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supped。 These two salons communicated by means of certain mixed
individuals with the house of Cormon； and vice…versa； but the Cormon
establishment sat severely in judgment on the two other camps。 The
luxury of their dinners was criticised； the ices at their balls were
pondered； the behavior of the women； the dresses； and 〃novelties〃
there produced were discussed and disapproved。
Mademoiselle Cormon； a species of firm； as one might say； under whose
name was comprised an imposing coterie； was naturally the aim and
object of two ambitious men as deep and wily as the Chevalier de
Valois and du Bousquier。 To the one as well as to the other； she meant
election as deputy； resulting； for the noble； in the peerage； for the
purveyor； in a receiver…generalship。 A leading salon is a difficult
thing to create； whether in Paris or the provinces； and here was one
already created。 To marry Mademoiselle Cormon was to reign in Alencon。
Athanase Granson； the only one of the three suitors for the hand of
the old maid who no longer calculated profits； now loved her person as
well as her fortune。
To employ the jargon of the day； is there not a singular drama in the
situation of these four personages？ Surely there is something odd and
fantastic in three rivalries silently encompassing a woman who never
guessed their existence； in spite of an eager and legitimate desire to
be married。 And yet； though all these circumstances make the
spinsterhood of this old maid an extraordinary thing； it is not
difficult to explain how and why； in spite of her fortune and her
three lovers； she was still unmarried。 In the first place；
Mademoiselle Cormon； following the custom and rule of her house； had
always desired to marry a nobleman； but from 1788 to 1798 public
circumstances were very unfavorable to such pretensions。 Though she
wanted to be a woman of condition； as the saying is； she was horribly
afraid of the Revolutionary tribunal。 The two sentiments； equal in
force； kept her stationary by a law as true in ethics as it is in
statics。 This state of uncertain expectation is pleasing to unmarried
women as long as they feel themselves young； and in a position to
choose a husband。 France knows that the political system of Napoleon
resulted in making many widows。 Under that regime heiresses were
entirely out of proportion in numbers to the bachelors who wanted to
marry。 When the Consulate restored internal order； external
difficulties made the marriage of Mademoiselle Cormon as difficult to
arrange as it had been in the past。 If； on the one hand； Rose…Marie…
Victoire refused to marry an old man； on the other； the fear of
ridicule forbade her to marry a very young one。
In the provinces； families marry their sons early to escape the
conscription。 In addition to all this； she was obstinately determined
not to marry a soldier： she did not intend to take a man and then give
him up to the Emperor； she wanted him for herself alone。 With these
views； she found it therefore impossible； from 1804 to 1815； to enter
the lists with young girls who were rivalling each other for suitable
matches。
Besides her predilection for the nobility； Mademoiselle Cormon had
another and very excusable mania： that of being loved for herself。 You
could hardly believe the lengths to which this desire led her。 She
employed her mind on setting traps for her possible lovers； in order
to test their real sentiments。 Her nets were so well laid that the
luckless suitors were all caught； and succumbed to the test she
applied to them without their knowledge。 Mademoiselle Cormon did not
study them； she watched them。 A single word said heedlessly； a joke
（that she often was unable to understand）； sufficed to make her reject
an aspirant as unworthy： this one had neither heart nor delicacy； that
one told lies； and was not religious； a third only wanted to coin
money under the cloak of marriage； another was not of a nature to make
a woman happy； here she suspected hereditary gout； there certain
immoral antecedents alarmed her。 Like the Church； she required a noble
priest at her altar； she even wanted to be married for imaginary
ugliness and pretended defects； just as other women wish to be loved
for the good qualities they have not； and for imaginary beauties。
Mademoiselle Cormon's ambition took its rise in the most delicate and
sensitive feminine feeling； she longed to reward a lover by revealing
to him a thousand virtues after marriage； as other women then betray
the imperfections they have hitherto concealed。 But she was ill
understood。 The noble woman met with none but common souls in whom the
reckoning of actual interests was paramount； and who knew nothing of
the nobler calculations of sentiment。
The farther she advanced towards that fatal epoch so adroitly called
the 〃second youth；〃 the more her distrust increased。 She affected to
present herself in the most unfavorable light； and played her part so
well that the last wooers hesitated to link their fate to that of a
person whose virtuous blind…man's…buff required an amount of
penetration that men who want the virtuous ready…made would not bestow
upon it。 The constant fear of being married for her money rendered her
suspicious and uneasy beyond all reason。 She turned to the rich men；
but the rich are in search of great marriages； she feared the poor
men； in whom she denied the disinterestedness she sought so eagerly。
After each disappointment in marriage； the poor lady； led to despise
mankind； began to see them all in a false light。 Her character
acquired； necessarily； a secret misanthropy； which threw a tinge of
bitterness into her conversation； and some severity into her eyes。
Celibacy gave to her manners and habits a certain increasing rigidity；
for she endeavored to sanctify herself in despair of fate。 Noble
vengeance！ she was cutting for God the rough diamond rejected by man。
Before long public opinion was against her； for society accepts the
verdict an independent woman renders on herself by not marrying；
either through losing suitors or rejecting them。 Everybody supposed
that these rejections were founded on secret reasons； always ill
interpreted。 One said she was deformed； another suggested some hidden
fault； but the poor girl was really as pure as a saint； as healthy as
an infant； and full of loving kindness； Nature had intended her for
all the pleasures； all the joys； and all the fatigues of motherhood。
Mademoiselle Cormon did not possess in her person an obliging
auxiliary to her desires。 She had no other beauty than that very
improperly called la beaute du diable； which consists of a buxom
freshness of youth that the devil； theologically speaking； could never
have；though perhaps the expression may be explained by the constant
desire that must surely possess him to cool and refresh himself。 The
feet of the heiress were broad and flat。 Her leg； which she often
exposed to sight by her manner （be it said without malice） of lifting
her gown when it rained； could never have been taken for the leg of a
woman。 It was sinewy； with a thick projecting calf like a sailor's。 A
stout waist； the plumpness of a wet…nurse； strong dimpled arms； red
hands； were all in keeping with the swelling outlines and the fat
whiteness of Norman beauty。 Projecting eyes； undecided in color； gave
to her face； the rounded outline of which had no dignity； an air of
surprise and sheepish simplicity； which was suitable perhaps for an
old maid。 If Rose had not been； as she was； really innocent； she would
have seemed so。 An aquiline nose contrasted curiously with the
narrowness of her forehead； for it is rare that that form of nose does
not carry with it a fine brow。 In spite of her thick red lips； a sign
of great kindliness； the forehead revealed too great a lack of ideas
to allow of the heart being guided by intellect； she was evidently
benevolent without grace。 How severely we reproach Virtue for its
defects； and how full of indulgence we all are for the pleasanter
qualities of Vice！
Chestnut hair of extraordinary length gave to Rose Cormon's face a
beauty which results from vigor and abundance；the physical qualities
most apparent in her person。 In the days of her chief pretensions；
Rose affected to hold her head at the three…quarter angle； in order to
exhibit a very pretty ear； which detached itself from the blue…veined
whiteness of her throat and temples； set off； as it was； by her wealth
of hair。 Seen thus in a ball…dress； she might have seemed handsome。
Her protuberant outlines and her vigorous health did； in fact； draw
from the officers of the Empire the approving exclamation；
〃What a fine slip of a girl！〃
But； as years rolled on； this plumpness； encouraged by a tranquil；
wholesome life； had insensibly so ill spread itself over the whole of
Mademoiselle Cormon's body that her primitive proportions were
destroyed。 At the present moment； no corset could r