FROM MADAME de sévigné. I BEG my compliments to your lady and her amiable daughter; I entreat you to restore our friend to your heart, after the example of our other friend: it is too much to be the only exile in the world, and to lose a friend like you. LETTER DCLXXXVII. TO THE SAME. Paris, April 17, 1682. If you are alarmed at the appearance of my neglect, be assured, sir, it is a false alarm, and that appearances are deceitful: you do not suffer yourself to be forgotten: Rochecourbières, Livri, and the days in which we have seen you, are faithful guarantees of what I say; and I am certain you believe it, and that, being so well informed on every other subject, Christian humility does not prevent you from knowing your own worth. It is a truth, therefore; you cannot be forgotten. Our friend and I have said a thousand times, Let us write to this poor reprobate; but by continually delaying it, we have embarrassed ourselves by our miserable security. It seems to me as if Montpellier has given a great deal to the jubilee. You know what a horror Corbinelli has of this sort of parade, which he calls hypocrisy. I do. not know exactly how he has acted upon the occasion, and I have not dared question him; but, considering the extreme respect he has for this holy mystery, and how rigorously he enters into the preparations for it, of which he will not abate a single iota, I have long been tempted to say to him, basta la meta (the half is sufficient); for, in fact, if all the faithful were to follow his ideas upon the subject, the ceremonials of religion would be done away. This is the inspiration of God, and whether it be light or dereliction, some great change must happen to alter his opinions. M. de Vardes has put the same question to him, that you put to me on his jubilee: he has answered very honestly, and has given him a probet autem semetipsum homo, which may occasion great reflections. This is all I can tell you: you know and love the soil, for indeed the more his heart is known, the more it must be admired. I perceive his departure approach, and I perceive it with sorrow; but what may not Providence reserve for M. de Vardes? M. de Bussy is recalled after an exile of eighteen years; he has seen the king, who received him most graciously: these are times of justice and cle mency; we not only do what is well, but what is perfectly well; I doubt not, therefore, that this poor exile's turn will come, and every one else believes it so firmly, that if any thing can do him injury, it is this general report. You tell me the most agreeable truth I can hear, in assuring me the young people will bring from Languedoc all the politeness which failed them here*: they appear to me like the Germans who are sent to Angers to learn the language; they were Germans in manners, and if they had not learned them out of court, would seem to conduct themselves ridiculously : it is easy to comprehend, that, having had so good a master as M. de Vardes for six months, they must have profited more than they had done during their whole life. This return leaves a void which our friend will fill very agreeably; you will inform us of the success of this economical colic, to which paternal affection - * This refers to the daughter and son-in-law of M. de Vardes (M. and madame de Rohan), who had spent six months with him at Montpellier. : must become the midwife. If you understand this period, well and good; if it appears obscure to you, place it to the account of the rodomontade you have taught us. The zeal of the chevalier de Grignan is still as fervent as ever upon a certain subject, and he only waits opportunities to put it in practice: the objections I made you do not originate with him, and I answered for him readily in short, he is as you left him. Some people would lose a great deal, if they were subject to change. Not so with regard to my daughter's health; she is much better than when you left us; her face would remind you of the face you have seen at Grignan. M. de Grignan, his daughters, his son, and our good abbé, are all as well as can be wished. Mademoiselle de Grignan's devotion is increased, and will increase still, for she draws from an inexhaustible source. The devout friendship of madame de Verneuil for me is nearly in the same style of magnificence: she displays the same perseverance we have mutually shown for each other for upwards of thirty years. The liberty of speaking thus of a princess, and the antiquity of the date, oblige me to conclude this article. I bid you therefore adieu, my dear sir, after having entreated you not to praise the king so much on the last action you have informed us of, as to make you forget all the others; let us always celebrate his great name both by sea and land, and let us admire him upon every occasion. The whole house of Carnavalet loves, esteems, and embraces you. I kiss the hands of your lady, and your amiable daughter. Tell us upon what terms you are with our friend time changes things so oddly, that I always want to be informed of his operations, convinced that six months are sufficient for him to make reconciliations or quarrels. : LETTER DCLXXXVIII. TO THE SAME. Paris, Wednesday, May 1, 1682. I WROTE to you the day before yesterday with extreme pleasure, believing that the report which prevailed in Paris of the return of the prince of Conti to Versailles, was well-founded; but I have heard, that I wrote you a falsehood, which is the thing in the world I hate the most. This prince is simply named to be one of the four chevaliers at the Pentecost, and will not return till that period: God grant he may remain when he comest! It is a sad thing, sir, to be obliged to contradict so charming a piece of intelligence, but I am not the only one who has been deceived. Tantæne animis cœlestibus iræ ? By way of remuneration, I must tell you, that mademoiselle de Grignan assumes on Friday the grand habit of the grand Carmelites: this is a truth I shall not contradict. Mademoiselle d'Alerac fatigues and ruins herself for the carousal admire the different occupations of the two sisters! I am glad you are satisfied with M. de la Trousse: this confident fellow, who induced me to tell you a falsehood so readily, will not perhaps prevent me from telling you more, for I am the dupe of circumstances, and this article of intelligence was full of them. + This prince, as well as his brother, had set out without the king's permission for the Hungarian war. They were ordered to return, and were exiled. They afterwards obtained permission, and made a brilliant campaign. But circumstances which will be seen hereafter, caused them to be exiled anew on their return. LETTER DCLXXXIX. TO THE SAME. Paris, May 26, 1682. WERE you not very much surprised, sir, to see M. de Vardes slip through your fingers, whom you had held so firmly for nineteen years? This is the time Providence had marked out for him; in reality, he was no longer thought of, he appeared forgotten and sacrificed to example. The king, who reflects and arranges every thing in his head, declared one morning, that M. de Vardes would be at court in two or three days: he said he had written to him by the post, that he wished to surprise him, and that for more than six months no one had mentioned his name to him. His majesty was gratified; he wished to create surprise, and every one was surprised: never did intelligence make so great an impression, nor so great a noise, as this. In short, he arrived on Saturday morning with a head singular in its kind, and an old justaucorps à brevet †, such as was worn in the year 1663. He set one knee to the ground in the king's chamber, M. de Chateauneuf being the only person present. The king told him that while his heart had been wounded, he had not recalled him, but that he now recalled him with a whole heart, and that he was glad to see him. M. de Vardes made an admirable reply, with an air of being deeply affected, and the gift of tears, which God has given him, produced no ill effect upon this occasion. After this first This was a blue great coat, embroidered with gold and silver, which distinguished the principal courtiers: an especial permission was necessary to wear it, The fashion had passed when Vardes returned to court. |