The Princesse De Cleves Read online

  This heiress was at that time one of the most eligible women in France and, although very young, had received many proposals of marriage. Mme de Chartres, who was exceptionally proud, considered almost nothing worthy of her daughter and, now that she was in her sixteenth year, wished to bring her to court. When she arrived, the Vidame went before her: he was surprised by the great beauty of Mlle de Chartres, and had good reason to be so. The whiteness of her complexion and her blonde hair gave her an unparalleled radiance; all her features were regular and both her face and her figure full of grace and charm.

  The day after her arrival, she went to match some precious stones at the house of an Italian who dealt in such things around the world. This man had arrived from Florence with the Queen and become so rich from his dealings that his house seemed rather that of a nobleman than a merchant. While she was there, the Prince de Clèves came in. He was so astonished by her beauty that he could not hide his surprise, nor could Mlle de Chartres prevent herself from blushing when she saw the effect she was having upon him. However, she rapidly recovered, betraying no greater interest in the prince than good manners would require towards a man of his evident rank. M. de Clèves looked at her in admiration, unable to imagine who this lovely girl could be that he did not know. From her deportment and from those who attended her, he realized that she must be someone of the highest rank. She was so young that he supposed her to be an unmarried woman, but since he could see no mother with her, and the Italian (who was also unacquainted with her) called her ‘madame’, he did not know what to think and continued to stare at her with amazement. He observed that his look was embarrassing her (which is not usually the case with young women, always delighted to see the impression made by their beauty); he even felt that he must be the cause of her impatience to be gone and she did, indeed, leave in quite a short time. M. de Clèves consoled himself for losing her from sight with the expectation that he could learn who she was, but he was very surprised to discover that nobody could enlighten him. He remained so moved by her beauty and the modest demeanour that he had observed in her, that one might also say he conceived an extraordinary passion and regard for her from that very moment. The same evening, he went to call on Madame, the King’s sister.

  This princess was most highly thought of, thanks to her influence over her brother, the King. This was so great that the King, when the peace treaty was being signed, agreed to return Piedmont so that she could marry the Duc de Savoie. Although she had wished all her life to get married, she only wanted to marry a sovereign: this was the reason that she turned down the King of Navarre when he was still Duc de Vendôme, and had always wished for M. de Savoie. She had a predilection for him since seeing him in Nice at the meeting between King François I and Pope Paul III. Possessing wit and a discerning taste for beautiful things, she attracted all that was finest to her house. At certain times the whole court was there.

  M. de Clèves arrived as usual, but so full of the wit and beauty of Mlle de Chartres that he could not speak of anything else. He recounted the afternoon’s events to the company and did not tire of praising this young lady that he had seen, even though he did not know who she was. Madame replied that there was no one corresponding to his description and that, had there been, everyone would have recognized her. Mme de Dampierre, her lady-in-waiting and the friend of Mme de Chartres, hearing this conversation, went up to the princess and whispered that the person M. de Clèves had seen was undoubtedly Mlle de Chartres. Madame turned to him and said that, if he wished to return there the following day, she would introduce him to this young woman who had made such an impression on him. And so it was: Mlle de Chartres appeared the next day and was received by the two Queens with every mark of condescension, and by everyone with such admiration that wherever she went, she heard only praise. She accepted it with such noble modesty that it seemed either that she did not hear those compliments or, at least, that she was unaffected by them. She then went to visit Madame, the King’s sister who, after praising her beauty, told her of the effect she had produced on M. de Clèves. A moment later, the prince himself came in:

  ‘Come,’ Madame told him, ‘and judge whether I have kept my word and whether, by here showing you Mlle de Chartres, I am not bringing before you that beauty whom you sought. You may thank me, at least, for having told her of the admiration she has already inspired in you.’

  M. de Clèves was overjoyed to see that the same lady whom he had found so prepossessing was of a rank commensurate with her beauty. He went up to her and begged her to remember that he had been the first to admire her and, even before knowing her, had had towards her all the feelings of respect and esteem that she deserved.

  He left Madame’s together with his friend the Chevalier de Guise. At first, they were unrestrained in their praise of Mlle de Chartres. At length, each felt that he was praising her excessively, so they ceased to say what they thought of her; but they felt obliged to speak of her during the following days whenever they met. For a long time this new beauty was the subject of every conversation. The Queen was most complimentary about her and considerate towards her. The Reine Dauphine made a favourite of her and asked Mme de Chartres to bring her often to visit. The King’s daughters sent for her to join in all their entertainments. In short, she was loved and admired by the whole court, except Mme de Valentinois. Not that the latter was jealous of her beauty, knowing from long experience that she had nothing to fear as far as the King was concerned; but she deeply hated the Vidame de Chartres, whom she had hoped to attach to her own family by the marriage of one of his daughters, and who had instead joined the Queen’s faction; so she could not look with favour on someone who bore his name and to whom he demonstrated so great an attachment.

