an attic philosopher, v1

7/24/2019 An Attic Philosopher, V1

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An "Attic" Philosopher, v1

byEmile Souvestre

This etext was produced by David Widger

[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks or poi!ters at the e!d of the

file for those who may wish to sample the author"s ideas before maki!g a!

e!tire meal of them# D#W#$

%N &%TT'(& )*'+O,O)*E-

./! )hilosophe sous les Toits0

1y E2'+E ,O/3E,T-E

With a )reface by 4O,E)* 1E-T-%ND of the 5re!ch %cademy

1OO6 7#


2/44

E2'+E ,O/3E,T-E

No o!e succeeds i! obtai!i!g a promi!e!t place i! literature or i!

surrou!di!g himself with a faithful a!d steady circle of admirers draw!

from the fickle masses of the public u!less he possesses origi!ality

co!sta!t variety a!d a disti!ct perso!ality# 't is 8uite possible to

gai! for a mome!t a few readers by imitati!g some origi!al feature i!

a!other9 but these soo! va!ish a!d the writer remai!s alo!e a!d

forgotte!# Others agai! without belo!gi!g to a!y disti!ct group of

authors havi!g fou!d their sta!dard i! themselves moralists a!d

educators at the same time have obtai!ed u!dyi!g recog!itio!#

Of the latter class though little k!ow! outside of 5ra!ce is Emile

,ouvestre who was bor! i! 2orlaix %pril 7 7;# *e was the so! of a civil e!gi!eer was educated at the

college of )o!tivy a!d i!te!ded to follow his father"s career by

e!teri!g the )olytech!ic ,chool# *is father however died i! 7;?@ a!d

,ouvestre matriculated as a lawAstude!t at -e!!es# 1ut the you!g stude!t

soo! devoted himself e!tirely to literature# *is first essay a tragedy

"+e ,iege de 2issolo!ghi" .7;?;0 was a pro!ou!ced failure# Dishearte!ed

a!d disgusted he left )aris a!d established himself first as a lawyer i!

2orlaix# The! he became proprietor of a !ewspaper a!d was afterward

appoi!ted a professor i! 1rest a!d i! 2ulhouse# '! 7;@= he co!tributed

to the "-evue des Deux 2o!des" some sketches of life i! 1ritta!y whichobtai!ed a brillia!t success# ,ouvestre was soo! made editor of +a -evue

de )aris a!d i! co!se8ue!ce early fou!d a publisher for his first !ovel

"+"Echelle de 5emmes" which as was the case with his seco!d work

-iche et )auvre" met with a very favorable receptio!# *is reputatio!

was !ow made a!d betwee! this period a!d his death he gave to 5ra!ce

about sixty volumesAAtales !ovels essays history a!d drama#

% double purpose was always very co!spicuous i! his books: he aspired to

the role of a moralist a!d educator a!d was likewise a most impressive

pai!ter of the life character a!d morals of the i!habita!ts of

1ritta!y#

The most sig!ifica!t of his books are perhaps "+es Der!iers 1reto!s

.7;@A7;@B > vols#0 )ierre +a!dais .7;>@ ? vols#0 +e 5oyer 1reto!

.7;>> ? vols#0 /! )hilosophe so!s les Toits crow!ed by the %cademy


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.7;09 also +a 1retag!e )ittores8ue .7;>0

a!d fi!ally (auseries *istori8ues et +itteraires .7;> ? vols#0"# *is

comedies deserve ho!orable me!tio!: "*e!ri *ameli! +"O!cle 1aptiste

.7;>?0 +a )arisie!!e +e 2ousse etc"# '! 7;>; ,ouvestre was appoi!ted

professor of the !ewly created school of admi!istratio! mostly devoted

to popular lectures# *e held this post till 7;@ lecturi!g partly i!

)aris partly i! ,witCerla!d#

*is death whe! comparatively you!g left a disti!ct gap i! the literary

world# % life like his could !ot be exti!guished without ge!eral sorrow#

%lthough he was u!duly modest a!d !ever aspired to the role of a beaco!A

light i! literature always seeki!g to remai! i! obscurity the works of

Emile ,ouvestre must be placed i! the first ra!k by their morality a!d by

their i!structive character# They will always comma!d the e!tire respecta!d applause of ma!ki!d# %!d thus it happe!s that like ma!y others he

was o!ly fully appreciated after his death#

Eve! those of his "co!freres" who did !ot seem to esteem him whe! alive

sudde!ly fou!d out that they had experie!ced a great loss i! his demise#

They expressed it i! emotio!al pa!egyrcs9 co!tempora!eous literature

discovered that virtue had flow! from its bosom a!d the 5re!ch %cademy

which had at its proper time crow!ed his ")hilosophe so!s les Toits" as a

work co!tributi!g supremely to morals kept his memory gree! by bestowi!g

o! his widow the &)rix +ambert& desig!ed for the &families of authorswho by their i!tegrity a!d by the probity of their efforts have well

deserved this toke! from the -epubli8ue des +ettres#&

4O,E)* 1E-T-%ND

de "%cademie 5ra!caise#

%N &%TT'(& )*'+O,O)*E-

(*%)TE- '

NEWAE%-", '5T,


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4a!uary 7st

The day of the mo!th came i!to my mi!d as soo! as ' awoke# %!other year

is separated from the chai! of ages a!d drops i!to the gulf of the pastF

The crowd haste! to welcome her you!g sister# 1ut while all looks are

tur!ed toward the future mi!e revert to the past# Everyo!e smiles upo!

the !ew 8uee!9 but i! spite of myself ' thi!k of her whom time has Gust

wrapped i! her wi!di!gAsheet# The past yearFAAat least ' k!ow what she

was a!d what she has give! me9 while this o!e comes surrou!ded by all

the forebodi!gs of the u!k!ow!# What does she hide i! the clouds that

ma!tle herH 's it the storm or the su!shi!eH 4ust !ow it rai!s a!d '

feel my mi!d as gloomy as the sky# ' have a holiday today9 but what ca!

o!e do o! a rai!y dayH ' walk up a!d dow! my attic out of temper a!d '

determi!e to light my fire#

/!fortu!ately the matches are bad the chim!ey smokes the wood goes outF

' throw dow! my bellows i! disgust a!d si!k i!to my old armchair#

'! truth why should ' reGoice to see the birth of a !ew yearH %ll those

who are already i! the streets with holiday looks a!d smili!g facesAAdo

they u!dersta!d what makes them so gayH Do they eve! k!ow what is the

mea!i!g of this holiday or whe!ce comes the custom of NewAear"s giftsH

*ere my mi!d pauses to prove to itself its superiority over that of thevulgar# ' make a pare!thesis i! my illAtemper i! favor of my va!ity a!d

' bri!g together all the evide!ce which my k!owledge ca! produce#

.The old -oma!s divided the year i!to te! mo!ths o!ly9 it was Numa

)ompilius who added 4a!uary a!d 5ebruary# The former took its !ame from

4a!us to whom it was dedicated# %s it ope!ed the !ew year they

surrou!ded its begi!!i!g with good ome!s a!d the!ce came the custom of

visits betwee! !eighbors of wishi!g happi!ess a!d of NewAear"s gifts#

The prese!ts give! by the -oma!s were symbolic# They co!sisted of dry

figs dates ho!eycomb as emblems of &the sweet!ess of the auspices

u!der which the year should begi! its course& a!d a small piece of mo!ey

called stips which foreboded riches#0

*ere ' close the pare!thesis a!d retur! to my illAhumor# The little

speech ' have Gust addressed to myself has restored me my selfA


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satisfactio! but made me more dissatisfied with others# ' could !ow

e!Goy my breakfast9 but the portress has forgotte! my mor!i!g"s milk a!d

the pot of preserves is emptyF %!yo!e else would have bee! vexed: as for

me ' affect the most supreme i!differe!ce# There remai!s a hard crust

which ' break by mai! stre!gth a!d which ' carelessly !ibble as a ma!

far above the va!ities of the world a!d of fresh rolls#

*owever ' do !ot k!ow why my thoughts should grow more gloomy by reaso!

of the difficulties of masticatio!# ' o!ce read the story of a!

E!glishma! who ha!ged himself because they had brought him his tea

without sugar# There are hours i! life whe! the most trifli!g cross

takes the form of a calamity# Our tempers are like a! operaAglass which

makes the obGect small or great accordi!g to the e!d you look through#

/sually the prospect that ope!s out before my wi!dow delights me# 't isa mou!tai!Ara!ge of roofs with ridges crossi!g i!terlaci!g a!d piled

o! o!e a!other a!d upo! which tall chim!eys raise their peaks# 't was

but yesterday that they had a! %lpi!e aspect to me a!d ' waited for the

first s!owstorm to see glaciers amo!g them9 toAday ' o!ly see tiles a!d

sto!e flues# The pigeo!s which assisted my rural illusio!s seem !o

more tha! miserable birds which have mistake! the roof for the back yard9

the smoke which rises i! light clouds i!stead of maki!g me dream of the

pa!ti!g of 3esuvius remi!ds me of kitche! preparatio!s a!d dishwater9

a!d lastly the telegraph that ' see far off o! the old tower of

2o!tmartre has the effect of a vile gallows stretchi!g its arms over thecity#

2y eyes thus hurt by all they meet fall upo! the great ma!"s house

which faces my attic#

The i!flue!ce of NewAear"s Day is visible there# The serva!ts have a!

air of eager!ess proportio!ed to the value of their NewAear"s gifts

received or expected# ' see the master of the house crossi!g the court

with the morose look of a ma! who is forced to be ge!erous9 a!d the

visitors i!crease followed by shop porters who carry flowers ba!dboxes

or toys# ,udde!ly the great gates are ope!ed a!d a !ew carriage draw!

by thoroughbred horses draws up before the doorsteps# They are without

doubt the NewAear"s gift prese!ted to the mistress of the house by her

husba!d9 for she comes herself to look at the !ew e8uipage# 3ery soo!

she gets i!to it with a little girl all streami!g with laces feathers


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a!d velvets a!d loaded with parcels which she goes to distribute as NewA

ear"s gifts# The door is shut the wi!dows are draw! up the carriage

sets off#

Thus all the world are excha!gi!g good wishes a!d prese!ts toAday# '

alo!e have !othi!g to give or to receive# )oor ,olitaryF ' do !ot eve!

k!ow o!e chose! bei!g for whom ' might offer a prayer#

The! let my wishes for a happy New ear go a!d seek out all my u!k!ow!

frie!dsAAlost i! the multitude which murmurs like the ocea! at my feetF

To you first hermits i! cities for whom death a!d poverty have created

a solitude i! the midst of the crowdF u!happy laborers who are

co!dem!ed to toil i! mela!choly a!d eat your daily bread i! sile!ce a!d

desertio! a!d whom od has withdraw! from the i!toxicati!g pa!gs of lovea!d frie!dshipF

