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The town of Grignan, piled tier above tier, occupies a considerable declivity at the foot of this terrace, and communicates with the castle by a road which winds round the ascent, and terminates in a massy gateway.
Even Mme. de Grignan, who rarely likes her mother's friends, in the end gives due consideration to this loyal confidant, though she does not hesitate to ridicule the mysticism into which he finally drifted. After Mme. de La Fayette, the woman whose relations with Mme. de Sevigne were the most intimate was Mme. de Coulanges, who merits here more than a passing word.
But to go on with Saturday: Madame de Roquefeuille took leave, and we caparisoned ourselves, and went to Lady de Ros. She was at her easel, copying very well a portrait of Madame de Grignan, and it was a very agreeable half-hour. Lady de Ros and her daughter are very agreeable people. She has asked Fanny to meet her three times a week, at the Riding-House, where she goes to take exercise.
To the classical ground of Château Grignan, which we visited next day, I shall devote a separate chapter. This was the day of the greatest interest and fatigue which we had as yet passed; and moreover afforded us a tolerably accurate idea, at the risk of our bones, of the nature of French crossroads.
They appear, however, to know nothing about the matter at Grignan, a place which Miss P. acknowledges herself never to have visited. The work of destruction was more complete in the castle than in the church.
And, as a soldier, Frontenac had acquitted himself with honour. Nor was the post thought to be insignificant. Madame de Sévigné's son-in-law, the Comte de Grignan, was an unsuccessful candidate for it in competition with Frontenac. For some years both the king and Colbert had been giving real attention to the affairs of Canada.
"Remember the sympathetic condolence of Madame de Sevigne counting out three hundred thousand francs to Monsieur de Grignan, to induce him to marry one of the prettiest girls in France! 'Why, said she to herself, 'he will have to marry her every day, as long as she lives! Decidedly, I don't think three hundred francs too much. Is it not enough to make the bravest tremble?
Frederic Masson, "Le Marquis de Grignan," vol. I., especially p. 80 and following pages. Laffont. "Gird on the ecclesiastical sword for the punishment of the wicked."
I can fancy Madame de Sévigné, who was as amiable as she was clever, and whose tenderness towards her daughter is demonstrated so naturally and touchingly in the letters she addressed to her, holding the flacon now mine to the nostrils of Madame de Grignan, in whose health she was always so much more interested than in her own.
I shall make the peacocks give a party some night, Jeanne, and we'll invite Dudu and Grignan, and Houpet and the two little hens, and Nibble, of course, and we'll make them all tell stories." Jeanne clapped her hands. "Oh, what fun!" she exclaimed. "And you'll ask me and let me hear the stories, won't you, Chéri?" "Of course," said Hugh. So Jeanne skipped off in the highest spirits.
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