The Guermantes Way: III p 247-52

p 247 | A bluestocking is an educated, intellectual woman.Until the late 18th century, the term had referred to learned people of both sexes. However it subsequently was applied primarily to intellectual women, and the French equivalent bas bleu had a similar connotation.

p 250 | MARIE-AMÉLIE (Queen of France; wife of Louis-Philippe, 1782-1866. >>>
p 250 | Conservatoire de Paris : a college of music and dance founded in 1795, 

p 251 | Beauvais tapestry furniture

p 251 | Queen of the Belgians (Louise of Orleans, 1812-50)

p 251 | Francois of Orleans, Prince de Joinville, 1818-1900.

p 252 | Elizabeth, Empress of Austria, 1837-98

p 252 | The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling, which Parisian mobs used to smash the windows of supporters of Cardinal Mazarin.

p 252 | Marie-Félice Orsini, Duchesse de MONTMORENCY (née des Ursins; 1601–66).