按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The words which he uttered the most frequently were：
the sensible man； and nature。
He did not give to this last word the grand acceptation which our epoch has accorded to it； but he made it enter； after his own fashion； into his little chimney…corner satires： 〃Nature；〃 he said； 〃in order that civilization may have a little of everything； gives it even specimens of its amusing barbarism。 Europe possesses specimens of Asia and Africa on a small scale。 The cat is a drawing…room tiger； the lizard is a pocket crocodile。 The dancers at the opera are pink female savages。
They do not eat men； they crunch them； or； magicians that they are； they transform them into oysters and swallow them。
The Caribbeans leave only the bones； they leave only the shell。
Such are our morals。
We do not devour； we gnaw； we do not exterminate； we claw。〃
BOOK SECOND。THE GREAT BOURGEOIS
CHAPTER II
LIKE MASTER； LIKE HOUSE
He lived in the Marais； Rue des Filles…du…Calvaire； No。 6。 He owned the house。
This house has since been demolished and rebuilt； and the number has probably been changed in those revolutions of numeration which the streets of Paris undergo。
He occupied an ancient and vast apartment on the first floor； between street and gardens； furnished to the very ceilings with great Gobelins and Beauvais tapestries representing pastoral scenes； the subjects of the ceilings and the panels were repeated in miniature on the arm…chairs。 He enveloped his bed in a vast； nine…leaved screen of Coromandel lacquer。
Long； full curtains hung from the windows； and formed great； broken folds that were very magnificent。 The garden situated immediately under his windows was attached to that one of them which formed the angle； by means of a staircase twelve or fifteen steps long； which the old gentleman ascended and descended with great agility。
In addition to a library adjoining his chamber； he had a boudoir of which he thought a great deal； a gallant and elegant retreat； with magnificent hangings of straw； with a pattern of flowers and fleurs…de…lys made on the galleys of Louis XIV。
and ordered of his convicts by M。 de Vivonne for his mistress。
M。 Gillenormand had inherited it from a grim maternal great…aunt； who had died a centenarian。
He had had two wives。 His manners were something between those of the courtier； which he had never been； and the lawyer； which he might have been。 He was gay； and caressing when he had a mind。
In his youth he had been one of those men who are always deceived by their wives and never by their mistresses； because they are； at the same time； the most sullen of husbands and the most charming of lovers in existence。
He was a connoisseur of painting。
He had in his chamber a marvellous portrait of no one knows whom； painted by Jordaens； executed with great dashes of the brush； with millions of details； in a confused and hap…hazard manner。
M。 Gillenormand's attire was not the habit of Louis XIV。
nor yet that of Louis XVI。； it was that of the Incroyables of the Directory。
He had thought himself young up to that period and had followed the fashions。 His coat was of light…weight cloth with voluminous revers； a long swallow…tail and large steel buttons。
With this he wore knee…breeches and buckle shoes。
He always thrust his hands into his fobs。 He said authoritatively：
〃The French Revolution is a heap of blackguards。〃
BOOK SECOND。THE GREAT BOURGEOIS
CHAPTER III
LUC…ESPRIT
At the age of sixteen； one evening at the opera； he had had the honor to be stared at through opera…glasses by two beauties at the same timeripe and celebrated beauties then； and sung by Voltaire； the Camargo and the Salle。
Caught between two fires； he had beaten a heroic retreat towards a little dancer； a young girl named Nahenry； who was sixteen like himself； obscure as a cat； and with whom he was in love。
He abounded in memories。
He was accustomed to exclaim： 〃How pretty she wasthat Guimard…Guimardini…Guimardinette； the last time I saw her at Longchamps； her hair curled in sustained sentiments； with her e…and…see of turquoises； her gown of the color of persons newly arrived； and her little agitation muff！〃 He had worn in his young manhood a waistcoat of Nain…Londrin； which he was fond of talking about effusively。
〃I was dressed like a Turk of the Levant Levantin；〃 said he。
Madame de Boufflers； having seen him by chance when he was twenty； had described him as 〃a charming fool。〃
He was horrified by all the names which he saw in politics and in power； regarding them as vulgar and bourgeois。 He read the journals； the newspapers； the gazettes as he said； stifling outbursts of laughter the while。
〃Oh！〃 he said； 〃what people these are！
Corbiere！
Humann！
Casimir Perier！ There's a minister for you！
I can imagine this in a journal： ‘M。 Gillenorman； minister！' that would be a farce。
Well！
They are so stupid that it would pass〃； he merrily called everything by its name； whether decent or indecent； and did not restrain himself in the least before ladies。
He uttered coarse speeches； obscenities； and filth with a certain tranquillity and lack of astonishment which was elegant。 It was in keeping with the unceremoniousness of his century。 It is to be noted that the age of periphrase in verse was the age of crudities in prose。
His god…father had predicted that he would turn out a man of genius； and had bestowed on him these two significant names：
Luc…Esprit。
BOOK SECOND。THE GREAT BOURGEOIS
CHAPTER IV
A CENTENARIAN ASPIRANT
He had taken prizes in his boyhood at the College of Moulins； where he was born； and he had been crowned by the hand of the Duc de Nivernais； whom he called the Duc de Nevers。
Neither the Convention； nor the death of Louis XVI。； nor the Napoleon； nor the return of the Bourbons； nor anything else had been able to efface the memory of this crowning。 The Duc de Nevers was； in his eyes； the great figure of the century。 〃What a charming grand seigneur；〃 he said； 〃and what a fine air he had with his blue ribbon！〃
