the ways of men-第20节

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naugurated　　without　raising　a　whirlwind　of　jealousy　and　opposition。　　The　　struggle　was　long　and　arduous。　　Directors　of　theatres　and　　concert　halls；　furious　to　see　a　part　of　their　public　tempted　　away；　raised　the　cry　of　immorality　against　the　new…comers；　and　　called　to　their　aid　every　resource　of　law　and　chicanery。　　At　　the　end　of　the　first　year　Salis　found　himself　with　over　eight　　hundred　summonses　and　lawsuits　on　his　hands。　　After　having　　made　every　effort；　knocked　at　every　door；　in　his　struggle　for　　existence；　he　finally　conceived　the　happy　thought　of　appealing　　directly　to　Grevy；　then　President　of　the　Republic；　and　in　his　　audience　with　the　latter　succeeded　in　charming　and　interesting　　him；　as　he　had　so　many　others。　　The　influence　of　the　head　of　　the　state　once　brought　to　bear　on　the　affair；　Salis　had　the　　joy　of　seeing　opposition　crushed　and　the　storm　blow　itself　　out。

From　this　moment；　the　poets；　feeling　themselves　appreciated　　and　their　rights　acknowledged　and　defended；　flocked　to　the　　〃Sacred　Mountain；〃　as　Montmartre　began　to　be　called；　other　　establishments　of　the　same　character　sprang　up　in　the　　neighborhood。　　Most　important　among　these　were　the　〃4　z'Arts；〃　　Boulevard　de　Clichy；　the　〃Tambourin；〃　and　La　Butte。

Trombert；　who；　together　with　Fragerolle；　Goudezki；　and　Marcel　　Lefevre；　had　just　ended　an　artistic　voyage　in　the　south　of　　France；　opened　the　〃4　z'Arts；〃　to　which　the　novelty…loving　　public　quickly　found　its　way；　crowding　to　applaud　Coquelin　　CADET；　Fragson；　and　other　budding　celebrities。　　It　was　here　　that　the　poets　first　had　the　idea　of　producing　a　piece　in　　which　rival　CABARETS　were　reviewed　and　laughingly　criticised。　　　The　success　was　beyond　all　precedent；　in　spite　of　the　　difficulty　of　giving　a　play　without　a　stage；　without　scenery　　or　accessories　of　any　kind；　the　interest　centring　in　the　　talent　with　which　the　lines　were　declaimed　by　their　authors；　　who　next　had　the　pleasant　thought　of　passing　in　review　the　　different　classes　of　popular　songs；　Clovis　Hugues；　at　the　same　　time　poet　and　statesman；　discoursing　on　each　subject；　and　　introducing　the　singer；　Brittany　local　songs；　Provencal　　ballads；　ant　the　half　Spanish；　half　French　CHANSONS　of　the　　Pyrenees　were　sung　or　recited　by　local　poets　with　the　charm　　and　abandon　of　their　distinctive　races。

The　great　critics　did　not　disdain　to　attend　these　informal　　gatherings；　nor　to　write　columns　of　serious　criticism　on　the　　subject　in　their　papers。

At　the　hour　when　all　Paris　takes　its　APERITIF　the　〃4　z'Arts〃　　became　the　meeting…place　of　the　painters；　poets；　and　writers　　of　the　day。　　Montmartre　gradually　replaced　the　old　Latin　　Quarter；　it　is　there　to…day　that　one　must　seek　for　the　gayety　　and　humor；　the　pathos　and　the　makeshifts　of　Bohemia。

The　〃4　z'Arts；〃　next　to　the　〃Chat　Noir；〃　has　had　the　greatest　　influence　on　the　taste　of　our　time；　…　the　pleiad　of　poets　that　　grouped　themselves　around　it　in　the　beginning；　dispersing　　later　to　form　other　centres；　which；　in　their　turn；　were　to　　influence　the　minds　and　moods　of　thousands。