To you fo!d dreamers who pass through life with your eyes tur!ed toward

some polar star while you tread with i!differe!ce over the rich harvests

of realityF

To you ho!est fathers who le!gthe! out the eve!i!g to mai!tai! your

familiesF to you poor widows weepi!g a!d worki!g by a cradleF to you

you!g me! resolutely set to ope! for yourselves a path i! life large

e!ough to lead through it the wife of your choiceF to you all bravesoldiers of work a!d of selfAsacrificeF

To you lastly whatever your title a!d your !ame who love good who

pity the sufferi!g9 who walk through the world like the symbolical 3irgi!

of 1yCa!tium with both arms ope! to the huma! raceF

*ere ' am sudde!ly i!terrupted by loud a!d i!creasi!g chirpi!gs# ' look

about me: my wi!dow is surrou!ded with sparrows picki!g up the crumbs of

bread which i! my brow! study ' had Gust scattered o! the roof# %t this

sight a flash of light broke upo! my sadde!ed heart# ' deceived myself

Gust !ow whe! ' complai!ed that ' had !othi!g to give: tha!ks to me the

sparrows of this part of the tow! will have their NewAear"s giftsF

Twelve o"clock#AA% k!ock at my door9 a poor girl comes i! a!d greets me

by !ame# %t first ' do !ot recollect her9 but she looks at me a!d


7/44

smiles# %hF it is )auletteF 1ut it is almost a year si!ce ' have see!

her a!d )aulette is !o lo!ger the same: the other day she was a child

!ow she is almost a you!g woma!#

)aulette is thi! pale a!d miserably clad9 but she has always the same

ope! a!d straightforward lookAAthe same mouth smili!g at every word as

if to court your sympathyAAthe same voice somewhat timid yet expressi!g

fo!d!ess# )aulette is !ot prettyAAshe is eve! thought plai!9 as for me

' thi!k her charmi!g# )erhaps that is !ot o! her accou!t but o! my ow!#

)aulette appears to me as o!e of my happiest recollectio!s#

't was the eve!i!g of a public holiday# Our pri!cipal buildi!gs were

illumi!ated with festoo!s of fire a thousa!d flags waved i! the !ight

wi!ds a!d the fireworks had Gust shot forth their spouts of flame i!to

the midst of the (hamp de 2ars# ,udde!ly o!e of those u!accou!tablealarms which strike a multitude with pa!ic fell upo! the de!se crowd:

they cry out they rush o! headlo!g9 the weaker o!es fall a!d the

frighte!ed crowd tramples them dow! i! its co!vulsive struggles# '

escaped from the co!fusio! by a miracle a!d was haste!i!g away whe! the

cries of a perishi!g child arrested me: ' ree!tered that huma! chaos

a!d after u!heardAof exertio!s ' brought )aulette out of it at the

peril of my life#

That was two years ago: si!ce the! ' had !ot see! the child agai! but at

lo!g i!tervals a!d ' had almost forgotte! her9 but )aulette"s memory wasthat of a grateful heart a!d she came at the begi!!i!g of the year to

offer me her wishes for my happi!ess# ,he brought me besides a

wallflower i! full bloom9 she herself had pla!ted a!d reared it: it was

somethi!g that belo!ged wholly to herself9 for it was by her care her

persevera!ce a!d her patie!ce that she had obtai!ed it#

The wallflower had grow! i! a commo! pot9 but )aulette who is a ba!dboxA

maker had put it i!to a case of var!ished paper or!ame!ted with

arabes8ues# These might have bee! i! better taste but ' did !ot feel

the atte!tio! a!d goodAwill the less#

This u!expected prese!t the little girl"s modest blushes the

complime!ts she stammered out dispelled as by a su!beam the ki!d of

mist which had gathered rou!d my mi!d9 my thoughts sudde!ly cha!ged from

the leade! ti!ts of eve!i!g to the brightest colors of daw!# ' made


8/44

)aulette sit dow! a!d 8uestio!ed her with a light heart#

%t first the little girl replied i! mo!osyllables9 but very soo! the

tables were tur!ed a!d it was ' who i!terrupted with short i!terGectio!s

her lo!g a!d co!fide!tial talk# The poor child leads a hard life# ,he

was left a! orpha! lo!g si!ce with a brother a!d sister a!d lives with

a! old gra!dmother who has &brought them up to poverty& as she always

calls it#

*owever )aulette !ow helps her to make ba!dboxes her little sister

)erri!e begi!s to use the !eedle a!d her brother *e!ry is appre!tice to

a pri!ter# %ll would go well if it were !ot for losses a!d wa!t of work

AAif it were !ot for clothes which wear out for appetites which grow

larger a!d for the wi!ter whe! you ca!!ot get su!shi!e for !othi!g#

)aulette complai!s that her ca!dles go too 8uickly a!d that her woodcosts too much# The fireplace i! their garret is so large that a fagot

makes !o more show i! it tha! a match9 it is so !ear the roof that the

wi!d blows the rai! dow! it a!d i! wi!ter it hails upo! the hearth9 so

they have left off usi!g it# *e!ceforth they must be co!te!t with a!

earthe! chafi!gAdish upo! which they cook their meals# The gra!dmother

had ofte! spoke! of a stove that was for sale at the broker"s close by9

but he asked seve! fra!cs for it a!d the times are too hard for such a!

expe!se: the family therefore resig! themselves to cold for eco!omyF

%s )aulette spoke ' felt more a!d more that ' was losi!g my fretful!essa!d low spirits# The first disclosures of the little ba!dboxAmaker

created withi! me a wish that soo! became a pla!# ' 8uestio!ed her about

her daily occupatio!s a!d she i!formed me that o! leavi!g me she must

go with her brother her sister a!d gra!dmother to the differe!t

people for whom they work# 2y pla! was immediately settled# ' told the

child that ' would go to see her i! the eve!i!g a!d ' se!t her away with

fresh tha!ks#

' placed the wallflower i! the ope! wi!dow where a ray of su!shi!e bid

it welcome9 the birds were si!gi!g arou!d the sky had cleared up a!d

the day which bega! so loweri!gly had become bright# ' sa!g as ' moved

about my room a!d havi!g hastily put o! my hat a!d coat ' we!t out#

Three o"clock#AA%ll is settled with my !eighbor the chim!eyAdoctor9

he will repair my old stove a!d a!swers for its bei!g as good as !ew#


9/44

%t five o"clock we are to set out a!d put it up i! )aulette"s

gra!dmother"s room#

2id!ight#AA%ll has go!e off well# %t the hour agreed upo! ' was at the

old ba!dboxAmaker"s9 she was still out# 2y )iedmo!tese

['! )aris a chim!eyAsweeper is !amed &)iedmo!tese& or &,avoyard&

as they usually come from that cou!try#$

fixed the stove while ' arra!ged a doCe! logs i! the great fireplace

take! from my wi!ter stock# ' shall make up for them by warmi!g myself

with walki!g or by goi!g to bed earlier#

2y heart beat at every step that was heard o! the staircase9 ' trembled

lest they should i!terrupt me i! my preparatio!s a!d should thus spoilmy i!te!ded surprise# 1ut !oFAAsee everythi!g ready: the lighted stove

murmurs ge!tly the little lamp bur!s upo! the table a!d a bottle of oil

for it is provided o! the shelf# The chim!eyAdoctor is go!e# Now my

fear lest they should come is cha!ged i!to impatie!ce at their !ot

comi!g# %t last ' hear childre!"s voices9 here they are: they push ope!

the door a!d rush i!AAbut they all stop i! asto!ishme!t#

%t the sight of the lamp the stove a!d the visitor who sta!ds there

like a magicia! i! the midst of these wo!ders they draw back almost

frighte!ed# )aulette is the first to comprehe!d it a!d the arrival ofthe gra!dmother who is more slowly mou!ti!g the stairs fi!ishes the

expla!atio!# The! come tears ecstasies tha!ksF

1ut the wo!ders are !ot yet e!ded# The little sister ope!s the ove! a!d

discovers some chest!uts Gust roasted9 the gra!dmother puts her ha!d o!

the bottles of cider arra!ged o! the dresser9 a!d ' draw forth from the

basket that ' have hidde! a cold to!gue a pot of butter a!d some fresh

rolls#

Now their wo!der tur!s i!to admiratio!9 the little family have !ever see!

such a feastF They lay the cloth they sit dow! they eat9 it is a

complete ba!8uet for all a!d each co!tributes his share to it# ' had

brought o!ly the supper: a!d the ba!dboxAmaker a!d her childre! supplied

the e!Goyme!t#


10/44

What bursts of laughter at !othi!gF What a hubbub of 8uestio!s which

waited for !o reply of replies which a!swered !o 8uestio!F The old

woma! herself shared i! the wild merrime!t of the little o!esF ' have

always bee! struck at the ease with which the poor forget their

wretched!ess# 1ei!g used to live o!ly for the prese!t they make a gai!

of every pleasure as soo! as it offers itself# 1ut the surfeited rich

are more difficult to satisfy: they re8uire time a!d everythi!g to suit

before they will co!se!t to be happy#

The eve!i!g has passed like a mome!t# The old woma! told me the history

of her life sometimes smili!g sometimes dryi!g her eyes# )erri!e sa!g

a! old ballad with her fresh you!g voice# *e!ry told us what he k!ows of

the great writers of the day to whom he has to carry their proofs# %t

last we were obliged to separate !ot without fresh tha!ks o! the part of

the happy family#

' have come home slowly rumi!ati!g with a full heart a!d pure

e!Goyme!t o! the simple eve!ts of my eve!i!g# 't has give! me much

comfort a!d much i!structio!# Now !o NewAear"s Day will come amiss to

me9 ' k!ow that !o o!e is so u!happy as to have !othi!g to give a!d

!othi!g to receive#

%s ' came i! ' met my rich !eighbor"s !ew e8uipage# ,he too had Gust

retur!ed from her eve!i!g"s party9 a!d as she spra!g from the carriageA

step with feverish impatie!ce ' heard her murmur &%t lastF&

' whe! ' left )aulette"s family said &,o soo!F&

(*%)TE- ''

T*E (%-N'3%+

5ebruary ?