In the eyes of M。 Gillenormand； Catherine the Second had made reparation for the crime of the partition of Poland by purchasing； for three thousand roubles； the secret of the elixir of gold； from Bestucheff。 He grew animated on this subject：
〃The elixir of gold；〃 he exclaimed； 〃the yellow dye of Bestucheff； General Lamotte's drops； in the eighteenth century；this was the great remedy for the catastrophes of love； the panacea against Venus； at one louis the half…ounce phial。 Louis XV。
sent two hundred phials of it to the Pope。〃
He would have been greatly irritated and thrown off his balance； had any one told him that the elixir of gold is nothing but the perchloride of iron。 M。 Gillenormand adored the Bourbons； and had a horror of 1789； he was forever narrating in what manner he had saved himself during the Terror； and how he had been obliged to display a vast deal of gayety and cleverness ins order to escape having his head cut off。 If any young man ventured to pronounce an eulogium on the Republic in his presence； he turned purple and grew so angry that he was on the point of swooning。
He sometimes alluded to his ninety years； and said； 〃I hope that I shall not see ninety…three twice。〃 On these occasions； he hinted to people that he meant to live to be a hundred。
BOOK SECOND。THE GREAT BOURGEOIS
CHAPTER V
BASQUE AND NICOLETTE
He had theories。
Here is one of them：
〃When a man is passionately fond of women； and when he has himself a wife for whom he cares but little； who is homely； cross； legitimate； with plenty of rights； perched on the code； and jealous at need； there is but one way of extricating himself from the quandry and of procuring peace； and that is to let his wife control the purse…strings。 This abdication sets him free。
Then his wife busies herself； grows passionately fond of handling coin； gets her fingers covered with verdigris in the process； undertakes the education of half…share tenants and the training of farmers； convokes lawyers； presides over notaries； harangues scriveners； visits limbs of the law； follows lawsuits； draws up leases； dictates contracts； feels herself the sovereign； sells； buys； regulates； promises and promises； binds fast and annuls； yields； concedes and retrocedes； arranges； disarranges； hoards； lavishes； she mits follies； a supreme and personal delight； and that consoles her。
While her husband disdains her； she has the satisfaction of ruining her husband。〃 This theory M。 Gillenormand had himself applied； and it had bee his history。
His wifethe second onehad administered his fortune in such a manner that； one fine day； when M。 Gillenormand found himself a widower； there remained to him just sufficient to live on； by sinking nearly the whole of it in an annuity of fifteen thousand francs； three…quarters of which would expire with him。 He had not hesitated on this point； not being anxious to leave a property behind him。
Besides； he had noticed that patrimonies are subject to adventures； and； for instance； bee national property； he had been present at the avatars of consolidated three per cents； and he had no great faith in the Great Book of the Public Debt。 〃All that's the Rue Quincampois！〃 he said。
His house in the Rue Filles…du…Clavaire belonged to him； as we have already stated。 He had two servants； 〃a male and a female。〃
When a servant entered his establishment； M。 Gillenormand re…baptized him。
He bestowed on the men the name of their province：
Nimois； tois； Poitevin； Picard。 His last valet was a big； foundered； short…winded fellow of fifty…five； who was incapable of running twenty paces； but； as he had been born at Bayonne； M。 Gillenormand called him Basque。
All the female servants in his house were called Nicolette （even the Magnon； of whom we shall hear more farther on）。 One day； a haughty cook； a cordon bleu； of the lofty race of porters； presented herself。 〃How much wages do you want a month？〃 asked M。 Gillenormand。 〃Thirty francs。〃
〃What is your name？〃
〃Olympie。〃
〃You shall have fifty francs； and you shall be called Nicolette。〃
BOOK SECOND。THE GREAT BOURGEOIS
CHAPTER VI
IN WHICH MAGNON AND HER TWO CHILDREN ARE SEEN
With M。 Gillenormand； sorrow was converted into wrath； he was furious at being in despair。
He had all sorts of prejudices and took all sorts of liberties。
One of the facts of which his exterior relief and his internal satisfaction was posed； was； as we have just hinted； that he had remained a brisk spark； and that he passed energetically for such。
This he called having 〃royal renown。〃 This royal renown sometimes drew down upon him singular windfalls。 One day； there was brought to him in a basket； as though it had been a basket of oysters； a stout； newly born boy； who was yelling like the deuce； and duly wrapped in swaddling…clothes； which a servant…maid； dismissed six months previously； attributed to him。 M。 Gillenormand had； at that time； fully pleted his eighty…fourth year。
Indignation and uproar in the establishment。 And whom did that bold hussy think she could persuade to believe that？ What audacity！
What an abominable calumny！
M。 Gillenormand himself was not at all enraged。
He gazed at the brat with the amiable smile of a good man who is flattered by the calumny； and said in an aside： 〃Well； what now？
What's the matter？
You are finely taken aback； and really； you are excessively ignorant。
M。 le Duc d'Angouleme； the bastard of his Majesty Charles IX。； married a silly jade of fifteen when he was eighty…five； M。 Virginal； Marquis d'Alluye； brother to the Cardinal de Sourdis； Archbishop of Bordeaux； had； at the age of eighty…three； by the maid of Madame la Presidente Jacquin； a son； a real child of love； who became a Chevalier of Malta and a counsellor of state； one of the great men of this century； the Abbe Tabaraud； is the son of a man of eighty…seven。 There is nothing out of the ordinary in these things。
And then； the Bible！ Upon that I declare that this little gentleman is none of mine。 Let him be taken care o