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Read Ebook: Ninon de l'Enclos and her century by Rowsell Mary C Mary Catherine

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Ebook has 515 lines and 86422 words, and 11 pages

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Birth--Parentage--"Arms and the Man"--A Vain Hope--Contraband Novels--A Change of Educational System--Ninon's Endowments--The Wrinkle--A Letter to M. de L'Enclos and What Came of it--A Glorious Time--"Troublesome Huguenots"--The Ch?teau at Loches, and a New Acquaintance--"When Greek meets Greek"--The Prisoners--"Liberty"--The Shades of Night--Vagabonds? or Two Young Gentlemen of Consequence?--Tired Out--A Dilemma--Ninon Herself Again--Consolation.

Troublesome Huguenots--Madame de L'Enclos--An Escapade and Nurse Madeleine--Their Majesties--The H?tel Bourgogne--The End of the Adventure--St Vincent de Paul and his Charities--Dying Paternal Counsel--Ninon's New Home--Duelling--Richelieu and the Times.

A "Delicious Person"--Voiture's Jealousy--A Tardy Recognition--Coward Conscience--A Protestant Pope--The H?tel de Rambouillet--St Evr?mond--The Duel--Nurse Madeleine--Cloistral Seclusion and Jacques Callot--"Merry Companions Every One"--and One in Particular.

M?lusine--Cinq-Mars--An Ill-advised Marriage--The Conspiracy--The Revenge--The Scaffold--A Cry from the Bastille--The Lady's Man--"The Cardinal's Hangman"--Finis--Louis's Evensong--A Little Oversight--The King's Nightcap--Mazarin--Ninon's Hero.

"Loving like a Madman"--A Great Transformation--The Unjust Tax--Parted Lovers--A Gay Court and A School for Scandal, and Mazarin's Policy--The Regent's Caprices--The King's Upholsterer's Young Son--The Th??tre Illustre--The Company of Monsieur and Moli?re.

The Rift in the Lute--In the Vexin--The Miracle of the Gardener's Cottage--Italian Opera in Paris--Parted Lovers--"Ninum"--Scarron and Fran?oise d'Aubign?--Treachery--A Journey to Naples--Masaniello--Renewing Acquaintances--Mazarin's Mandate.

Invalids in the rue des Tournelles--On the Battlements--"La Grande Mademoiselle"--Casting Lots--The Sacrifice--The Bag of Gold--"Get Thee to a Convent"--The Battle of the Sonnets--A Curl-paper--The Triumph and Defeat of Bacchus--A Secret Door--Cross Questions and Crooked Answers--The Youthful Autocrat.

The Whirligig of Time, and an Old Friend--Going to the Fair--A Terrible Experience--The Young Abb?--"The Brigands of La Trappe"--The New Ordering--An Enduring Memory--The King over the Water--Unfulfilled Aspirations--"Not Good-looking."

Christina's Modes and Robes--Encumbering Favour--A Comedy at the Petit-Bourbon--The Liberty of the Queen and the Liberty of the Subject--Tears and Absolutions--The Tragedy in the Gal?rie des Cerfs--Disillusions.

A Disastrous Wooing--F?nelon--"Mademoiselle de L'Enclos"--The Pride that had a Fall--The Death of the Duchesse d'Orl?ans--Intrigue--The Sun-King and the Shadows--The Clermont Scholar's Crime--Monsieur de Montespan--Tardy Indignation--The Encounter--The Filles R?penties--What the Cards Foretold.

A Grave Question--The Troublesome Brother-in-Law--"No Vocation"--The Duke's Choice--Peace for "La Grande Mademoiselle"--An Invitation to Versailles--Behind the Arras--Between the Alternatives--D'Aubign?'s Shadow--A Broken Friendship.

The Falling of the Leaves--Gallican Rights--"The Eagle of Meaux"--Cond?'s Funeral Oration--The Abb? Gedouin's Theory--A Bag of Bones--Marriage and Sugar-plums--The Valour of Monsieur du Maine--The King's Repentance--The next Campaign--La Fontaine and Madame de Sabli?re--MM. de Port Royal--The Fate of Madame Guyon--"Mademoiselle Balbien."

The Melancholy King--The Portents of the Storm--The Ambition of Madame Louise Quatorze--The Farrier of Provence--The Ghost in the Wood--Ninon's Objection--The King's Conscience--A Dreary Court--Racine's Slip of the Tongue--The Passing of a Great Poet, and a Busy Pen Laid Down.

DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD " 48

MOLI?RE " 100

ST EVR?MOND " 112

NINON DE L'ENCLOS " 127

NINON DE L'ENCLOS

AND HER CENTURY

NINON DE L'ENCLOS

AND HER CENTURY

Anne de L'Enclos was born in Paris in 1615. She was the daughter of Monsieur de L'Enclos, a gentleman of Touraine, and of his wife, a member of the family of the Abra de Raconis of the Orl?anois.

Notwithstanding, the rule of life-long bickering and mutual reproach attending such ill-assorted unions, would seem to be proved by its exception in the case of Ninon's parents; since no record of any such domestic strife stands against them. Bearing and forbearing, they agreed to differ, and went their several ways--Madame de L'Enclos undertaking the training and instruction of Ninon in those earliest years, in the fond hope that there would be a day when she should take the veil and become a nun. Before, however, she attained to the years of as much discretion as she ever possessed, she had arrived at the standpoint of the way she intended to take of the life before her, which was to roll into years that did not end until the dawning of the eighteenth century; and it in no way included any such intention. So sturdily opposed to it, indeed, was she, that it irresistibly suggests the possibility of her being the inspiration of the old song--"Ninon wouldn't be a nun"--

For Ninon was her father's child; almost all her inherited instincts were from him. The endeavours of Madame de L'Enclos failed disastrously. The monotony and rigid routine of the young girl's life repelled the bright, frank spirit, and drove it to opposite extreme, resulting in sentiments of disgust for the pious observances of her church; and taken there under compulsion day in, day out, she usually contrived to substitute some plump little volume of romance, or other light literature, at the function, for her Mass-book and breviary, to while away the tedium.

The popular acceptation of Ninon de L'Enclos' claims to celebrity would appear to be her beauty, which she retained to almost the end of her long life--a beauty that was notable; but it lay less in perfection of the contours of her face, than in the glorious freshness of her complexion, and the expression of her magnificent eyes, at once vivacious and sympathetic, gentle and modest-glancing, yet brilliant with voluptuous languor. Any defects of feature were probably those which crowned their grace--and when as in the matter of a slight wrinkle, which in advanced years she said had rudely planted itself on her forehead, the courtly comment on this of Monsieur de St Evr?mond was to the effect that "Love had placed it there to nestle in." Her well-proportioned figure was a little above middle height, and her dancing was infinitely graceful.

Provincial by descent, Mademoiselle de L'Enclos was a born Parisian, in that word's every sense. Her bright eyes first opened in a small house lying within the shadows of Notre-Dame, the old Cit? itself, the heart of hearts of Paris, still at that time fair with green spaces and leafy hedgerows, though these were to endure only a few years longer. Her occasionally uttered wish that she had been born a man, hardly calls for grave consideration. The desire to don masculine garments and to ride and fence and shoot, and to indulge generally in manly pursuits, occurred to her when she was still short of twelve years old, by which time she was able to write well; and her earliest epistolary correspondence included a letter addressed to her father. It ran as follows:--

"Will you therefore arrange to send for me to come to you, in order to give me an education suitable to my new sex? I am with respect, my very honoured father,--Your little

NINON."

This missive, which Ninon contrived to get posted without her mother's knowledge, met with her father's hearty approval. No more time was lost than it took to make her a handsome suit of clothes, of the latest mode, the one bearing the palm for grace and picturesqueness, far and away from all the fashions of men's attire, speaking for itself in the canvases of Vandyck; and Ninon stands forth in the gallant bravery of silken doublet, with large loose sleeves slashed to the shoulder; her collar a falling band of richest point lace; the short velvet cloak hanging to the shoulder; the fringed breeches meeting the wide-topped boots frilled about with fine lawn; the plumed, broad-brimmed Flemish beaver hat, well-cocked to one side upon the graceful head, covered with waves of dark hair falling to the neck; gauntleted gloves of Spanish leather; her rapier hanging from the richly-embroidered baldric crossing down from the right shoulder--a picture that thrilled the heart of Monsieur de L'Enclos with ecstasy; and when, splendidly mounted, she rode forth, ruffling it gallantly beside him, he was the proud recipient of many a compliment and encomium on the son of whose existence until now nobody had been as much as aware.