11/44

(hristia!ity has !ot bee! able to abolish the !oisy baccha!alia!

festivals of the paga! times but it has cha!ged the !ames# That which

it has give! to these &days of liberty& a!!ou!ces the e!di!g of the

feasts a!d the mo!th of fasti!g which should follow9 car!Aival mea!sliterally &farewell to fleshF& 't is a forty days" farewell to the

&blessed pullets a!d fat hams& so celebrated by )a!tagruel"s mi!strel#

2a! prepares for privatio! by satiety a!d fi!ishes his si! thoroughly

before he begi!s to repe!t#

Why i! all ages a!d amo!g every people do we meet with some o!e of

these mad festivalsH 2ust we believe that it re8uires such a! effort for

me! to be reaso!able that the weaker o!es have !eed of rest at

i!tervalsH The mo!ks of +a Trappe who are co!dem!ed to sile!ce by their

rule are allowed to speak o!ce i! a mo!th a!d o! this day they all talk

at o!ce from the risi!g to the setti!g of the su!#

)erhaps it is the same i! the world# %s we are obliged all the year to

be dece!t orderly a!d reaso!able we make up for such a lo!g restrai!t

duri!g the (ar!ival# 't is a door ope!ed to the i!co!gruous fa!cies a!d

wishes that have hitherto bee! crowded back i!to a cor!er of our brai!#

5or a mome!t the slaves become the masters as i! the days of the

,atur!alia a!d all is give! up to the &fools of the family#&

The shouts i! the s8uare redouble9 the troops of masks i!creaseAAo! foot

i! carriages a!d o! horseback# 't is !ow who ca! attract the most

atte!tio! by maki!g a figure for a few hours or by exciti!g curiosity

or e!vy9 toAmorrow they will all retur! dull a!d exhausted to the

employme!ts a!d troubles of yesterday#

%lasF thought ' with vexatio! each of us is like these mas8ueraders9

our whole life is ofte! but a! u!sightly (ar!ivalF %!d yet ma! has !eed

of holidays to relax his mi!d rest his body a!d ope! his heart# (a!

he !ot have them the! with these coarse pleasuresH Eco!omists havebee! lo!g i!8uiri!g what is the best disposal of the i!dustry of the

huma! race# %hF if ' could o!ly discover the best disposal of its

leisureF 't is easy e!ough to fi!d it work9 but who will fi!d it

relaxatio!H Work supplies the daily bread9 but it is cheerful!ess that

gives it a relish# O philosophersF go i! 8uest of pleasureF fi!d us

amuseme!ts without brutality e!Goyme!ts without selfish!ess9 i! a word


12/44

i!ve!t a (ar!ival that will please everybody a!d bri!g shame to !o o!e#

Three o"clock#AA' have Gust shut my wi!dow a!d stirred up my fire# %s

this is a holiday for everybody ' will make it o!e for myself too# ,o' light the little lamp over which o! gra!d occasio!s ' make a cup of

the coffee that my portress"s so! brought from the +eva!t a!d ' look i!

my bookcase for o!e of my favorite authors#

5irst here is the amusi!g parso! of 2eudo!9 but his characters are too

fo!d of talki!g sla!g:AA3oltaire9 but he dishearte!s me! by always

ba!teri!g them:AA2oliere9 but he hi!ders o!e"s laughter by maki!g o!e

thi!k:AA+esage9 let us stop at him# 1ei!g profou!d rather tha! grave he

preaches virtue while ridiculi!g vice9 if bitter!ess is sometimes to be

fou!d i! his writi!gs it is always i! the garb of mirth: he sees the

miseries of the world without despisi!g it a!d k!ows its cowardly tricks

without hati!g it#

+et us call up all the heroes of his book#### il 1las 5abrice

,a!grado the %rchbishop of ra!ada the Duke of +erma %urora ,cipioF

e gay or graceful figures rise before my eyes people my solitude9

bri!g hither for my amuseme!t the worldAcar!ival of which you are the

brillia!t maskersF

/!fortu!ately at the very mome!t ' made this i!vocatio! ' recollected

' had a letter to write which could !ot be put off# O!e of my attic

!eighbors came yesterday to ask me to do it# *e is a cheerful old ma!

a!d has a passio! for pictures a!d pri!ts# *e comes home almost every

day with a drawi!g or pai!ti!gAAprobably of little value9 for ' k!ow he

lives pe!uriously a!d eve! the letter that ' am to write for him shows

his poverty# *is o!ly so! who was married i! E!gla!d is Gust dead a!d

his widowAAleft without a!y mea!s a!d with a! old mother a!d a childAA

had writte! to beg for a home# 2# %!toi!e asked me first to tra!slate

the letter a!d the! to write a refusal# ' had promised that he shouldhave this a!swer toAday: before everythi!g let us fulfil our promises#

The sheet of &1ath& paper is before me ' have dipped my pe! i!to the

i!k a!d ' rub my forehead to i!vite forth a sally of ideas whe! '

perceive that ' have !ot my dictio!ary# Now a )arisia! who would speak

E!glish without a dictio!ary is like a child without leadi!gAstri!gs9 the


13/44

grou!d trembles u!der him a!d he stumbles at the first step# ' ru! the!

to the bookbi!der"s where ' left my 4oh!so! who lives close by i! the

s8uare#

The door is half ope!9 ' hear low groa!s9 ' e!ter without k!ocki!ga!d ' see the bookbi!der by the bedside of his fellowAlodger# This

latter has a viole!t fever a!d delirium# )ierre looks at him perplexed

a!d out of humor# ' lear! from him that his comrade was !ot able to get

up i! the mor!i!g a!d that si!ce the! he has become worse every hour#

' ask whether they have se!t for a doctor#

&Oh yes i!deedF& replied )ierre roughly9 &o!e must have mo!ey i!

o!e"s pocket for that a!d this fellow has o!ly debts i!stead of

savi!gs#&

&1ut you& said ' rather asto!ished9 &are you !ot his frie!dH&

&5rie!dF& i!terrupted the bookbi!der# &es as much as the shaftAhorse

is frie!d to the leaderAAo! co!ditio! that each will take his share of

the draught a!d eat his feed by himself#&

&ou do !ot i!te!d however to leave him without a!y helpH&

&1ahF he may keep i! his bed till toAmorrow as '"m goi!g to the ball#&

&ou mea! to leave him alo!eH&

&WellF must ' miss a party of pleasure at (ourtvilleAA[% )arisia! summer

resort#$AAbecause this fellow is lightheadedH& asked )ierre sharply#

&' have promised to meet some frie!ds at old Des!oyer"s# Those who are

sick may take their broth9 my physic is white wi!e#&

,o sayi!g he u!tied a bu!dle out of which he took the fa!cy costume ofa waterma! a!d proceeded to dress himself i! it#

'! vai! ' tried to awake! some fellowAfeeli!g for the u!fortu!ate ma! who

lay groa!i!g there close by him9 bei!g e!tirely take! up with the

thoughts of his expected pleasure )ierre would hardly so much as hear

me# %t last his coarse selfish!ess provoked me# ' bega! reproachi!g


14/44

i!stead of remo!strati!g with him a!d ' declared him respo!sible for the

co!se8ue!ces which such a desertio! must bri!g upo! the sick ma!#

%t this the bookbi!der who was Gust goi!g stopped with a! oath a!d

stamped his foot# &%m ' to spe!d my (ar!ival i! heati!g water forfootbaths prayH&

&ou must !ot leave your comrade to die without helpF& ' replied#

&+et him go to the hospital the!F&

&*ow ca! he by himselfH&

)ierre seemed to make up his mi!d#

&Well '"m goi!g to take him& resumed he9 &besides ' shall get rid of

him soo!er# (ome get up comradeF& *e shook his comrade who had !ot

take! off his clothes# ' observed that he was too weak to walk but the

bookbi!der would !ot liste!: he made him get up a!d half dragged half

supported him to the lodge of the porter who ra! for a hack!ey carriage#

' saw the sick ma! get i!to it almost fai!ti!g with the impatie!t

waterma!9 a!d they both set off o!e perhaps to die the other to di!e at

(ourtville arde!sF

,ix o"clock#AA' have bee! to k!ock at my !eighbor"s door who ope!ed it

himself9 a!d ' have give! him his letter fi!ished at last a!d directed

to his so!"s widow# 2# %!toi!e tha!ked me gratefully a!d made me sit

dow!#

't was the first time ' had bee! i!to the attic of the old amateur#

(urtai!s stai!ed with damp a!d ha!gi!g dow! i! rags a cold stove a bed

of straw two broke! chairs composed all the fur!iture# %t the e!d of

the room were a great !umber of pri!ts i! a heap a!d pai!ti!gs withoutframes tur!ed agai!st the wall#

%t the mome!t ' came i! the old ma! was maki!g his di!!er o! some hard

crusts of bread which he was soaki!g i! a glass of "eau sucree"# *e

perceived that my eyes fell upo! his hermit fare a!d he looked a little

ashamed#


15/44

&There is !othi!g to tempt you i! my supper !eighbor& said he with a

smile#

' replied that at least ' thought it a very philosophical o!e for the(ar!ival#

2# %!toi!e shook his head a!d we!t o! agai! with his supper#

&Every o!e keeps his holidays i! his ow! way& resumed he begi!!i!g

agai! to dip a crust i!to his glass# &There are several sorts of

epicures a!d !ot all feasts are mea!t to regale the palate9 there are

some also for the ears a!d the eyes#&

' looked i!volu!tarily rou!d me as if to seek for the i!visible ba!8uet

which could make up to him for such a supper#

Without doubt he u!derstood me9 for he got up slowly a!d with the

magisterial air of a ma! co!fide!t i! what he is about to do he rummaged

behi!d several picture frames drew forth a pai!ti!g over which he

passed his ha!d a!d sile!tly placed it u!der the light of the lamp#

't represe!ted a fi!eAlooki!g old ma! seated at table with his wife his

daughter a!d his childre! a!d si!gi!g to the accompa!ime!t of musicia!s

who appeared i! the backgrou!d# %t first sight ' recog!iCed the subGect

which ' had ofte! admired at the +ouvre a!d ' declared it to be a

sple!did copy of 4ordae!s#

&% copyF& cried 2# %!toi!e9 &say a! origi!al !eighbor a!d a! origi!al

retouched by -ube!sF +ook closer at the head of the old ma! the dress

of the you!g woma! a!d the accessories# O!e ca! cou!t the pe!cilA

strokes of the *ercules of pai!ters# 't is !ot o!ly a masterpiece sir9

it is a treasureAAa relicF The picture at the +ouvre may be a pearl

this is a diamo!dF&

%!d resti!g it agai!st the stove so as to place it i! the best light

he fell agai! to soaki!g his crusts without taki!g his eyes off the

wo!derful picture# O!e would have said that the sight of it gave the

crusts a! u!expected relish for he chewed them slowly a!d emptied his

glass by little sips# *is shrivelled features became smooth his


16/44

!ostrils expa!ded9 it was i!deed as he said himself &a feast for the

eyes#&

&ou see that ' also have my treat& he resumed !oddi!g his head with a!

air of triumph# &Others may ru! after di!!ers a!d balls9 as for me thisis the pleasure ' give myself for my (ar!ival#&

