第83章

Alongside of these masquerades which stop at costume and require only an hour， there is a more important diversion， the private theatrical performance， which completely transforms the man， and which for six weeks， and even for three months， absorbs him entirely at rehearsals. Towards 1770，[70] "the rage for it is incredible； there is not an attorney in his cottage who does not wish to have a stage and his company of actors." A Bernardine living in Bresse， in the middle of a wood， writes to Collé that he and his brethren are about to perform "La Partie de Chasse de Henri IV，" and that they are having a small theater constructed "without the knowledge of bigots and small minds." Reformers and moralists introduce theatrical art into the education of children； Mme. de Genlis composes comedies for them， considering these excellent for the securing of a good pronunciation， proper self-confidence and the graces of deportment. The theater， indeed， then prepares man for society as society prepares him for the theater； in either case he is on display， composing his attitude and tone of voice， and playing a part； the stage and the drawing room are on an equal footing. Towards the end of the century everybody becomes an actor， everybody having been one before.[71] "We hear of nothing but little theaters set up in the country around Paris." For a long time those of highest rank set the example. Under Louis XV. the Ducs d'Orléans， de Nivernais， d'Ayen， de Coigny， the Marquises de Courtenvaux， and d'Entraigues， the Comte de Maillebois， the Duchesse de Brancas， the Comtesse d'Estrades form， with Madame de Pompadour， the company of the "small cabinets；" the Due de la Vallière is the director of them； when the piece contains a ballet the Marquis de Courtenvaux， the Duc de Beuvron， the Comtes de Melfort and de Langeron are the titular dancers.[72] "Those who are accustomed to such spectacles，" writes the sedate and pious Duc de Luynes， "agree in the opinion that it would be difficult for professional comedians to play better and more intelligently." The passion reaches at last still higher， even to the royal family. At Trianon， the queen， at first before forty persons and then before a more numerous audience， performs Colette in "Le Devin de Village，" Gotte， in "La Gageure imprévue，" Rosine in "Le Barbier de Seville，" Pierette in "Le Chasseur et la Laitière，"[73] while the other comedians consist of the principal men of the court， the Comte d'Artois， the Comtes d'Adhémar and de Vaudreuil， the Comtesse de Guiche， and the Canoness de Polignac. A theater is formed in Monsieur's domicile； there are two in the Comte d'Artois's house， two in that of the Duc d'Orléans， two in the Comte de Clermont's， and one in the Prince de Condé's. The Comte de Clermont performs serious characters； the Duc d'Orléans represents， with completeness and naturalness， peasants and financiers； M. de Miromesnil， keeper of the seals， is the smartest and most finished of Scapins； M. de Vaudreuil seems to rival Molé； the Comte de Pons plays the "Misanthrope" with rare perfection.[74] "More than ten of our ladies of high rank，" writes the Prince de Ligne， "play and sing better than the best of those I have seen in our theaters." By their talent judge of their study， assiduity and zeal. It is evident that for many of them it is the principal occupation. In a certain chateau， that of Saint-Aubin， the lady of the house， to secure a large enough troupe， enrolls her four chambermaids in it， making her little daughter， ten years old， play the part of Zaire， and for over twenty months she has no vacation. After her bankruptcy， and in her exile， the first thing done by the Princess de Guéménée was to send for upholsterers to arrange a theater. In short， as nobody went out in Venice without a mask so here nobody comprehended life without the masqueradings， metamorphoses， representations and triumphs of the player.

The last trait I have to mention， yet more significant， is the afterpiece. Really， in this fashionable circle， life is a carnival as free and almost as rakish as that of Venice. The play commonly terminates with a parade borrowed from La Fontaine's tales or from the farces of the Italian drama， which are not only pointed but more than free， and sometimes so broad that they cant be played only before princes and courtesans；"[75] a morbid palate， indeed， having no taste for orgeat， instead demanding a dram. The Duc d'Orléans sings on the stage the most spicy songs， playing Bartholin in "Nicaise，" and Blaise in "Joconde." "Le Marriage sans Curé，" "Leandre grosse，" "L'amant poussif，" "Leandre Etalon，" are the showy titles of the pieces composed by Collé "for the amusement of His Highness and the Court."For one which contains salt there are ten stuffed with strong pepper.