er own house. From 1821
to 1827 she lived in great style, and made herself remarked for her
taste and her dress; she had a day, an hour, for receiving visits, and
ere long she had seated herself on the throne, occupied before her by
Madame la Vicomtesse de Beauseant, the Duchesse de Langeais, and Madame
Firmiani--who on her marriage with M. de Camps had resigned the sceptre
in favor of the Duchesse de Maufrigneuse, from whom Madame d'Espard
snatched it. The world knew nothing beyond this of the private live
of the Marquise d'Espard. She seemed likely to shine for long on the
Parisian horizon, like the sun near its setting, but which will never
set.

The Marquise was on terms of great intimacy with a duchess as famous for
her beauty as for her attachment to a prince just now in banishment,
but accustomed to play a leading part in every prospective government.
Madame d'Espard was also a friend of a foreign lady, with whom a famous
and very wily Russian diplomate was in the habit of discussing public
affairs. And then an antiquated countess, who was accustomed to shuffle
the cards for the great game of politics, had adopted her in a maternal
fashion. Thus, to any man of high ambitions, Madame d'Espard was
preparing a covert but very real influence to follow the public and
frivolous ascendency she now owed to fashion. Her drawing-room
was acquiring political individuality: "What do they say at Madame
d'Espard's?" "Are they against the measure in Madame d'Espard's
drawing-room?" were questions repeated by a sufficient number of
simpletons to give the flock of the faithful who surrounded her the
importance of a coterie. A few damaged politicians whose wounds she had
bound up, and whom she flattered, pronounced her as capable in diplomacy
as the wife of the Russian ambassador to London. The Marquise had indeed
several times suggested to deputies or to peers words and ideas that had
rung through Europe. She had often judged correctly of certain events on
which her circle of friends dared not express an opinion. The principal
persons about the Court came in the evening to play whist in her rooms.

Then she also had the qualities of her defects; she was thought to
be--and she was--indiscreet. Her friendship seemed to be staunch; she
worked for her proteges with a persistency which showed that she cared
less for patronage than for increased influence. This conduct was based
on her dominant passion, Vanity. Conquests and pleasure,