&1ut if this pai!ti!g is really so precious& replied ' &it ought to be

worth a high price#&

&EhF ehF& said 2# %!toi!e with a! air of proud i!differe!ce# &'! good

times a good Gudge might value it at somewhere about twe!ty thousa!d

fra!cs#&

' started back#

&%!d you have bought itH& cried '#

&5or !othi!g& replied he loweri!g his voice# &These brokers are asses9

mi!e mistook this for a stude!t"s copy9 he let me have it for fifty

louis ready mo!eyF This mor!i!g ' took them to him a!d !ow he wishes

to be off the bargai!#&

&This mor!i!gF& repeated ' i!volu!tarily casti!g my eyes o! the letter

co!tai!i!g the refusal that 2# %!toi!e had made me write to his so!"s

widow which was still o! the little table#

*e took !o !otice of my exclamatio! a!d we!t o! co!templati!g the work

of 4ordae!s i! a! ecstasy#

&What a k!owledge of chiaroscuroF& he murmured biti!g his last crust i!

delight# &What reliefF what fireF Where ca! o!e fi!d such tra!spare!cy

of colorF such magical lightsF such forceF such !atureF&

%s ' was liste!i!g to him i! sile!ce he mistook my asto!ishme!t for

admiratio! a!d clapped me o! the shoulder#

&ou are daCCled& said he merrily9 &you did !ot expect such a treasureF

What do you say to the bargai! ' have madeH&


17/44

&)ardo! me& replied ' gravely9 &but ' thi!k you might have do!e

better#&

2# %!toi!e raised his head#

&*owF& cried he9 &do you take me for a ma! likely to be deceived about

the merit or value of a pai!ti!gH&

&' !either doubt your taste !or your skill9 but ' ca!!ot help thi!ki!g

that for the price of this picture of a family party you might have

hadAA&

&What the!H&

&The family itself sir#&

The old amateur cast a look at me !ot of a!ger but of co!tempt#

'! his eyes ' had evide!tly Gust proved myself a barbaria! i!capable of

u!dersta!di!g the arts a!d u!worthy of e!Goyi!g them# *e got up without

a!sweri!g me hastily took up the 4ordae!s a!d replaced it i! its

hidi!gAplace behi!d the pri!ts#

't was a sort of dismissal9 ' took leave of him a!d we!t away#

,eve! o"clock#AAWhe! ' come i! agai! ' fi!d my water boili!g over my

lamp a!d ' busy myself i! gri!di!g my 2ocha a!d setti!g out my coffeeA

thi!gs#

The getti!g coffee ready is the most delicate a!d most attractive of

domestic operatio!s to o!e who lives alo!e: it is the gra!d work of a

bachelor"s housekeepi!g#

(offee is so to say Gust the midApoi!t betwee! bodily a!d spiritual!ourishme!t# 't acts agreeably a!d at the same time upo! the se!ses

a!d the thoughts# 'ts very fragra!ce gives a sort of delightful activity

to the wits9 it is a ge!ius that le!ds wi!gs to our fa!cy a!d tra!sports

it to the la!d of the %rabia! Nights#

Whe! ' am buried i! my old easyAchair my feet o! the fe!der before a


18/44

blaCi!g fire my ear soothed by the si!gi!g of the coffeeApot which

seems to gossip with my fireAiro!s the se!se of smell ge!tly excited by

the aroma of the %rabia! bea! a!d my eyes shaded by my cap pulled dow!

over them it ofte! seems as if each cloud of the fragra!t steam took a

disti!ct form# %s i! the mirages of the desert i! each as it rises 'see some image of which my mi!d had bee! lo!gi!g for the reality#

%t first the vapor i!creases a!d its color deepe!s# ' see a cottage o!

a hillside: behi!d is a garde! shut i! by a whitethor! hedge a!d through

the garde! ru!s a brook o! the ba!ks of which ' hear the bees hummi!g#

The! the view ope!s still more# ,ee those fields pla!ted with appleA

trees i! which ' ca! disti!guish a plough a!d horses waiti!g for their

masterF 5arther o! i! a part of the wood which ri!gs with the sou!d of

the axe ' perceive the woodsma!"s hut roofed with turf a!d bra!ches9

a!d i! the midst of all these rural pictures ' seem to see a figure of

myself glidi!g about# 't is my ghost walki!g i! my dreamF

The bubbli!g of the water ready to boil over compels me to break off my

meditatio!s i! order to fill up the coffeeApot# ' the! remember that '

have !o cream9 ' take my ti! ca! off the hook a!d go dow! to the

milkwoma!"s#

2other De!is is a hale cou!trywoma! from ,avoy which she left whe! 8uite

you!g9 a!d co!trary to the custom of the ,avoyards she has !ot go!e

back to it agai!# ,he has !either husba!d !or child !otwithsta!di!g the

title they give her9 but her ki!d!ess which !ever sleeps makes her

worthy of the !ame of mother#

% brave creatureF +eft by herself i! the battle of life she makes good

her humble place i! it by worki!g si!gi!g helpi!g others a!d leavi!g

the rest to od#

%t the door of the milkAshop ' hear loud bursts of laughter# '! o!e ofthe cor!ers of the shop three childre! are sitti!g o! the grou!d# They

wear the sooty dress of ,avoyard boys a!d i! their ha!ds they hold large

slices of bread a!d cheese# The you!gest is besmeared up to the eyes

with his a!d that is the reaso! of their mirth#

2other De!is poi!ts them out to me#


19/44

&+ook at the little lambs how they e!Goy themselvesF& said she putti!g

her ha!d o! the head of the little glutto!#

&*e has had !o breakfast& puts i! o!e of the others by way of excuse#

&)oor little thi!g& said the milkwoma!9 &he is left alo!e i! the streets

of )aris where he ca! fi!d !o other father tha! the %llAgood odF&

&%!d that is why you make yourself a mother to themH& ' replied ge!tly#

&What ' do is little e!ough& said 2other De!is measuri!g out my milk9

&but every day ' get some of them together out of the street that for

o!ce they may have e!ough to eat# Dear childre!F their mothers will make

up for it i! heave!# Not to me!tio! that they recall my !ative mou!tai!s

to me: whe! they si!g a!d da!ce ' seem to see our old father agai!#&

*ere her eyes filled with tears#

&,o you are repaid by your recollectio!s for the good you do themH&

resumed '#

&esF yesF& said she &a!d by their happi!ess tooF The laughter of

these little o!es sir is like a bird"s so!g9 it makes you gay a!d

gives you heart to live#&

%s she spoke she cut some fresh slices of bread a!d cheese a!d added

some apples a!d a ha!dful of !uts to them#

&(ome my little dears& she cried &put these i!to your pockets agai!st

toAmorrow#&

The! tur!i!g to me:

&ToAday ' am rui!i!g myself& added she9 &but we must all have our

(ar!ival#&

' came away without sayi!g a word: ' was too much affected#

%t last ' have discovered what true pleasure is# %fter beholdi!g the


20/44

egotism of se!suality a!d of i!tellect ' have fou!d the happy selfA

sacrifice of good!ess# )ierre 2# %!toi!e a!d 2other De!is had all kept

their (ar!ival9 but for the first two it was o!ly a feast for the se!ses

or the mi!d9 while for the third it was a feast for the heart#

(*%)TE- '''

W*%T WE 2% +E%-N 1 +OO6'N O/T O5 W'NDOW

2arch @d

% poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have

compared it to a !ight of feverF What alter!ate fits of restless!ess a!d

sleepF what discomfortF what sudde! startsF what everAretur!i!g thirstF

what a chaos of mour!ful a!d co!fused fa!ciesF We ca! !either sleep !or

wake9 we seek i! vai! for repose a!d we stop short o! the bri!k of

actio!# Two thirds of huma! existe!ce are wasted i! hesitatio! a!d the

last third i! repe!ti!g#

Whe! ' say huma! existe!ce ' mea! my ow!F We are so made that each of

us regards himself as the mirror of the commu!ity: what passes i! our

mi!ds i!fallibly seems to us a history of the u!iverse# Every ma! is

like the dru!kard who reports a! earth8uake because he feels himself

staggeri!g#

%!d why am ' u!certai! a!d restlessAA' a poor dayAlaborer i! the worldAA

who fill a! obscure statio! i! a cor!er of it a!d whose work it avails

itself of without heedi!g the workma!H ' will tell you my u!see!

frie!d for whom these li!es are writte!9 my u!k!ow! brother o! whom the

solitary call i! sorrow9 my imagi!ary co!fida!t to whom all mo!ologues

are addressed a!d who is but the shadow of our ow! co!scie!ce#

% great eve!t has happe!ed i! my lifeF % crossroad has sudde!ly ope!ed

i! the middle of the mo!oto!ous way alo!g which ' was travelli!g 8uietly

a!d without thi!ki!g of it# Two roads prese!t themselves a!d ' must

choose betwee! them# O!e is o!ly the co!ti!uatio! of that ' have

followed till !ow9 the other is wider a!d exhibits wo!drous prospects#


21/44

O! the first there is !othi!g to fear but also little to hope9 o! the

other are great da!gers a!d great fortu!e# 1riefly the 8uestio! is

whether ' shall give up the humble office i! which ' thought to die for

o!e of those bold speculatio!s i! which cha!ce alo!e is ba!kerF Ever

si!ce yesterday ' have co!sulted with myself9 ' have compared the two a!d

' remai! u!decided#

Where shall ' fi!d lightAAwho will advise meH

,u!day >th#AA,ee the su! comi!g out from the thick fogs of wi!terF

,pri!g a!!ou!ces its approach9 a soft breeCe skims over the roofs a!d my

wallflower begi!s to blow agai!#

We are !ear that sweet seaso! of fresh gree! of which the poets of thesixtee!th ce!tury sa!g with so much feeli!g:

Now the gladsome mo!th of 2ay

%ll thi!gs !ewly doth array9

5airest lady let me too

'! thy love my life re!ew#

The chirpi!g of the sparrows calls me: they claim the crumbs ' scatter to

them every mor!i!g# ' ope! my wi!dow a!d the prospect of roofs ope!s

out before me i! all its sple!dor#

*e who has lived o!ly o! a first floor has !o idea of the pictures8ue

variety of such a view# *e has !ever co!templated these tileAcolored

heights which i!tersect each other9 he has !ot followed with his eyes

these gutterAvalleys where the fresh verdure of the attic garde!s waves

the deep shadows which eve!i!g spreads over the slated slopes a!d the

sparkli!g of wi!dows which the setti!g su! has ki!dled to a blaCe of

fire# *e has !ot studied the flora of these %lps of civiliCatio!

carpeted by liche!s a!d mosses9 he is !ot ac8uai!ted with the myriad

i!habita!ts that people them from the microscopic i!sect to the domestic

catAAthat rey!ard of the roofs who is always o! the prowl or i! ambush9

he has !ot wit!essed the thousa!d aspects of a clear or a cloudy sky9 !or

the thousa!d effects of light that make these upper regio!s a theatre

with everAcha!gi!g sce!esF *ow ma!y times have my days of leisure passed

away i! co!templati!g this wo!derful sight9 i! discoveri!g its darker or


22/44

brighter episodes9 i! seeki!g i! short i! this u!k!ow! world for the

impressio!s of travel that wealthy tourists look for lowerF

Ni!e o"clock#AA1ut why the! have !ot my wi!ged !eighbors picked up thecrumbs ' have scattered for them before my wi!dowH ' see them fly away

come back perch upo! the ledges of the wi!dows a!d chirp at the sight

of the feast they are usually so ready to devourF 't is !ot my prese!ce

that frighte!s them9 ' have accustomed them to eat out of my ha!d# The!