These delightful days were destined, however, to come quickly to an end. Fresh disturbances arose with the Huguenots of La Rochelle and Loudun, and Monsieur de L'Enclos was summoned to join his regiment. Ninon would doubtless have liked of all things to go with him; but while this was impossible, she was spared the dreaded alternative of the fat canon and the three Masses a day, by her father accepting for her an invitation from his sister, the Baroness Montaigu, who lived on her estate near Loches, on the borders of the Indre. This lady, a widow and childless, had long been desirous of making the acquaintance of her young niece, and on his way north-west, Monsieur de L'Enclos left Ninon at the ch?teau. "And when we have settled these wretched Huguenots," said Monsieur de L'Enclos, as he bade her farewell, and slipped a double louis into her hands, "I will return for you."

A year or two older than Ninon, Marsillac was a shy and retiring boy, and at first rather shrank from his robustious new companion, who, however, soon contrived to draw him out, putting him on his mettle by pretending to doubt his prowess with sword and rapier, and his skill generally in the noble art of fencing. She challenged him to measure weapons with her, and piqued at the idea of one younger than himself pretending to martial superiority, he cast aside his shyness, and the two falling on guard, clashed and clattered their steel in the galleries and chambers of the house, from morning till night, until the noise grew intolerable, and their weapons were taken away from them, in the fond hope of securing peace and quietness. It was, however, only partially realised; since the enforced idleness of Ninon's hands suggested the surreptitious annexing of the head forester's gun, with which she took aim at the blackbirds in the park avenues, and the young does in the forest: and then, seeking further variety, the two manned the pleasure-boat on the lake, and fared into such perilous places, that the voyages became strictly tabooed, and the boat was hidden away.

Looking down, they saw that soft green turf belted the base of the wall, and taking hurried counsel, they climbed to the window-sill, and at the risk of their necks, clutching by the carved stonework, and the stout old ivy trails with which it was mantled, they dropped to the ground, and then away they hied by the clipped yew alleys, mercilessly trampling the parterres--away till they found themselves in the forest. Free now as the sweet breeze playing in their hair, they ran on, pranking and shouting, now following the little beaten tracks, now bounding over the brushwood, heedless of the rents and scratches of the thorny tangles; until after some hours, Marsillac's pace began to drag, and very soon he said he was tired.

"That is no matter," said Ninon, "we will hire a carriage at the first place we come to"; but the name of that place was not even to be guessed at; inasmuch as they had not the least notion which way they had taken. The great thing was to arrive at last at Tours, where Ninon said they could at once enlist as soldiers. Marsillac was, however, tired--very tired; his legs ached, and he sat down for a little rest, observing rather crossly, in the cynical way which sometimes he had, that talking was all very well; but for one thing they were not big enough for soldiers, and for another, you could not have a carriage without paying for it.

"And now, my young gentleman, what about you?" inquired Jacqueline of the embarrassed Ninon, who seated herself disconsolately on a little three-legged stool. "Come, quick, to bed with you!"

"No!" said Ninon, "I prefer this stool."

"Well, good-night! Sweet repose, you charming little couple," laughed on Dame Jacqueline, as she drew the curtains to. "But I'd not go to sleep yet awhile, look you. Some friends of yours are coming here to see you. Ah yes, here they are! This way, ladies."

And the next moment, Madame de Montaigu and the Duchesse de la Rochefoucauld stood within the alcove, gazing down with glances beyond power of words to describe.

Dragged by the two ladies from their refuge, Marsillac was hustled into his garments, but Ninon was bidden to leave hers alone, and to don the petticoats and bodice which the baroness had brought for the purpose. "No more masquerading, if you please," said her aunt, in tones terrible with indignation and severity, "while I have you under my charge. Now, quick, home with you!"

And home they were conducted, disconsolate, crestfallen, arriving there in an extraordinarily short space of time; for the ch?teau lay not half a league off, and the two runaways, who had imagined that the best part of Touraine had been covered by them that fine summer day, discovered that the mazes of the forest paths had merely led them round and about within hail of Loches, and Dame Jacqueline and her husband had at once recognised them. The man had then hastened immediately to the ch?teau, and informed the ladies, to their indescribable relief, about the two good-for-nothings; for the hue and cry after Mademoiselle Ninon and young Monsieur de la Rochefoucauld had grown to desperation as the sun westered lower and lower.

