We know not what became
of it in the next generation. No doubt, the wax grew dusty, and the
figures lost their heads and hands, and some petulant chatelaine
doomed the ruined treasure to the dustbin.
[Footnote 8: Bussy Rabutin writes to Mme de Sevigne that he
hears that La Rochefoucauld and Mme de La Fayette are
preparing "quelque chose de fort joli." This shows that
before "La Princess de Cleves" was finished the Duke's name
was identified with its composition.]
No mention of Mme de Sevigne is made in the inventory of the "Chambre
des Sublimes," and yet there is no one to whom we owe an exacter
portraiture of its inmates, nor one who was more worthy to animate its
golden recesses. For the last ten years of La Rochefoucauld's life she
was one of the closest observers of the famous sedentary friendship.
Unfortunately she tells us nothing about the original publication of
the "Maximes," for his name does not occur in her correspondence
before 1668, and does not abound there until 1670. Then we find her
for ever at the Duke's house, or meeting him at Mme de La Fayette's
bedside.
Pages:
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80