why this fearful suspe!seH '! vai! ' look arou!d: the roof is clear the

wi!dows !ear are closed# ' crumble the bread that remai!s from my

breakfast to attract them by a! ampler feast# Their chirpi!gs i!crease

they be!d dow! their heads the boldest approach upo! the wi!g but

without dari!g to alight#

(ome come my sparrows are the victims of o!e of the foolish pa!ics

which make the fu!ds fall at the 1ourseF 't is plai! that birds are !ot

more reaso!able tha! me!F

With this reflectio! ' was about to shut my wi!dow whe! sudde!ly '

perceived i! a spot of su!shi!e o! my right the shadow of two prickedA

up ears9 the! a paw adva!ced the! the head of a tabbyAcat showed itself

at the cor!er of the gutter# The cu!!i!g fellow was lyi!g there i! wait

hopi!g the crumbs would bri!g him some game#

%!d ' had accused my guests of cowardiceF ' was so sure that !o da!ger

could me!ace themF ' thought ' had looked well everywhereF ' had o!ly

forgotte! the cor!er behi!d meF

'! life as o! the roofs how ma!y misfortu!es come from havi!g forgotte!

a si!gle cor!erF

Te! o"clock#AA' ca!!ot leave my wi!dow9 the rai! a!d the cold have keptit shut so lo!g that ' must reco!!oitre all the e!viro!s to be able to

take possessio! of them agai!# 2y eyes search i! successio! all the

poi!ts of the Gumbled a!d co!fused prospect passi!g o! or stoppi!g

accordi!g to what they light upo!#

%hF see the wi!dows upo! which they formerly loved to rest9 they are


23/44

those of two u!k!ow! !eighbors whose differe!t habits they have lo!g

remarked#

O!e is a poor workAwoma! who rises before su!rise a!d whose profile is

shadowed upo! her little musli! wi!dowAcurtai! far i!to the eve!i!g9 theother is a you!g so!gstress whose vocal flourishes sometimes reach my

attic by s!atches# Whe! their wi!dows are ope! that of the workAwoma!

discovers a humble but dece!t abode9 the other a! elega!tly fur!ished

room# 1ut toAday a crowd of tradespeople thro!g the latter: they take

dow! the silk ha!gi!gs a!d carry off the fur!iture a!d ' !ow remember

that the you!g si!ger passed u!der my wi!dow this mor!i!g with her veil

dow! a!d walki!g with the hasty step of o!e who suffers some i!ward

trouble# %hF ' guess it all# *er mea!s are exhausted i! elega!t

fa!cies or have bee! take! away by some u!expected misfortu!e a!d !ow

she has falle! from luxury to i!dige!ce# While the workAwoma! ma!ages

!ot o!ly to keep her little room but also to fur!ish it with dece!t

comfort by her steady toil that of the si!ger is become the property of

brokers# The o!e sparkled for a mome!t o! the wave of prosperity9 the

other sails slowly but safely alo!g the coast of a humble a!d laborious

i!dustry#

%lasF is there !ot here a lesso! for us allH 's it really i! haCardous

experime!ts at the e!d of which we shall meet with wealth or rui! that

the wise ma! should employ his years of stre!gth a!d freedomH Ought he

to co!sider life as a regular employme!t which bri!gs its daily wages

or as a game i! which the future is determi!ed by a few throwsH Why seek

the risk of extreme cha!cesH 5or what e!d haste! to riches by da!gerous

roadsH 's it really certai! that happi!ess is the priCe of brillia!t

successes rather tha! of a wisely accepted povertyH %hF if me! but k!ew

i! what a small dwelli!g Goy ca! live a!d how little it costs to fur!ish

itF

Twelve o"clock#AA' have bee! walki!g up a!d dow! my attic for a lo!gtime with my arms folded a!d my eyes o! the grou!dF 2y doubts i!crease

like shadows e!croachi!g more a!d more o! some bright space9 my fears

multiply9 a!d the u!certai!ty becomes every mome!t more pai!ful to meF

't is !ecessary for me to decide toAday a!d before the eve!i!gF ' hold

the dice of my future fate i! my ha!ds a!d ' dare !ot throw them#


24/44

Three o"clock#AAThe sky has become cloudy a!d a cold wi!d begi!s to blow

from the west9 all the wi!dows which were ope!ed to the su!shi!e of a

beautiful day are shut agai!# O!ly o! the opposite side of the street

the lodger o! the last story has !ot yet left his balco!y#

O!e k!ows him to be a soldier by his regular walk his gray moustaches

a!d the ribbo! that decorates his butto!hole# '!deed o!e might have

guessed as much from the care he takes of the little garde! which is the

or!ame!t of his balco!y i! midAair9 for there are two thi!gs especially

loved by all old soldiersAAflowers a!d childre!# They have bee! so lo!g

obliged to look upo! the earth as a field of battle a!d so lo!g cut off

from the peaceful pleasures of a 8uiet lot that they seem to begi! life

at a! age whe! others e!d it# The tastes of their early years which

were arrested by the ster! duties of war sudde!ly break out agai! with

their white hairs a!d are like the savi!gs of youth which they spe!d

agai! i! old age# 1esides they have bee! co!dem!ed to be destroyers for

so lo!g that perhaps they feel a secret pleasure i! creati!g a!d seei!g

life spri!g up agai!: the beauty of weak!ess has a grace a!d a!

attractio! the more for those who have bee! the age!ts of u!be!di!g

force9 a!d the watchi!g over the frail germs of life has all the charms

of !ovelty for these old workme! of death#

Therefore the cold wi!d has !ot drive! my !eighbor from his balco!y#

*e is diggi!g up the earth i! his gree! boxes a!d carefully sowi!g the

seeds of the scarlet !asturtium co!volvulus a!d sweetApea# *e!ceforth

he will come every day to watch for their first sprouti!g to protect the

you!g shoots from weeds or i!sects to arra!ge the stri!gs for the

te!drils to climb o! a!d carefully to regulate their supply of water a!d

heatF

*ow much labor to bri!g i! the desired harvestF 5or that how ma!y times

shall ' see him brave cold or heat wi!d or su! as he does toAdayF 1ut

the! i! the hot summer days whe! the bli!di!g dust whirls i! cloudsthrough our streets whe! the eye daCCled by the glare of white stucco

k!ows !ot where to rest a!d the glowi!g roofs reflect their heat upo! us

to bur!i!g the old soldier will sit i! his arbor a!d perceive !othi!g

but gree! leaves a!d flowers arou!d him a!d the breeCe will come cool

a!d fresh to him through these perfumed shades# *is assiduous care will

be rewarded at last#


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We must sow the seeds a!d te!d the growth if we would e!Goy the flower#

5our o"clock#AAThe clouds that have bee! gatheri!g i! the horiCo! for alo!g time are become darker9 it thu!ders loudly a!d the rai! pours dow!F

Those who are caught i! it fly i! every directio! some laughi!g a!d some

cryi!g#

' always fi!d particular amuseme!t i! these helterAskelters caused by a

sudde! storm# 't seems as if each o!e whe! thus take! by surprise

loses the factitious character that the world or habit has give! him

a!d appears i! his true colors#

,ee for example that big ma! with deliberate step who sudde!ly forgets

his i!differe!ce made to order a!d ru!s like a schoolboyF *e is a

thrifty city ge!tlema! who with all his fashio!able airs is afraid to

spoil his hat#

That pretty woma! yo!der o! the co!trary whose looks are so modest

a!d whose dress is so elaborate slacke!s her pace with the i!creasi!g

storm# ,he seems to fi!d pleasure i! bravi!g it a!d does !ot thi!k of

her velvet cloak spotted by the hailF ,he is evide!tly a lio!ess i!

sheep"s clothi!g#

*ere a you!g ma! who was passi!g stops to catch some of the hailsto!es

i! his ha!d a!d exami!es them# 1y his 8uick a!d busi!essAlike walk Gust

!ow you would have take! him for a taxAgatherer o! his rou!ds whe! he

is a you!g philosopher studyi!g the effects of electricity# %!d those

schoolboys who leave their ra!ks to ru! after the sudde! gusts of a 2arch

whirlwi!d9 those girls Gust !ow so demure but who !ow fly with bursts

of laughter9 those !atio!al guards who 8uit the martial attitude of

their days of duty to take refuge u!der a porchF The storm has caused

all these tra!sformatio!s#

,ee it i!creasesF The hardiest are obliged to seek shelter# ' see

every o!e rushi!g toward the shop i! fro!t of my wi!dow which a bill

a!!ou!ces is to let# 't is for the fourth time withi! a few mo!ths#

% year ago all the skill of the Goi!er a!d the art of the pai!ter were

employed i! beautifyi!g it but their works are already destroyed by the


26/44

leavi!g of so ma!y te!a!ts9 the cor!ices of the fro!t are disfigured by

mud9 the arabes8ues o! the doorway are spoiled by bills posted upo! them

to a!!ou!ce the sale of the effects# The sple!did shop has lost some of

its embellishme!ts with each cha!ge of the te!a!t# ,ee it !ow empty a!d

left ope! to the passersby# *ow much does its fate resemble that of soma!y who like it o!ly cha!ge their occupatio! to haste! the faster to

rui!F

' am struck by this last reflectio!: si!ce the mor!i!g everythi!g seems

to speak to me a!d with the same war!i!g to!e# Everythi!g says: &Take

careF be co!te!t with your happy though humble lot9 happi!ess ca! be

retai!ed o!ly by co!sta!cy9 do !ot forsake your old patro!s for the

protectio! of those who are u!k!ow!F&

%re they the outward obGects which speak thus or does the war!i!g come

from withi!H 's it !ot ' myself who give this la!guage to all that

surrou!ds meH The world is but a! i!strume!t to which we give sou!d at

will# 1ut what does it sig!ify if it teaches us wisdomH The low voice

that speaks i! our breasts is always a frie!dly voice for it tells us

what we are that is to say what is our capability# 1ad co!duct

results for the most part from mistaki!g our calli!g# There are so

ma!y fools a!d k!aves because there are so few me! who k!ow themselves#

The 8uestio! is !ot to discover what will suit us but for what we are

suitedF

What should ' do amo!g these ma!y experie!ced fi!a!cial speculatorsH '

am o!ly a poor sparrow bor! amo!g the housetops a!d should always fear

the e!emy crouchi!g i! the dark cor!er9 ' am a prude!t workma! a!d

should thi!k of the busi!ess of my !eighbors who so sudde!ly disappeared9

' am a timid observer a!d should call to mi!d the flowers so slowly

raised by the old soldier or the shop brought to rui! by co!sta!t cha!ge

of masters# %way from me ye ba!8uets over which ha!gs the sword of

DamoclesF ' am a cou!try mouse# ive me my !uts a!d hollow tree a!d '

ask !othi!g besidesAAexcept security#

%!d why this i!satiable cravi!g for richesH Does a ma! dri!k more whe!

