She had originality enough to have been
able to purify the whole sphere in which she moved, and to raise the
commonplace into the ideal. 'Excuse me,' she said to her friends,
and she led my husband apart into a deep window, and there, as he
told me, seemed to look him through and through. And verily he was
one who needed not to fear such an inspection, any more than the
clearest crystal.
Then, in like manner, she called for me, and made me understand that
I was condemning myself to a life of much isolation, and that I must
be most circumspect in my conduct, whole, after all, I might see very
little of my husband; I must take good care that my presence was a
help and refreshment, not a burden and perplexity to him, or he would
neglect me and repent my coming. 'It may seem strange,' she said,
'but I think my young friend will understand me, that I have always
found that, next of course to those supplied by our holy religion,
the best mode of rendering our life and its inconveniences endurable
is to give them a colouring of romance.' I did not understand her
then, but I have often since thought of her words, when the
recollection of the poetical aspect of the situation has aided my
courage and my good temper. Madame de Rambouillet looked into my
eyes as she spoke, then said: 'Pardon an old woman, my dear;' and
kissed my brow, saying: 'You will not do what I have only dreamt of.'
Finally she led us forward to our great-uncle, saying: 'Madame le
Marquis, I have conversed with these children.
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