It will thus be readily understood that an actress who could be trusted to create such a part must have truly been a great artist, and Armande secured a brilliant triumph. Her performance was "a charm" and "an ecstasy," Robinet tells us; and though Robinet was in the habit of dealing somewhat freely in such expressions, we have no reason to doubt that on this occasion he faithfully reflects the opinion of the audience. But, after all, we can hardly wonder at the young actress's success, since she had only to be perfectly natural to realise the author's whole idea of his heroine. For what is Célimène but a finished portrait of Armande herself? Célimène is "_la grande coquette par excellence_," surrounded by a crowd of admirers wherever she goes. Armande, unhappily for Molière's peace of mind, seems to have enjoyed very much the same reputation. Célimène depends for her fascination not so much on beauty of face or form as on her expression, her smile, her manners, her conversation; "_elle a l'art de me plaire_," says the infatuated Alceste. Armande possessed the same kind of attractions, and was "very affecting when she wished to please." Célimène is haughty and imperious. "It is my wish; it is my wish," she cries when Alceste hesitates to comply with her demands. "Armande," says a contemporary, "could not brook contradiction, and pretended that a lover ought to be as submissive as a slave." In fact, so perfect is the resemblance that even if the circumstances, of which we shall presently speak, did not preclude all reasonable doubt about the matter, few would be found to deny that the heroine of the _Misanthrope_ was drawn from life. Among Armande's other rôles may be mentioned the capricious and charming Lucile of the _Bourgeois gentilhomme_, in which Molière drew the well-known portrait of his wife which we have already cited; the title-part in the famous "tragedy-ballet" of _Psyché_, one of the most remarkable instances of collaboration in dramatic history,[17] in which she appeared in a different costume in each of its five acts--a very unusual extravagance in those days--and is described by the enthusiastic Robinet as "marvellous" and "playing divinely"; Henriette in the _Femmes savantes_, "the model of an honest, sensible, and well-brought-up young lady;" and finally, Angélique in Molière's swan-song, the _Malade imaginaire_, perhaps, next to Célimène, her most finished impersonation. * * * * *