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they afraid of him。 But we shall presently understand why any educated
man； such as the ex…Benedictine； would have done as Rigou did； and
kept away from the little town； after reading the following sketch of
the personages who composed what was called in those parts 〃the
leading society of Soulanges。〃
Of its principal figures； the most original； as you have already
suspected； was that of Madame Soudry； whose personality； to be duly
rendered； needs a minute and careful brush。
Madame Soudry； respectfully imitating Mademoiselle Laguerre； began by
allowing herself a 〃mere touch of rouge〃； but this delicate tint had
changed through force of habit to those vermilion patches
picturesquely described by our ancestors as 〃carriage…wheels。〃 The
wrinkles growing deeper and deeper； it occurred to the ex…lady's…maid
to fill them up with paint。 Her forehead becoming unduly yellow； and
the temples too shiny； she 〃laid on〃 a little white； and renewed the
veins of her youth with a tracery of blue。 All this color gave an
exaggerated liveliness to her eyes which were already tricksy enough；
so that the mask of her face would seem to a stranger even more than
fantastic； though her friends and acquaintances； accustomed to this
fictitious brilliancy； actually declared her handsome。
This ungainly creature； always decolletee； showed a bosom and a pair
of shoulders that were whitened and polished by the same process
employed upon her face； happily； for the sake of exhibiting her
magnificent laces； she partially veiled the charms of these chemical
products。 She always wore the body of her dress stiffened with
whalebone and made in a long point and garnished with knots of ribbon；
even on the point！ Her petticoats gave forth a creaking noise；so
much did the silk and the furbelows abound。
This attire； which deserves the name of apparel （a word that before
long will be inexplicable）； was； on the evening in question； of costly
brocade；for Madame Soudry possessed over a hundred dresses； each
richer than the others； the remains of Mademoiselle Laguerre's
enormous and splendid wardrobe； made over to fit Madame Soudry in the
last fashion of the year 1808。 Her blond wig； frizzed and powdered；
sustained a superb cap with knots of cherry satin ribbon matching
those on her dress。 If you will kindly imagine beneath this ultra…
coquettish cap the face of a monkey of extreme ugliness； on which a
flat nose； fleshless as that of Death； is separated by a strong hairy
line from a mouth filled with false teeth； whence issue sounds like
the confused clacking of hunting…horns； you will have some difficulty
in understanding why the leading society of Soulanges （all the town；
in fact） thought this quasi…queen a beauty；unless； indeed； you
remember the succinct statement recently made 〃ex professo；〃 by one of
the cleverest women of our time； on the art of making her sex
beautiful by surrounding accessories。
As to accessories； in the first place； Madame Soudry was surrounded by
the magnificent gifts accumulated by her late mistress； which the ex…
Benedictine called 〃fructus belli。〃 Then she made the most of her
ugliness by exaggerating it； and by assuming that indescribable air
and manner which belongs only to Parisian women； the secret of which
is known even to the most vulgar among them；who are always more or
less mimics。 She laced tight； wore an enormous bustle； also diamond
earrings； and her fingers were covered with rings。 At the top of her
corsage； between two mounds of flesh well plastered with pearl…white；
shone a beetle made of topaz with a diamond head； the gift of dear
mistress；a jewel renowned throughout the department。 Like the late
dear mistress； she wore short sleeves and bare arms； and flirted an
ivory fan； painted by Boucher with two little rose…diamonds in the
handle。
When she went out Madame Soudry carried a parasol of the true
eighteenth…century style； that is to say； a tall cane at the end of
which opened a green sun…shade with a green fringe。 When she walked
about the terrace a stranger on the high…road； seeing her from afar；
might have thought her one of Watteau's dames。
In her salon； hung with red damask； with curtains of the same lined
with silk； a fire on the hearth； a mantel…shelf adorned with bibelots
of the good time of Louis XV。； and bearing candelabra in the form of
lilies upheld by Cupidsin this salon； filled with furniture in
gilded wood of the 〃pied de biche〃 pattern； it is not impossible to
understand why the people of Soulanges called the mistress of the
house； 〃The beautiful Madame Soulanges。〃 The mansion had actually
become the civic pride of this capital of a canton。
If the leading society of the little town believed in its queen； the
queen as surely believed in herself。 By a phenomenon not in the least
rare； which the vanity of mothers and authors carries on at all
moments under our very eyes in behalf of their literary works or their
marriageable daughters； the late Mademoiselle Cochet was； at the end
of seven years； so completely buried under Madame Soudry； the
mayoress； that she not only did not remember her past； but she
actually believed herself a well…bred woman。 She had studied the airs
and graces； the dulcet tones； the gestures； the ways of her mistress；
so long that when she found herself in the midst of an opulence of her
own she was able to practice the natural insolence of it。 She knew her
eighteenth century； and the tales of its great lords and all their
belongings； by heart。 This back…stairs erudition gave to her
conversation a flavor of 〃oeil…de…boeuf〃； her soubrette gossip passed
muster for courtly wit。 Morally； the mayoress was； if you wish to say
so； tinsel； but to savages paste diamonds are as good as real ones。
The woman found herself courted and worshipped by the society in which
she lived； just as her mistress had been worshipped in former days。
She gave weekly dinners； with coffee and liqueurs to those who came in
after the dessert。 No female head could have resisted the exhilarating
force of such continual adulation。 In winter the warm salon； always
well…lighted with wax candles； was well…filled with the richest people
of Soulanges； who paid for the good liqueurs and the fine wines which
came from dear mistress's cellars； with flatteries to their hostess。
These visitors and their wives had a life…interest； as it were； in
this luxury； which was to them a saving of lights and fuel。 Thus it
came to pass that in a circuit of fifteen miles and even as far as
Ville…aux…Fayes； every voice was ready to declare： 〃Madame Soudry does
the honors admirably。 She keeps open house； every one enjoys her
salon； she knows how to carry herself and her fortune； she always says
the witty thing； she makes you laugh。 And what splendid silver！ There
is not another house like it short of Paris〃
The silver had been given to Mademoiselle Laguerre by Bouret。 It was a
magnificent service made by the f