  The Prince de Clèves fell passionately in love with Mlle de Chartres and passionately desired to marry her, but he was afraid that Mme de Chartres’s pride might be offended were she to give her daughter to a man who was not the eldest son of his house. Yet this house was so eminent, and the Comte d’Eu, the eldest son, had just married a lady so close to the royal family that the prince’s misgivings were attributable rather to the diffidence of love than to any rational cause. He had many rivals, of whom the Chevalier de Guise seemed the most to be feared, because of his birth, his personal qualities and the rank that royal favour bestowed on his family. He had fallen in love with Mlle de Chartres at first sight, and was aware of M. de Clèves’s feelings, just as M. de Clèves was aware of the Chevalier’s. Though they were friends, this aspiring to the same hand had put a barrier between them, so that they could not discuss their feelings, and their friendship had cooled without either having the strength to explain himself to the other. M. de Clèves’s fortune, in being the first to see Mlle de Chartres, appeared a good omen which he thought might give him some advantage over his rivals. But he anticipated strong opposition from his father, the Duc de Nevers. The latter was closely associated with the Vidame’s enemy, the Duchesse de Valentinois, and this was reason enough for the Duc de Nevers to refuse his consent to a match between his son and the Vidame’s niece.

  Mme de Chartres, who had been so careful to educate her daughter, continued to show the same concern for her virtue in a place where it was so much needed, being full of so many dangerous examples. Ambition and gallantry were the heart and soul of the court, preoccupying men and women equally. There were so many different factions and parties, and the women played so great a role in them, that love was always allied to politics and politics to love. No one was untroubled or unmoved: each considered how to advance, to flatter, to serve or to harm; boredom and idleness were unknown, since everyone was engaged in intrigue or the pursuit of pleasure. The ladies opted for the Queen, the Reine Dauphine, the Queen of Navarre,7 Madame, the King’s sister, or the Duchesse de Valentinois: these partialities were decided by personal preference, convention or temperament. Those who had reached a certain age and professed stricter morals, belonged to the Queen’s party, while the younger women, in se
arch of frivolity and love, paid court to the Reine Dauphine. The Queen of Navarre also had her favourites; she was young and could sway her husband, who gained much influence through his support for the Connétable. Madame, the King’s sister, was still beautiful and attracted several ladies to her side. And the Duchesse de Valentinois could have any that she deigned to notice; but few women appealed to her and, apart from one or two who enjoyed her friendship and trust, and whose temperament was compatible with her own, she would only receive ladies on those days when she felt inclined to hold court in the same style as the Queen.

  All these different factions competed jealously, and the ladies who belonged to them also rivalled one another in the contest for favours or for lovers. Considerations of status and rank were often confused with these others which, less important though they might be, were no less keenly felt. There was thus a sort of ordered turbulence at court which made it delightful, but very dangerous for a young person. Mme de Chartres was aware of the danger and considered nothing except how she might protect her daughter against it. She implored her, not as a mother but as a friend, to confide every amorous remark that might be addressed to her, and promised to guide her conduct in situations which are often embarrassing to the young.

  The Chevalier de Guise made so little attempt to disguise his feelings and intentions regarding Mlle de Chartres that they were known to everybody. However, he could himself see only the obstacles to what he desired, knowing very well that his was not a match that would meet with the approval of Mme de Chartres, because he lacked the wealth to sustain his rank; and he knew also that his brothers would not approve of him marrying, because of the lowering in status that the marriage of younger brothers commonly inflicts on great families.8 The Cardinal de Lorraine soon confirmed that he was not mistaken, condemning his open partiality for Mlle de Chartres with extraordinary vehemence, though without telling him the true reason for his disapproval: the cardinal secretly hated the Vidame, though it was only later that this became public. He would have consented to any match for his brother rather than one with the Vidame’s family, and he declared the strength of his opposition so openly that Mme de Chartres was greatly offended, and at pains to demonstrate that the cardinal had nothing to fear, since she was not considering such a match. The Vidame adopted the same stance and was still more offended by that of the cardinal than was Mme de Chartres, being more aware of its cause.

  The Prince de Clèves had not given any less public signs of his feelings than the Chevalier de Guise. The Duc de Nevers was pained to learn of his attachment, but thought that if he were to talk to his son, this would suffice to alter his mind; so he was very surprised at finding him firmly set on marriage with Mlle de Chartres. He rebuked him for it, lost his temper and made so little attempt to disguise his fury that the matter was soon discussed at court and even reached Mme de Chartres. She had never doubted that M. de Nevers would consider marriage with her daughter as advantageous to his son. She was amazed that both the Clèves family and the Guises should fear an alliance with her, instead of welcoming it. The resulting vexation made her seek a match that would place her daughter above those who considered themselves placed above her. After weighing all possibilities, she fixed on the son of the Duc de Montpensier. He was of marriageable age, and the highest in rank at court. Since Mme de Chartres was an intelligent woman, helped by the Vidame who was much in favour, and since her daughter was in reality very eligible, she proceeded with such skill and success that M. de Montpensier appeared to desire the match and it seemed there could be no obstacle to it.