Another　charming　form　of　entertainment　inaugurated　by　this　　group　of　men　is　that　of　〃shadow　pictures；〃　conceived　　originally　by　Caran　d'Ache；　and　carried　by　him　to　a　marvellous　　perfection。　　A　medium…sized　frame　filled　with　ground　glass　is　　suspended　at　one　end　of　a　room　and　surrounded　by　sombre　　draperies。　　The　room　is　darkened；　against　the　luminous　　background　of　the　glass　appear　small　black　groups　（shadows　　cast　by　figures　cut　out　of　cardboard）。　　These　figures　move；　　advancing　and　retreating；　grouping　or　separating　themselves　to　　the　cadence　of　the　poet's　verses；　for　which　they　form　the　most　　original　and　striking　illustrations。　　Entire　poems　are　given　　accompanied　by　these　shadow　pictures。

One　of　Caran　d'Ache's　greatest　successes　in　this　line　was　an　　EPOPEE　DE　NAPOLEON；　…　the　great　Emperor　appearing　on　foot　and　　on　horseback；　the　long　lines　of　his　army　passing　before　him　in　　the　foreground　or　small　in　the　distance。　　They　stormed　　heights；　cheered　on　by　his　presence；　or　formed　hollow　squares　　to　repulse　the　enemy。　　During　their　evolutions；　the　clear　　voice　of　the　poet　rang　out　from　the　darkness　with　thrilling　　effect。

The　nicest　art　is　necessary　to　cut　these　little　figures　to　the　　required　perfection。　　So　great　was　the　talent　of　their　　inventor　that；　when　he　gave　burlesques　of　the　topics　of　the　　day；　or　presented　the　celebrities　of　the　hour　to　his　public；　　each　figure　would　be　recognized　with　a　burst　of　delighted　　applause。　　The　great　Sarah　was　represented　in　poses　of　　infinite　humor；　surrounded　by　her　menagerie　or　receiving　the　　homage　of　the　universe。　　Political　leaders；　foreign　　sovereigns；　social　and　operatic　stars；　were　made　to　pass　　before　a　laughing　public。　　None　were　spared。　　Paris　went　mad　　with　delight　at　this　new　〃art；〃　and　for　months　it　was　　impossible　to　find　a　seat　vacant　in　the　hall。

At　the　Boite　a　Musique；　the　idea　was　further　developed。　　By　an　　ingenious　arrangement　of　lights；　of　which　the　secret　has　been　　carefully　kept；　landscapes　are　represented　in　color；　all　the　　gradations　of　light　are　given；　from　the　varied　twilight　hues　　to　purple　night；　until　the　moon；　rising；　lights　anew　the　　picture。　　During　all　these　variations　of　color　little　groups　　continue　to　come　and　go；　acting　out　the　story　of　a　poem；　which　　the　poet　delivers　from　the　surrounding　obscurity　as　only　an　　author　can　render　his　own　lines。

One　of　the　pillars　of　this　attractive　centre　was　Jules　Jouy；　　who　made　a　large　place　for　himself　in　the　hearts　of　his　　contemporaries　…　a　true　poet；　whom　neither　privations　nor　the　　difficult　beginnings　of　an　unknown　writer　could　turn　from　his　　vocation。　　His　songs　are　alternately　tender；　gay；　and　bitingly　　sarcastic。　　Some　of　his　better…known　ballads　were　written　for　　and　marvellously　interpreted　by　Yvette　Guilbert。　　The　　difficult　critics；　Sarcey　and　Jules　Lemaitre；　have　sounded　his　　praise　again　and　again。

A　CABARET　of　another　kind　which　enjoyed　much　celebrity；　more　　on　account　of　the　personality　of　the　poet　who　founded　it　than　　from　any　originality　or　picturesqueness　in　its　intallation；　　was　the　〃Mirliton；〃　opened　by　Aristide　Bruant　in　the　little　　rooms　that　had　sheltered　the　original　〃Chat　Noir。〃