he dri!ks from a large glassH Whe!ce comes that u!iversal dread of

mediocrity the fruitful mother of peace a!d libertyH %hF there is the

evil which above every other it should be the aim of both public a!d

private educatio! to a!ticipateF 'f that were got rid of what treaso!s


27/44

would be spared what base!ess avoided what a chai! of excess a!d crime

would be forever broke!F We award the palm to charity a!d to selfA

sacrifice9 but above all let us award it to moderatio! for it is the

great social virtue# Eve! whe! it does !ot create the others it sta!ds

i!stead of them#

,ix o"clock#AA' have writte! a letter of tha!ks to the promoters of the

!ew speculatio! a!d have decli!ed their offerF This decisio! has

restored my peace of mi!d# ' stopped si!gi!g like the cobbler as lo!g

as ' e!tertai!ed the hope of riches: it is go!e a!d happi!ess is come

backF

O beloved a!d ge!tle )overtyF pardo! me for havi!g for a mome!t wished

to fly from thee as ' would from Wa!t# ,tay here forever with thy

charmi!g sisters )ity )atie!ce ,obriety a!d ,olitude9 be ye my 8uee!s

a!d my i!structors9 teach me the ster! duties of life9 remove far from my

abode the weak!ess of heart a!d giddi!ess of head which follow

prosperity# *oly )overtyF teach me to e!dure without complai!i!g to

impart without grudgi!g to seek the e!d of life higher tha! i! pleasure

farther off tha! i! power# Thou givest the body stre!gth thou makest

the mi!d more firm9 a!d tha!ks to thee this life to which the rich

attach themselves as to a rock becomes a bark of which death may cut the

cable without awake!i!g all our fears# (o!ti!ue to sustai! me O thou

whom (hrist hath called 1lessedF

(*%)TE- '3

+ET /, +O3E ONE %NOT*E-

%pril Ith

The fi!e eve!i!gs are come back9 the trees begi! to put forth their

shoots9 hyaci!ths Go!8uils violets a!d lilacs perfume the baskets of

the flowerAgirlsAAall the world have begu! their walks agai! o! the 8uays

a!d boulevards# %fter di!!er ' too desce!d from my attic to breathe

the eve!i!g air#


28/44

't is the hour whe! )aris is see! i! all its beauty# Duri!g the day the

plaster fro!ts of the houses weary the eye by their mo!oto!ous white!ess9

heavily lade! carts make the streets shake u!der their huge wheels9 the

eager crowd take! up by the o!e fear of losi!g a mome!t from busi!esscross a!d Gostle o!e a!other9 the aspect of the city altogether has

somethi!g harsh restless a!d flurried about it# 1ut as soo! as the

stars appear everythi!g is cha!ged9 the glare of the white houses is

8ue!ched i! the gatheri!g shades9 you hear !o more a!y rolli!g but that

of the carriages o! their way to some party of pleasure9 you see o!ly the

lou!ger or the lightAhearted passi!g by9 work has give! place to leisure#

Now each o!e may breathe after the fierce race through the busi!ess of

the day a!d whatever stre!gth remai!s to him he gives to pleasureF ,ee

the ballrooms lighted up the theatres ope! the eati!gAshops alo!g the

walks set out with dai!ties a!d the twi!kli!g la!ter!s of the !ewspaper

criers# Decidedly )aris has laid aside the pe! the ruler a!d the

apro!9 after the day spe!t i! work it must have the eve!i!g for

e!Goyme!t9 like the masters of Thebes it has put off all serious matter

till tomorrow#

' love to take part i! this happy hour9 !ot to mix i! the ge!eral gayety

but to co!template it# 'f the e!Goyme!ts of others embitter Gealous

mi!ds they stre!gthe! the humble spirit9 they are the beams of su!shi!e

which ope! the two beautiful flowers called trust a!d hope#

%lthough alo!e i! the midst of the smili!g multitude ' do !ot feel

myself isolated from it for its gayety is reflected upo! me: it is my

ow! ki!d my ow! family who are e!Goyi!g life a!d ' take a brother"s

share i! their happi!ess# We are all fellowAsoldiers i! this earthly

battle a!d what does it matter o! whom the ho!ors of the victory fallH

'f 5ortu!e passes by without seei!g us a!d pours her favors o! others

let us co!sole ourselves like the frie!d of )arme!io by sayi!g &Those

too are %lexa!ders#&

While maki!g these reflectio!s ' was goi!g o! as cha!ce took me# '

crossed from o!e paveme!t to a!other ' retraced my steps ' stopped

before the shops or to read the ha!dbills# *ow ma!y thi!gs there are to

lear! i! the streets of )arisF What a museum it isF /!k!ow! fruits

foreig! arms fur!iture of old times or other la!ds a!imals of all

climates statues of great me! costumes of dista!t !atio!sF 't is the


29/44

world see! i! samplesF

+et us the! look at this people whose k!owledge is gai!ed from the shopA

wi!dows a!d the tradesma!"s display of goods# Nothi!g has bee! taught

them but they have a rude !otio! of everythi!g# They have see!pi!eapples at (hevet"s a palmAtree i! the 4ardi! des )la!tes sugarA

ca!es selli!g o! the )o!tANeuf# The -edski!s exhibited i! the 3ale!ti!e

*all have taught them to mimic the da!ce of the biso! a!d to smoke the

calumet of peace9 they have see! (arter"s lio!s fed9 they k!ow the

pri!cipal !atio!al costumes co!tai!ed i! 1abi!"s collectio!9 oupil"s

display of pri!ts has placed the tigerAhu!ts of %frica a!d the sitti!gs

of the E!glish )arliame!t before their eyes9 they have become ac8uai!ted

with Juee! 3ictoria the Emperor of %ustria a!d 6ossuth at the officeA

door of the 'llustrated News# We ca! certai!ly i!struct them but !ot

asto!ish them9 for !othi!g is completely !ew to them# ou may take the

)aris ragamuffi! through the five 8uarters of the world a!d at every

wo!der with which you thi!k to surprise him he will settle the matter

with that favorite a!d co!clusive a!swer of his classAA&' k!ow#&

1ut this variety of exhibitio!s which makes )aris the fair of the world

does !ot offer merely a mea!s of i!structio! to him who walks through it9

it is a co!ti!ual spur for rousi!g the imagi!atio! a first step of the

ladder always set up before us i! a visio!# Whe! we see them how ma!y

voyages do we take i! imagi!atio! what adve!tures do we dream of what

pictures do we sketchF ' !ever look at that shop !ear the (hi!ese baths

with its tapestry ha!gi!gs of 5lorida Gessami!e a!d filled with

mag!olias without seei!g the forest glades of the New World described

by the author of %tala ope!i!g themselves out before me#

The! whe! this study of thi!gs a!d this discourse of reaso! begi! to

tire you look arou!d youF What co!trasts of figures a!d faces you see

i! the crowdF What a vast field for the exercise of meditatio!F % halfA

see! gla!ce or a few words caught as the speaker passes by ope! a

thousa!d vistas to your imagi!atio!# ou wish to comprehe!d what theseimperfect disclosures mea! a!d as the a!ti8uary e!deavors to decipher

the mutilated i!scriptio! o! some old mo!ume!t you build up a history o!

a gesture or o! a wordF These are the stirri!g sports of the mi!d which

fi!ds i! fictio! a relief from the wearisome dull!ess of the actual#

%lasF as ' was Gust !ow passi!g by the carriageAe!tra!ce of a great


30/44

house ' !oticed a sad subGect for o!e of these histories# % ma! was

sitti!g i! the darkest cor!er with his head bare a!d holdi!g out his

hat for the charity of those who passed# *is threadbare coat had that

look of !eat!ess which marks that destitutio! has bee! met by a lo!g

struggle# *e had carefully butto!ed it up to hide the wa!t of a shirt#*is face was half hid u!der his gray hair a!d his eyes were closed as

if he wished to escape the sight of his ow! humiliatio! a!d he remai!ed

mute a!d motio!less# Those who passed him took !o !otice of the beggar

who sat i! sile!ce a!d dark!essF They had bee! so lucky as to escape

complai!ts a!d importu!ities a!d were glad to tur! away their eyes too#

,udde!ly the great gate tur!ed o! its hi!ges9 a!d a very low carriage

lighted with silver lamps a!d draw! by two black horses came slowly out

a!d took the road toward the 5aubourg ,t# ermai!# ' could Gust

disti!guish withi! the sparkli!g diamo!ds a!d the flowers of a ballA

dress9 the glare of the lamps passed like a bloody streak over the pale

face of the beggar a!d showed his look as his eyes ope!ed a!d followed

the rich ma!"s e8uipage u!til it disappeared i! the !ight#

' dropped a small piece of mo!ey i!to the hat he was holdi!g out a!d

passed o! 8uickly#

' had Gust falle! u!expectedly upo! the two saddest secrets of the

disease which troubles the age we live i!: the e!vious hatred of him who

suffers wa!t a!d the selfish forgetful!ess of him who lives i!

afflue!ce#

%ll the e!Goyme!t of my walk was go!e9 ' left off looki!g about me a!d

retired i!to my ow! heart# The a!imated a!d movi!g sight i! the streets

gave place to i!ward meditatio! upo! all the pai!ful problems which have

bee! writte! for the last four thousa!d years at the bottom of each huma!

struggle but which are propou!ded more clearly tha! ever i! our days#

' po!dered o! the useless!ess of so ma!y co!tests i! which defeat a!dvictory o!ly displace each other by tur!s a!d o! the mistake! Cealots

who have repeated from ge!eratio! to ge!eratio! the bloody history of

(ai! a!d %bel9 a!d sadde!ed with these mour!ful reflectio!s ' walked o!

as cha!ce took me u!til the sile!ce all arou!d i!se!sibly drew me out

from my ow! thoughts#


31/44

' had reached o!e of the remote streets i! which those who would live i!

comfort a!d without oste!tatio! a!d who love serious reflectio! delight

to fi!d a home# There were !o shops alo!g the dimly lighted street9 o!e

heard !o sou!ds but of dista!t carriages a!d of the steps of some of the

i!habita!ts retur!i!g 8uietly home#

' i!sta!tly recog!iCed the street though ' had bee! there o!ly o!ce

before#

That was two years ago# ' was walki!g at the time by the side of the

,ei!e to which the lights o! the 8uays a!d bridges gave the aspect of a

lake surrou!ded by a garla!d of stars9 a!d ' had reached the +ouvre whe!