Ninon wept tears of chagrin and humiliation at the penalty she had to pay of being a girl again; but Marsillac's spirits revived with astonishing rapidity. He even seemed to be glad at the idea of his fellow-scapegrace being merely one of the weaker and gentler sex, and in her dejection he was for ever seeking to console her. "I love you ever so much better this way, dear one," he was constantly saying. "Ah, Ninon, you are beautiful as an angel!"

But alas! for the approach of Black Monday, and the holidays ended, Marsillac had to go back to school.

Troublesome Huguenots--Madame de L'Enclos--An Escapade, and Nurse Madeleine--Their Majesties--The H?tel Bourgogne--The End of the Adventure--St Vincent de Paul and his Charities--Dying Paternal Counsel--Ninon's New Home--Duelling--Richelieu and the Times.

At seventeen years of age, she was perfectly equipped. Beautiful and highly accomplished, amiable and winning, and though always well dressed, troubling vastly little over the petty fripperies and vanities ordinarily engrossing the female mind, she appears to have gained the commendation and affection of her aunt, who parted from her with great regret, when the failing health of Madame de L'Enclos necessitated Ninon's departure from Loches, to go to Paris, where the invalid was residing.

"If of dyspepsia you've a touch, Ache of tooth, or head, or such, There's nothing like a nip, you see, Of my delicious Eau de Vie."

Having partaken of a light collation at one of the tables, the party gave attention for a while to the actors on the stage, whose performances were coarse, and not much to Ninon's taste. Then Gondi and Scarron took leave of the two, and the sequel of the adventure proved a warning to young women endowed with any measure of self-respect, to refrain from making acquaintance with gallants in the street. Fortunately she escaped the too ardent attentions of the man, through the intervention and protection of one of more delicacy and honour. Though this one was quickly equally enthralled, he went about his wooing of the beautiful girl in more circumspect fashion, a wooing nipped in the bud by his death from a wound received a short time later.

In the sombre calm of the invalid's room stands out the grand figure of St Vincent de Paul, bringing to her, as to all the afflicted and heavy-laden, the message of Divine love and pity, and impressing Ninon with a lasting memory of reverence for the serene, pure face and gentle utterances of a heart filled with devotion for the Master he served. Never weary in well-doing, seeming ever to see God, his life was one long self-sacrifice and work of charity. Moved to such compassion for the poor convict of the galleys, who wept for the thought of his wife and children, that the good priest took the fetters from the man's limbs, and bidding him go free and sin no more, wound them upon his own wrists: a heart so thrilled with love and sorrow for the lot of the miserable little forsaken children of the great city, that he did not rest till he had effected the reforms so sorely-needed for their protection.

Hitherto the small waifs and strays had been under the superintendence of the Archbishop of Paris. The charge of them was, however, delegated to venal nurses, who would frequently sell them for twenty sous each. On f?te and red-letter days, it had for long been a custom to expose the little creatures on huge bedsteads chained to the pavement of Notre-Dame, in order to excite the pity of the people, and draw money for their maintenance. St Vincent de Paul was stirred to the endeavour of putting a stop to these scandals; and instituted a hospital for the foundlings. It was situated by the Gate of St Victor, and the work of it was carried on by charitable ladies. The Hospital of Jesus, for eighty poor old men, was another of his good works; while he ministered to the lunatics of the Salp?tri?re, and to the lepers of St Lazare, within whose church walls he was laid to rest when at last he rendered up his life to the Master he had served; until the all-destroying Terror disturbed his remains: but "his works do follow him." His compassion alone for the little ones will keep his memory green for all time.

Kneeling at his feet, at her mother's bidding, the good priest bade Ninon rise, saying that to God alone the knee should be bent. Then he laid his hand on her head, calling down a benediction on her, and praying that she should be protected from the temptations of a sinful world. His words thrilled her powerfully for the time being. She felt moved to pour out all her heart to him, but "Satan," she says, "held me fast, and would not let me approach God," and the spell of the saintly man's influence passed with his presence.

A few days later, Madame de L'Enclos died, calmly, and tended by her husband and her child, leaving at least affectionate respect for her memory. A year later, Monsieur de L'Enclos died. True to the last to his rule of life, the dying words he addressed to his daughter were these--

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