or the Renaissance; pronounced at
haphazard on books new or old; and could expose the defects of a work
with a cruelly graceful wit。 The simplest thing she said was accepted
by an admiring crowd as a fetfah of the Sultan by the Turks。 She thus
dazzled shallow persons; as to deeper minds; her natural tact enabled
her to discern them; and for them she put forth so much fascination
that; under cover of her charms; she escaped their scrutiny。 This
enchanting veneer covered a careless heart; the opinioncommon to
many young girlsthat no one else dwelt in a sphere so lofty as to be
able to understand the merits of her soul; and a pride based no less
on her birth than on her beauty。 In the absence of the overwhelming
sentiment which; sooner or later; works havoc in a woman's heart; she
spent her young ardor in an immoderate love of distinctions; and
expressed the deepest contempt for persons of inferior birth。
Supremely impertinent to all newly…created nobility; she made every
effort to get her parents recognized as equals by the most illustrious
families of the Saint…Germain quarter。
These sentiments had not escaped the observing eye of Monsieur de
Fontaine; who more than once; when his two elder girls were married;
had smarted under Emilie's sarcasm。 Logical readers will be surprised
to see the old Royalist bestowing his eldest daughter on a Receiver…
General; possessed; indeed; of some old hereditary estates; but whose
name was not preceded by the little word to which the throne owed so
many partisans; and his second to a magistrate too lately Baronified
to obscure the fact that his father had sold firewood。 This noteworthy
change in the ideas of a noble on the verge of his sixtieth yearan
age when men rarely renounce their convictionswas due not merely to
his unfortunate residence in the modern Babylon; where; sooner or
later; country folks all get their corners rubbed down; the Comte de
Fontaine's new political conscience was also a result of the King's
advice and friendship。 The philosophical prince had taken pleasure in
converting the Vendeen to the ideas required by the advance of the
nineteenth century; and the new aspect of the Monarchy。 Louis XVIII。
aimed at fusing parties as Napoleon had fused things and men。 The
legitimate King; who was not less clever perhaps than his rival; acted
in a contrary direction。 The last head of the House of Bourbon was
just as eager to satisfy the third estate and the creations of the
Empire; by curbing the clergy; as the first of the Napoleons had been
to attract the grand old nobility; or to endow the Church。 The Privy
Councillor; being in the secret of these royal projects; had
insensibly become one of the most prudent and influential leaders of
that moderate party which most desired a fusion of opinion in the
interests of the nation。 He preached the expensive doctrines of
constitutional government; and lent all his weight to encourage the
political see…saw which enabled his master to rule France in the midst
of storms。 Perhaps Monsieur de Fontaine hoped that one of the sudden
gusts of legislation; whose unexpected efforts then startled the
oldest politicians; might carry him up to the rank of peer。 One of his
most rigid principles was to recognize no nobility in France but that
of the peeragethe only families that might enjoy any privileges。
〃A nobility bereft of privileges;〃 he would say; 〃is a tool without a
handle。〃
As far from Lafayette's party as he was from La Bourdonnaye's; he
ardently engaged in the task of general reconciliation; which was
to result in a new era and splendid fortunes for France。 He
strove to convince the families who frequented his drawing…room;
or those whom he visited; how few favorable openings would
henceforth be offered by a civil or military career。 He urged
mothers to give their boys a start in independent and industrial
professions; explaining that military posts and high Government
appointments must at last pertain; in a quite constitutional
order; to the younger sons of members of the peerage。 According
to him; the people had conquered a sufficiently large share in
practical government by its elective assembly; its appointments
to law…offices; and those of the exchequer; which; said he; would
always; as heretofore; be the natural right of the distinguished
men of the third estate。
These new notions of the head of the Fontaines; and the prudent
matches for his eldest girls to which they had led; met with strong
resistance in the bosom of his family。 The Comtesse de Fontaine
remained faithful to the ancient beliefs which no woman could disown;
who; through her mother; belonged to the Rohans。 Although she had for
a while opposed the happiness and fortune awaiting her two eldest
girls; she yielded to those private considerations which husband and
wife confide to each other when their heads are resting on the same
pillow。 Monsieur de Fontaine calmly pointed out to his wife; by exact
arithmetic that their residence in Paris; the necessity for
entertaining; the magnificence of the house which made up to them now
for the privations so bravely shared in La Vendee; and the expenses of
their sons; swallowed up the chief part of their income from salaries。
They must therefore seize; as a boon from heaven; the opportunities
which offered for settling their girls with such wealth。 Would they
not some day enjoy sixtyeightya hundred thousand francs a year?
Such advantageous matches were not to be met with every day for girls
without a portion。 Again; it was time that they should begin to think
of economizing; to add to the estate of Fontaine; and re…establish the
old territorial fortune of the family。 The Countess yielded to such
cogent arguments; as every mother would have done in her place; though
perhaps with a better grace; but she declared that Emilie; at any
rate; should marry in such a way as to satisfy the pride she had
unfortunately contributed to foster in the girl's young soul。
Thus events; which ought to have brought joy into the family; had
introduced a small leaven of discord。 The Receiver…General and the
young lawyer were the objects of a ceremonious formality which the
Countess and Emilie contrived to create。 This etiquette soon found
even ampler opportunity for the display of domestic tyranny; for
Lieutenant…General de Fontaine married Mademoiselle Mongenod; the
daughter of a rich banker; the President very sensibly found a wife in
a young lady whose father; twice or thrice a millionaire; had traded
in salt; and the third brother; faithful to his plebeian doctrines;
married Mademoiselle Grossetete; the only daughter of the Receiver…
General at Bourges。 The three sisters…in…law and the two brothers…in…
law found the high sphere of political bigwigs; and the drawing…rooms
of the Faubourg Saint…Germain; so full of charm and of personal
advantages; that they united in forming a little court round the
overbearing Emilie。 This treaty between interest and pride was not;
however; so firmly cemented but that the young despot was; not
unfrequently; the cause of revolts in her little realm。 Scenes; which
the highest circles would not have disowned; kept up a sarcastic
temper among all the members of this powerful family; and this;
without seriously diminishing the regard they professed in public;
degenerated sometimes in private into sentiments far from charitable。
Thus the Lieutenant…General's wife; having become a Baronne; thought
herself quite as noble as a Kergarouet; and imagined that her good
hundred thousand francs a year gave her the right to be as impertinent
as her sister…in…law Emilie; whom she would