' was stopped by a crowd collected !ear the parapet they had gathered

rou!d a child of about six who was cryi!g a!d ' asked the cause of his

tears#

&'t seems that he was se!t to walk i! the Tuileries& said a maso! who

was retur!i!g from his work with his trowel i! his ha!d9 &the serva!t who

took care of him met with some frie!ds there a!d told the child to wait

for him while he we!t to get a dri!k9 but ' suppose the dri!k made him

more thirsty for he has !ot come back a!d the child ca!!ot fi!d his way

home#&

&Why do they !ot ask him his !ame a!d where he livesH&

&They have bee! doi!g it for the last hour9 but all he ca! say is that

he is called (harles a!d that his father is 2o!sieur DuvalAAthere are

twelve hu!dred Duvals i! )aris#&

&The! he does !ot k!ow i! what part of the tow! he livesH&

&' should !ot thi!k i!deedF Do!"t you see that he is a ge!tlema!"s

childH *e has !ever go!e out except i! a carriage or with a serva!t9 he

does !ot k!ow what to do by himself#&

*ere the maso! was i!terrupted by some of the voices risi!g above the

others#

&We ca!!ot leave him i! the street& said some#


32/44

&The childAstealers would carry him off& co!ti!ued others#

&We must take him to the overseer#&

&Or to the policeAoffice#&

&That"s the thi!g# (ome little o!eF&

1ut the child frighte!ed by these suggestio!s of da!ger a!d at the

!ames of police a!d overseer cried louder a!d drew back toward the

parapet# '! vai! they tried to persuade him9 his fears made him resist

the more a!d the most eager bega! to get weary whe! the voice of a

little boy was heard through the co!fusio!#

&' k!ow him wellAA' do& said he looki!g at the lost child9 &he belo!gs

i! our part of the tow!#&

&What part is itH&

&o!der o! the other side of the 1oulevardsAA-ue des 2agasi!s#&

&%!d you have see! him beforeH&

&es yesF he belo!gs to the great house at the e!d of the street where

there is a! iro! gate with gilt poi!ts#&

The child 8uickly raised his head a!d stopped cryi!g# The little boy

a!swered all the 8uestio!s that were put to him a!d gave such details as

left !o room for doubt# The other child u!derstood him for he we!t up

to him as if to put himself u!der his protectio!#

&The! you ca! take him to his pare!tsH& asked the maso! who had

liste!ed with real i!terest to the little boy"s accou!t#

&' do!"t care if ' do& replied he9 &it"s the way '"m goi!g#&

&The! you will take charge of himH&

&*e has o!ly to come with me#&


33/44

%!d taki!g up the basket he had put dow! o! the paveme!t he set off

toward the poster!Agate of the +ouvre#

The lost child followed him#

&' hope he will take him right& said ' whe! ' saw them go away#

&Never fear& replied the maso!9 &the little o!e i! the blouse is the

same age as the other9 but as the sayi!g is he k!ows black from white9"

poverty you see is a famous schoolmistressF&

The crowd dispersed# 5or my part ' we!t toward the +ouvre9 the thought

came i!to my head to follow the two childre! so as to guard agai!st a!y

mistake#

' was !ot lo!g i! overtaki!g them9 they were walki!g side by side

talki!g a!d already 8uite familiar with each other# The co!trast i!

their dress the! struck me# +ittle Duval wore o!e of those fa!ciful

childre!"s dresses which are expe!sive as well as i! good taste9 his coat

was skilfully fitted to his figure his trousers came dow! i! plaits from

his waist to his boots of polished leather with motherAofApearl butto!s

a!d his ri!glets were half hid by a velvet cap# The appeara!ce of his

guide o! the co!trary was that of the class who dwell o! the extreme

borders of poverty but who there mai!tai! their grou!d with !o

surre!der# *is old blouse patched with pieces of differe!t shades

i!dicated the persevera!ce of a! i!dustrious mother struggli!g agai!st

the wear a!d tear of time9 his trousers were become too short a!d showed

his stocki!gs dar!ed over a!d over agai!9 a!d it was evide!t that his

shoes were !ot made for him#

The cou!te!a!ces of the two childre! were !ot less differe!t tha! their

dress# That of the first was delicate a!d refi!ed9 his clear blue eye

his fair ski! a!d his smili!g mouth gave him a charmi!g look of

i!!oce!ce a!d happi!ess# The features of the other o! the co!trary hadsomethi!g rough i! them9 his eye was 8uick a!d lively his complexio!

dark his smile less merry tha! shrewd9 all showed a mi!d sharpe!ed by

too early experie!ce9 he walked boldly through the middle of the streets

thro!ged by carriages a!d followed their cou!tless tur!i!gs without

hesitatio!#


34/44

' fou!d o! aski!g him that every day he carried di!!er to his father

who was the! worki!g o! the left ba!k of the ,ei!e9 a!d this respo!sible

duty had made him careful a!d prude!t# *e had lear!ed those hard but

forcible l

ons of necessity which nothing can equal or supply the placeof. Unfortunately, the wants of his poor family had kept him from

school a!d he seemed to feel the loss9 for he ofte! stopped before thepri!tshops a!d asked his compa!io! to read him the !ames of thee!gravi!gs# '! this way we reached the 1oulevard 1o!!e Nouvelle whichthe little wa!derer seemed to k!ow agai!# Notwithsta!di!g his fatiguehe hurried o!9 he was agitated by mixed feeli!gs9 at the sight of hishouse he uttered a cry a!d ra! toward the iro! gate with the giltpoi!ts9 a lady who was sta!di!g at the e!tra!ce received him i! her armsa!d from the exclamatio!s of Goy a!d the sou!d of kisses ' soo!perceived she was his mother#

Not seei!g either the serva!t or child retur! she had se!t i! search ofthem i! every directio! a!d was waiti!g for them i! i!te!se a!xiety#

' explai!ed to her i! a few words what had happe!ed# ,he tha!ked mewarmly a!d looked rou!d for the little boy who had recog!iCed a!dbrought back her so!9 but while we were talki!g he had disappeared#

't was for the first time si!ce the! that ' had come i!to this part of)aris# Did the mother co!ti!ue gratefulH *ad the childre! met agai!a!d had the happy cha!ce of their first meeti!g lowered betwee! them that

barrier which may mark the differe!t ra!ks of me! but should !ot dividethemH

While putti!g these 8uestio!s to myself ' slacke!ed my pace a!d fixedmy eyes o! the great gate which ' Gust perceived# ,udde!ly ' saw itope! a!d two childre! appeared at the e!tra!ce# %lthough much grow!' recog!iCed them at first sight9 they were the child who was fou!d !earthe parapet of the +ouvre a!d his you!g guide# 1ut the dress of thelatter was greatly cha!ged: his blouse of gray cloth was !eat a!d eve!spruce a!d was faste!ed rou!d the waist by a polished leather belt9 hewore stro!g shoes but made for his feet a!d had o! a !ew cloth cap#

4ust at the mome!t ' saw him he held i! his two ha!ds a! e!ormous bu!chof lilacs to which his compa!io! was tryi!g to add !arcissuses a!dprimroses9 the two childre! laughed a!d parted with a frie!dly goodAby#2# Duval"s so! did !ot go i! till he had see! the other tur! the cor!erof the street#

The! ' accosted the latter a!d remi!ded him of our former meeti!g9 helooked at me for a mome!t a!d the! seemed to recollect me#


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&5orgive me if ' do !ot make you a bow& said he merrily &but ' wa!tboth my ha!ds for the !osegay 2o!sieur (harles has give! me#&

&ou are the! become great frie!dsH& said '#

&OhF ' should thi!k so& said the child9 &a!d !ow my father is richtooF&

&*ow"s thatH&

&2o!sieur Duval le!t him some mo!ey9 he has take! a shop where he workso! his ow! accou!t9 a!d as for me ' go to school#&

&es& replied ' remarki!g for the first time the cross that decoratedhis little coat9 &a!d ' see that you are headAboyF&

&2o!sieur (harles helps me to lear! a!d so ' am come to be the first i!the class#&

&%re you !ow goi!g to your lesso!sH&

&es a!d he has give! me some lilacs9 for he has a garde! where we playtogether a!d where my mother ca! always have flowers#&

&The! it is the same as if it were partly your ow!#&

&,o it isF %hF they are good !eighbors i!deed# 1ut here ' am9 goodAbysir#&

*e !odded to me with a smile a!d disappeared#

' we!t o! with my walk still pe!sive but with a feeli!g of relief#'f ' had elsewhere wit!essed the pai!ful co!trast betwee! afflue!ce a!dwa!t here ' had fou!d the true u!io! of riches a!d poverty# *eartygoodAwill had smoothed dow! the more rugged i!e8ualities o! both sidesa!d had ope!ed a road of true !eighborhood a!d fellowship betwee! thehumble workshop a!d the stately ma!sio!# '!stead of hearke!i!g to the

voice of i!terest they had both liste!ed to that of selfAsacrificea!d there was !o place left for co!tempt or e!vy# Thus i!stead of thebeggar i! rags that ' had see! at the other door cursi!g the rich ma!' had fou!d here the happy child of the laborer loaded with flowers a!dblessi!g himF The problem so difficult a!d so da!gerous to exami!e i!towith !o regard but for the rights of it ' had Gust see! solved by love#


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(*%)TE- 3

(O2)EN,%T'ON

,u!day 2ay ?Bth

(apital cities have o!e thi!g peculiar to them: their days of rest seemto be the sig!al for a ge!eral dispersio! a!d flight# +ike birds thatare Gust restored to liberty the people come out of their sto!e cagesa!d Goyfully fly toward the cou!try# 't is who shall fi!d a gree!hillock for a seat or the shade of a wood for a shelter9 they gather 2ayflowers they ru! about the fields9 the tow! is forgotte! u!til theeve!i!g whe! they retur! with sprigs of bloomi!g hawthor! i! their hatsa!d their hearts gladde!ed by pleasa!t thoughts a!d recollectio!s of the

past day9 the !ext day they retur! agai! to their har!ess a!d to work#

These rural adve!tures are most remarkable at )aris# Whe! the fi!eweather comes clerks shop keepers a!d worki!gme! look forwardimpatie!tly for the ,u!day as the day for tryi!g a few hours of thispastoral life9 they walk through six miles of grocers" shops a!d publicAhouses i! the faubourgs i! the sole hope of fi!di!g a real tur!ipAfield#The father of a family begi!s the practical educatio! of his so! byshowi!g him wheat which has !ot take! the form of a loaf a!d cabbage &i!its wild state#& *eave! o!ly k!ows the e!cou!ters the discoveries theadve!tures that are met withF What )arisia! has !ot had his Odyssey i!

a! excursio! through the suburbs a!d would !ot be able to write acompa!io! to the famous Travels by +a!d a!d by ,ea from )aris to ,t#(loudH

