was married to the Marquis de Sevigne; but her period of
happiness was a short one. The husband, who was rich, handsome,
and agreeable, proved weak and faithless. He was one of the
temporary caprices of the dangerous Ninon, led a dashing,
irresponsible life, spent his fortune recklessly, and left his
pretty young wife to weep alone at a convenient distance, under
the somber skies of Brittany. Fortunately for her and for
posterity, his career was rapid and brief. For some trifling
affair of so-called honor--a quality of which, from our point of
view, he does not seem to have possessed enough to be worth the
trouble of defending--he had the kindness to get himself killed
in a duel, after seven years of marriage. His spirited wife had
loved him sincerely, and first illusions die slowly. She shed
many bitter and natural tears, but she never showed any
disposition to repeat the experiment. Perhaps she was of the
opinion of another young widow who thought it "a fine thing to
bear the name of a man who can commit no more follies." But it
is useless to speculate upon the reasons why a woman does or does
not marry. It is certain that the love of her two children
filled the heart of Mme. de Sevigne; her future life was devoted
to their training, and to repairing a fortune upon which her
husband's extravagance had made heavy inroads.

But the fascinating widow of twenty-five had a dangerous path to
tread. That she lived in a society so lax and corrupt,
unprotected and surrounded by distinguished admirers, without a
shadow of suspicion having fallen upon her fair reputation is a
strong proof of her good judgment and her discretion. She was
not a great beauty, though the flattering verses of her poet
friends might lead one to think so. A complexion fresh and fair,