The natural place of Mme. de La Fayette was in a society of more
serious tone and more lettered tastes. In her youth she had been
taken by her mother to the Hotel de Rambouillet, and she always
retained much of its spirit, without any of its affectations. We
find her sometimes at the Samedis, and she belonged to the
exclusive coterie of the Grande Mademoiselle, at the Luxembourg,
where her facile pen was in demand for the portraits so much in
vogue. She was also a frequent visitor in the literary salon of
Mme. de Sable, at Port Royal. It was here that her friendship
with La Rochefoucauld glided imperceptibly into the intimacy
which became so important a feature in her life. This intimacy
was naturally a matter of some speculation, but the world made up
its mind of its perfectly irreproachable character. "It appears
to be only friendship," writes Mme. de Scudery to Bussy-Rabutin;
"in short the fear of God on both sides, and perhaps policy, have
cut the wings of love. She is his favorite and his first
friend." "I do not believe he has ever been what one calls in
love," writes Mme. de Sevigne. But this friendship was a
veritable romance, without any of the storms or vexations or
jealousies of a passionate love. "You may imagine the sweetness
and charm of an intercourse full of all the friendship and
confidence possible between two people whose merit is not
ordinary," she says again; "add to this the circumstance of their
bad health, which rendered them almost necessary to each other,
and gave them the leisure not to be found in other relations, to
enjoy each other's good qualities. It seems to me that at court
people have no time for affection; the whirlpool which is so
stormy for others was peaceful for them, and left ample time for
the pleasures of a friendship so delicious. I do not believe
that any passion can surpass the strength of such a tie."