We do !ot !ow speak of that floati!g populatio! from all parts for whomour 5re!ch 1abylo! is the carava!sary of Europe: a phala!x of thi!kersartists me! of busi!ess a!d travellers who like *omer"s hero havearrived i! their i!tellectual cou!try after beholdi!g &ma!y peoples a!dcities9& but of the settled )arisia! who keeps his appoi!ted place a!dlives o! his ow! floor like the oyster o! his rock a curious vestige ofthe credulity the slow!ess a!d the simplicity of bygo!e ages#

5or o!e of the si!gularities of )aris is that it u!ites twe!typopulatio!s completely differe!t i! character a!d ma!!ers# 1y theside of the gypsies of commerce a!d of art who wa!der through all theseveral stages of fortu!e or fa!cy live a 8uiet race of people with a!i!depe!de!ce or with regular work whose existe!ce resembles the dialof a clock o! which the same ha!d poi!ts by tur!s to the same hours#'f !o other city ca! show more brillia!t a!d more stirri!g forms of life


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!o other co!tai!s more obscure a!d more tra!8uil o!es# reat cities arelike the sea: storms agitate o!ly the surface9 if you go to the bottomyou fi!d a regio! i!accessible to the tumult a!d the !oise#

5or my part ' have settled o! the verge of this regio! but do !ot

actually live i! it# ' am removed from the turmoil of the world a!dlive i! the shelter of solitude but without bei!g able to disco!!ect mythoughts from the struggle goi!g o!# ' follow at a dista!ce all itseve!ts of happi!ess or grief9 ' Goi! the feasts a!d the fu!erals9 for howca! he who looks o! a!d k!ows what passes do other tha! take partH'g!ora!ce alo!e ca! keep us stra!gers to the life arou!d us: selfish!essitself will !ot suffice for that#

These reflectio!s ' made to myself i! my attic i! the i!tervals of thevarious household works to which a bachelor is forced whe! he has !oother serva!t tha! his ow! ready will# While ' was pursui!g my

deductio!s ' had blacked my boots brushed my coat a!d tied my cravat9' had at last arrived at the importa!t mome!t whe! we pro!ou!cecomplace!tly that all is fi!ished a!d that well#

% gra!d resolve had Gust decided me to depart from my usual habits#The eve!i!g before ' had see! by the advertiseme!ts that the !ext daywas a holiday at ,evres a!d that the chi!a ma!ufactory would be ope! tothe public# ' was tempted by the beauty of the mor!i!g a!d sudde!lydecided to go there#

O! my arrival at the statio! o! the left ba!k ' !oticed the crowd

hurryi!g o! i! the fear of bei!g late# -ailroads besides ma!y otheradva!tages possess that of teachi!g the 5re!ch pu!ctuality# They willsubmit to the clock whe! they are co!vi!ced that it is their master9they will lear! to wait whe! they fi!d they will !ot be waited for#,ocial virtues are i! a great degree good habits# *ow ma!y great8ualities are grafted i!to !atio!s by their geographical positio! bypolitical !ecessity a!d by i!stitutio!sF %varice was destroyed for atime amo!g the +acedaemo!ia!s by the creatio! of a! iro! coi!age tooheavy a!d too bulky to be co!ve!ie!tly hoarded#

' fou!d myself i! a carriage with two middleAaged wome! belo!gi!g to the

domestic a!d retired class of )arisia!s ' have spoke! of above# % fewcivilities were sufficie!t to gai! me their co!fide!ce a!d after somemi!utes ' was ac8uai!ted with their whole history#

They were two poor sisters left orpha!s at fiftee! a!d had lived eversi!ce as those who work for their livelihood must live by eco!omy a!dprivatio!# 5or the last twe!ty or thirty years they had worked i!

Gewelry i! the same house9 they had see! te! masters succeed o!e a!other


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a!d make their fortu!es i! it without a!y cha!ge i! their ow! lot# Theyhad always lived i! the same room at the e!d of o!e of the passages i!the -ue ,t# De!is where the air a!d the su! are u!k!ow!# They bega!their work before daylight we!t o! with it till after !ightfall a!d sawyear succeed to year without their lives bei!g marked by a!y other eve!ts

tha! the ,u!day service a walk or a! ill!ess#

The you!ger of these worthy workAwome! was forty a!d obeyed her sisteras she did whe! a child# The elder looked after her took care of hera!d scolded her with a mother"s te!der!ess# %t first it was amusi!g9afterward o!e could !ot help seei!g somethi!g affecti!g i! these twograyAhaired childre! o!e u!able to leave off the habit of obeyi!g theother that of protecti!g#

%!d it was !ot i! that alo!e that my two compa!io!s seemed you!ger tha!their years9 they k!ew so little that their wo!der !ever ceased# We had

hardly arrived at (lamart before they i!volu!tarily exclaimed like theki!g i! the childre!"s game that they &did !ot thi!k the world was sogreat&F

't was the first time they had trusted themselves o! a railroad a!d itwas amusi!g to see their sudde! shocks their alarms a!d theircourageous determi!atio!s: everythi!g was a marvel to themF They hadremai!s of youth withi! them which made them se!sible to thi!gs whichusually o!ly strike us i! childhood# )oor creaturesF they had still thefeeli!gs of a!other age though they had lost its charms#

1ut was there !ot somethi!g holy i! this simplicity which had bee!preserved to them by absti!e!ce from all the Goys of lifeH %hF accursedbe he who first had the had courage to attach ridicule to that !ame of&old maid& which recalls so ma!y images of grievous deceptio! ofdreari!ess a!d of aba!do!me!tF %ccursed be he who ca! fi!d a subGectfor sarcasm i! i!volu!tary misfortu!e a!d who ca! crow! gray hairs withthor!sF

The two sisters were called 5ra!ces a!d 2adelei!e# This day"s Gour!eywas a feat of courage without example i! their lives# The fever of thetimes had i!fected them u!awares# esterday 2adelei!e had sudde!ly

proposed the idea of the expeditio! a!d 5ra!ces had accepted itimmediately# )erhaps it would have bee! better !ot to yield to the greattemptatio! offered by her you!ger sister9 but &we have our follies at allages& as the prude!t 5ra!ces philosophically remarked# %s for2adelei!e there are !o regrets or doubts for her9 she is the lifeAguardsma! of the establishme!t#

&We really must amuse ourselves& said she9 &we live but o!ce#&


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%!d the elder sister smiled at this Epicurea! maxim# 't was evide!t thatthe fever of i!depe!de!ce was at its crisis i! both of them#

%!d i! truth it would have bee! a great pity if a!y scruple had

i!terfered with their happi!ess it was so fra!k a!d ge!ialF The sightof the trees which seemed to fly o! both sides of the road caused themu!ceasi!g admiratio!# The meeti!g a trai! passi!g i! the co!trarydirectio! with the !oise a!d rapidity of a thu!derbolt made them shuttheir eyes a!d utter a cry9 but it had already disappearedF They lookarou!d take courage agai! a!d express themselves full of asto!ishme!tat the marvel#

2adelei!e declares that such a sight is worth the expe!se of the Gour!eya!d 5ra!ces would have agreed with her if she had !ot recollected withsome little alarm the deficit which such a! expe!se must make i! their

budget# The three fra!cs spe!t upo! this si!gle expeditio! were thesavi!gs of a whole week of work# Thus the Goy of the elder of the twosisters was mixed with remorse9 the prodigal child !ow a!d the! tur!edits eyes toward the back street of ,t# De!is#

1ut the motio! a!d the successio! of obGects distract her# ,ee thebridge of the 3al surrou!ded by its lovely la!dscape: o! the right )ariswith its gra!d mo!ume!ts which rise through the fog or sparkle i! thesu!9 o! the left 2eudo! with its villas its woods its vi!es a!d itsroyal castleF The two workAwome! look from o!e wi!dow to the other withexclamatio!s of delight# O!e fellowApasse!ger laughs at their childish

wo!der9 but to me it is deeply touchi!g for ' see i! it the sig! of alo!g a!d mo!oto!ous seclusio!: they are the priso!ers of work who haverecovered liberty a!d fresh air for a few hours#

%t last the trai! stops a!d we get out# ' show the two sisters the paththat leads to ,evres betwee! the railway a!d the garde!s a!d they go o!before while ' i!8uire about the time of retur!i!g#

' soo! Goi! them agai! at the !ext statio! where they have stopped atthe little garde! belo!gi!g to the gatekeeper9 both are already i! deepco!versatio! with him while he digs his garde!Aborders a!d marks out the

places for flowerAseeds# *e i!forms them that it is the time for hoei!gout weeds for maki!g grafts a!d layers for sowi!g a!!uals a!d fordestroyi!g the i!sects o! the roseAtrees# 2adelei!e has o! the sill ofher wi!dow two woode! boxes i! which for wa!t of air a!d su! she has!ever bee! able to make a!ythi!g grow but mustard a!d cress9 but shepersuades herself that tha!ks to this i!formatio! all other pla!ts mayhe!ceforth thrive i! them# %t last the gatekeeper who is sowi!g aborder with mig!o!ette gives her the rest of the seeds which he does !ot


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wa!t a!d the old maid goes off delighted a!d begi!s to act over agai!the dream of )aired a!d her ca! of milk with these flowers of herimagi!atio!#

O! reachi!g the grove of acacias where the fair was goi!g o! ' lost

sight of the two sisters# ' we!t alo!e amo!g the sights: there werelotteries goi!g o! mou!teba!k shows places for eati!g a!d dri!ki!g a!dfor shooti!g with the crossAbow# ' have always bee! struck by the spiritof these outAofAdoor festivities# '! drawi!gAroom e!tertai!me!ts peopleare cold grave ofte! listless a!d most of those who go there arebrought together by habit or the obligatio!s of society9 i! the cou!tryassemblies o! the co!trary you o!ly fi!d those who are attracted by thehope of e!Goyme!t# There it is a forced co!scriptio!9 here they arevolu!teers for gayetyF The! how easily they are pleasedF *ow far thiscrowd of people is yet from k!owi!g that to be pleased with !othi!g a!dto look dow! o! everythi!g is the height of fashio! a!d good tasteF

Doubtless their amuseme!ts are ofte! coarse9 elega!ce a!d refi!eme!t arewa!ti!g i! them9 but at least they have hearti!ess# Oh that the heartye!Goyme!ts of these merryAmaki!gs could be retai!ed i! u!io! with lessvulgar feeli!gF 5ormerly religio! stamped its holy character o! thecelebratio! of cou!try festivals a!d purified the pleasures withoutdeprivi!g them of their simplicity#

The hour arrives at which the doors of the porcelai! ma!ufactory a!d themuseum of pottery are ope! to the public# ' meet 5ra!ces a!d 2adelei!eagai! i! the first room# 5righte!ed at fi!di!g themselves i! the midstof such regal mag!ifice!ce they hardly dare walk9 they speak i! a low

to!e as if they were i! a church#

&We are i! the ki!g"s house& said the eldest sister forgetti!g thatthere is !o lo!ger a ki!g i! 5ra!ce#

' e!courage them to go o!9 ' walk first a!d they make up their mi!ds to

an attic philosopher, v1

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