  The Vidame, who knew of M. d’Anville’s attachment to the Reine Dauphine, decided that he must use her influence with d’Anville to enlist his services on Mlle de Chartres’s behalf, with the King and with his close friend, the Prince de Montpensier. He mentioned this to the Reine Dauphine and found her delighted to participate in an affair involving the advancement of someone towards whom she was very well-disposed. She said as much to the Vidame and assured him that, though she knew that her support would displease her uncle, the Cardinal de Lorraine, she would happily overlook this, since she had reason to complain of the cardinal, who daily sided with the Queen against her own interests.

  Those of a romantic disposition are always pleased at finding any excuse to speak with their lovers. As soon as the Vidame had left the Reine Dauphine, she called Chastelart,9 M. d’Anville’s favourite (and so acquainted with his passion for her), and told him to give d’Anville the message that he should be at the Queen’s that evening. Chastelart was delighted and flattered to accept this commission: he was a gentleman from a good family in Dauphiné whose qualities and intelligence were superior to his birth, allowing him to be received and well treated by all the great noblemen at court: the patronage of the Montmorencys had particularly recommended him to M. d’Anville. He was handsome and athletic, had a pleasant singing voice, wrote verse and possessed a refined and passionate nature which appealed so much to d’Anville that he confided to him his love for the Reine Dauphine. This confidence brought Chastelart close to the princess and, seeing her often, he began to feel the unfortunate passion that was to deprive him of reason, and eventually of life itself.

  That evening d’Anville made sure to attend the Queen’s, happy that the Reine Dauphine should have chosen him to undertake a mission on her behalf and promising to obey her orders to the letter. But Mme de Valentinois, forewarned about this proposed marriage, had done her best to prevent it, turning the King’s mind so firmly against the idea that, when M. d’Anville spoke to him on the matter, he indicated his opposition and even ordered him to inform the Prince de Montpensier of this. One can imagine Mme de Chartres’s feelings at the collapse of a plan she ardently desired to succeed, since its failure was so advantageous to her enemies and so detrimental to her daughter.

  The Reine Dauphine showed great consideration towards Mlle de Chartres, expressing her regret at having been unable to help:

  ‘As you see,’ she told her, ‘my power is limited. The Queen and the Duchesse de Valentinois hate me so much that it is difficult to prevent them thwarting me at every turn, either themselves or through those who serve them. Despite which,’ she added, ‘I have never sought anything except to please them, and they hate me solely on account of the Queen, my mother, who used at one time to give them cause for disquiet and jealousy. The King loved her before Mme de Valentinois, and in the early years of his marriage, when he was still childless, seemed almost prepared to divorce and marry my mother, despite the love he already felt for Mme de Valentinois. She feared a woman whom he had previously loved, whose beauty and wit might outshine her, and so joined forces with the Connétable who was equally opposed to the King marrying a sister of the Guise brothers. They won over the late King despite his bitter hatred of Mme de Valentinois, and, since he loved the Queen, he supported them in preventing the King’s divorce. But, to remove any thought he might have of marrying my mother, they arranged for her to be married to the King of Scotland, widower of the King’s sister, Mme Magdeleine: they did this because the Scottish King was closer to concluding the match, and so broke their undertakings to the King of England who ardently desired her. This breach of their undertaking almost led to a breach in relations between the two monarchs. Henry VIII was unable to resign himself to not having married my mother and, whatever other French princess was offered him, always said that she could never replace the one that had been snatched away. My mother was indeed a perfect beauty; and it is a remarkable fact that three Kings should have wished to wed her, the widow of a Duc de Longueville. It was her misfortune to have ended with the least among them, in a kingdom where she was only to find unhappiness. It is said that I am like her. I am afraid that I may also resemble her in misfortune, and whatever happiness fate may seem to be preparing for me, I cannot believe that I shall enjoy it.’ Mlle de Chartres told the Queen that these sad forebodings were so ill-founded that she would not feel them for long, and that she had no doubt the Q
ueen’s good fortune would be as real as it appeared.

  From then on, no one dared consider Mlle de Chartres, for fear of displeasing the King or thinking that they might not succeed with somebody who had aspired to marry a prince of the blood. M. de Clèves was restrained by no such considerations. As the death of his father, the Duc de Nevers, occurred around the same time,10 he was entirely free to follow his heart and, as soon as the proper period of mourning had passed, thought of nothing except how he might marry Mlle de Chartres. He was happy to be able to propose the match now that circumstances had removed the other pretenders to her hand, virtually ensuring that he would not be refused. The only flaw in his happiness was the fear that she might not find him to her liking, and he would have preferred the good fortune of being loved by her to the certainty of marriage without it.

  The Chevalier de Guise had caused him some jealousy, but it was inspired more by Guise’s qualities than any act on the part of Mlle de Chartres, so he was concerned only to discover whether he was fortunate enough to enjoy her approval of his proposal. He only saw her at the Queens’ houses or in public assemblies, where it was difficult to engage her in private conversation. Yet he found the means to do so and, with the greatest possible respect, declared his intentions and his passion. He begged her to tell him her feelings towards him and said that his own were of such a kind that he would be eternally miserable were she to submit to her mother’s wishes from duty alone.