To　give　an　account　of　the　〃Mirliton〃　is　to　tell　the　story　of　　Bruant；　the　most　popular　ballad…writer　in　France　to…day。　　This　　original　and　eccentric　poet　is　as　well…known　to　a　Parisian　as　　the　boulevards　or　the　Arc　de　Triomphe。　　His　costume　of　shabby　　black　velvet；　Brittany　waistcoat；　red　shirt；　top…boots；　and　　enormous　hat　is　a　familiar　feature　in　the　caricatures　and　　prints　of　the　day。　　His　little　CABARET　remains　closed　during　　the　day；　opening　its　doors　toward　evening。　　The　personality　of　　the　ballad…writer　pervades　the　atmosphere。　　He　walks　about　the　　tiny　place　hailing　his　acquaintances　with　some　gay　epigram；　　receiving　strangers　with　easy　familiarity　or　chilling　disdain；　　as　the　humor　takes　him；　then　in　a　moment；　with　a　rapid　change　　of　expression；　pouring　out　the　ringing　lines　of　one　of　his　　ballads　…　always　the　story　of　the　poor　and　humble；　for　he　has　　identified　himself　with　the　outcast　and　the　disinherited。　　His　　volumes　DANS　LA　RUE　and　SUR　LA　ROUTE　have　had　an　enormous　　popularity；　their　contents　being　known　and　sung　all　over　　France。

In　1892　Bruant　was　received　as　a　member　of　the　society　of　GENS　　DE　LETTRES。　　It　may　be　of　interest　to　recall　a　part　of　the　　speech　made　by　Francois　Coppee　on　the　occasion：　〃It　is　with　　the　greatest　pleasure　that　I　present　to　my　confreres　my　good　　friend；　the　ballad…writer；　Aristide　Bruant。　　I　value　highly　　the　author　of　DANS　LA　RUE。　　When　I　close　his　volume　of　sad　and　　caustic　verses　it　is　with　the　consoling　thought　that　even　vice　　and　crime　have　their　conscience：　that　if　there　is　suffering　　there　is　a　possible　redemption。　　He　has　sought　his　inspiration　　in　the　gutter；　it　is　true；　but　he　has　seen　there　a　reflection　　of　the　stars。〃

In　the　Avenue　Trudaine；　not　far　from　the　other　CABARETS；　the　　〃Ane　Rouge〃　was　next　opened；　in　a　quiet　corner　of　the　immense　　suburb；　its　shady…little　garden；　on　which　the　rooms　open；　　making　it　a　favorite　meeting…place　during　the　warm　months。　　Of　　a　summer　evening　no　more　congenial　spot　can　be　found　in　all　　Paris。　　The　quaint　chambers　have　been　covered　with　mural　　paintings　or　charcoal　caricatures　of　the　poets　themselves；　or　　of　familiar　faces　among　the　clients　and　patrons　of　the　place。

One　of　the　many　talents　that　clustered　around　this　quiet　　little　garden　was　the　brilliant　Paul　Verlaine；　the　most　　Bohemian　of　all　inhabitants　of　modern　Prague；　whose　death　has　　left　a　void；　difficult　to　fill。　　Fame　and　honors　came　too　　late。　　He　died　in　destitution；　if　not　absolutely　of　hunger；　　to…day　his　admirers　are　erecting　a　bronze　bust　of　him　in　the　　Garden　of　the　Luxembourg；　with　money　that　would　have　gone　far　　toward　making　his　life　happy。

In　the　old　hotel　of　the　Lesdiguieres　family；　rue　de　la　Tour　　d'Auvergne；　the　〃Carillon〃　opened　its　doors　in　1893；　and　　quickly　conquered　a　place　in　the　public　favor；　the　inimitable　　fun　and　spirits　of　Tiercy　drawing　crowds　to　the　place。

The　famous　〃Treteau　de　Tabarin；〃　which　today　holds　undisputed　　precedence　over　all　the　CABARETS　of　Paris；　was　among　the　last　　to　appear。　　It　was　founded　by　the　brilliant