the girl with the golden eyes-第4节

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brandy。　Pleasure　is　of　the　nature　of　certain　medical　substances：　in
order　to　obtain　constantly　the　same　effects　the　doses　must　be　doubled；
and　death　or　degradation　is　contained　in　the　last。　All　the　lower
classes　are　on　their　knees　before　the　wealthy；　and　watch　their　tastes
in　order　to　turn　them　into　vices　and　exploit　them。　Thus　you　see　in
these　folk　at　an　early　age　tastes　instead　of　passions；　romantic
fantasies　and　lukewarm　loves。　There　impotence　reigns；　there　ideas　have
ceasedthey　have　evaporated　together　with　energy　amongst　the
affectations　of　the　boudoir　and　the　cajolements　of　women。　There　are
fledglings　of　forty；　old　doctors　of　sixty　years。　The　wealthy　obtain　in
Paris　ready…made　wit　and　scienceformulated　opinions　which　save　them
the　need　of　having　wit；　science；　or　opinion　of　their　own。　The
irrationality　of　this　world　is　equaled　by　its　weakness　and　its
licentiousness。　It　is　greedy　of　time　to　the　point　of　wasting　it。　Seek
in　it　for　affection　as　little　as　for　ideas。　Its　kisses　conceal　a
profound　indifference；　its　urbanity　a　perpetual　contempt。　It　has　no
other　fashion　of　love。　Flashes　of　wit　without　profundity；　a　wealth　of
indiscretion；　scandal；　and　above　all；　commonplace。　Such　is　the　sum　of
its　speech；　but　these　happy　fortunates　pretend　that　they　do　not　meet
to　make　and　repeat　maxims　in　the　manner　of　La　Rochefoucauld　as　though
there　did　not　exist　a　mean；　invented　by　the　eighteenth　century；
between　a　superfluity　and　absolute　blank。　If　a　few　men　of　character
indulge　in　witticism；　at　once　subtle　and　refined；　they　are
misunderstood；　soon；　tired　of　giving　without　receiving；　they　remain　at
home；　and　leave　fools　to　reign　over　their　territory。　This　hollow　life；
this　perpetual　expectation　of　a　pleasure　which　never　comes；　this
permanent　/ennui/　and　emptiness　of　soul；　heart；　and　mind；　the
lassitude　of　the　upper　Parisian　world；　is　reproduced　on　its　features；
and　stamps　its　parchment　faces；　its　premature　wrinkles；　that
physiognomy　of　the　wealthy　upon　which　impotence　has　set　its　grimace；
in　which　gold　is　mirrored；　and　whence　intelligence　has　fled。

Such　a　view　of　moral　Paris　proves　that　physical　Paris　could　not　be
other　than　it　is。　This　coroneted　town　is　like　a　queen；　who；　being
always　with　child；　has　desires　of　irresistible　fury。　Paris　is　the
crown　of　the　world；　a　brain　which　perishes　of　genius　and　leads　human
civilization；　it　is　a　great　man；　a　perpetually　creative　artist；　a
politician　with　second…sight　who　must　of　necessity　have　wrinkles　on
his　forehead；　the　vices　of　a　great　man；　the　fantasies　of　the　artist；
and　the　politician's　disillusions。　Its　physiognomy　suggests　the
evolution　of　good　and　evil；　battle　and　victory；　the　moral　combat　of
'89；　the　clarion　calls　of　which　still　re…echo　in　every　corner　of　the
world；　and　also　the　downfall　of　1814。　Thus　this　city　can　no　more　be
moral；　or　cordial；　or　clean；　than　the　engines　which　impel　those　proud
leviathans　which　you　admire　when　they　cleave　the　waves！　Is　not　Paris　a
sublime　vessel　laden　with　intelligence？　Yes；　her　arms　are　one　of　those
oracles　which　fatality　sometimes　allows。　The　/City　of　Paris/　has　her
great　mast；　all　of　bronze；　carved　with　victories；　and　for　watchman
Napoleon。　The　barque　may　roll　and　pitch；　but　she　cleaves　the　world；
illuminates　it　through　the　hundred　mouths　of　her　tribunes；　ploughs　the
seas　of　science；　rides　with　full　sail；　cries　from　the　height　of　her
tops；　with　the　voice　of　her　scientists　and　artists：　〃Onward；　advance！
Follow　me！〃　She　carries　a　huge　crew；　which　delights　in　adorning　her
with　fresh　streamers。　Boys　and　urchins　laughing　in　the　rigging；
ballast　of　heavy　/bourgeoisie/；　working…men　and　sailor…men　touched
with　tar；　in　her　cabins　the　lucky　passengers；　elegant　midshipmen　smoke
their　cigars　leaning　over　the　bulwarks；　then；　on　the　deck；　her
soldiers；　innovators　or　ambitious；　would　accost　every　fresh　shore；　and
shooting　out　their　bright　lights　upon　it；　ask　for　glory　which　is
pleasure；　or　for　love　which　needs　gold。

Thus　the　exorbitant　movement　of　the　proletariat；　the　corrupting
influence　of　the　interests　which　consume　the　two　middle　classes；　the
cruelties　of　the　artist's　thought；　and　the　excessive　pleasure　which　is
sought　for　incessantly　by　the　great；　explain　the　normal　ugliness　of
the　Parisian　physiognomy。　It　is　only　in　the　Orient　that　the　human　race
presents　a　magnificent　figure；　but　that　is　an　effect　of　the　constant
calm　affected　by　those　profound　philosophers　with　their　long　pipes；
their　short　legs；　their　square　contour；　who　despise　and　hold　activity
in　horror；　whilst　in　Paris　the　little　and　the　great　and　the　mediocre
run　and　leap　and　drive；　whipped　on　by　an　inexorable　goddess；　Necessity
the　necessity　for　money；　glory；　and　amusement。　Thus；　any　face　which
is　fresh　and　graceful　and　reposeful；　any　really　young　face；　is　in
Paris　the　most　extraordinary　of　exceptions；　it　is　met　with　rarely。
Should　you　see　one　there；　be　sure　it　belongs　either　to　a　young　and
ardent　ecclesiastic　or　to　some　good　abbe　of　forty　with　three　chins；　to
a　young　girl　of　pure　life　such　as　is　brought　up　in　certain　middle…
class　families；　to　a　mother　of　twenty；　still　full　of　illusions；　as　she
suckles　her　first…born；　to　a　young　man　newly　embarked　from　the
provinces；　and　intrusted　to　the　care　of　some　devout　dowager　who　keeps
him　without　a　sou；　or；　perhaps；　to　some　shop　assistant　who　goes　to　bed
at　midnight　wearied　out　with　folding　and　unfolding　calico；　and　rises
at　seven　o'clock　to　arrange　the　window；　often　again　to　some　man　of
science　or　poetry；　who　lives　monastically　in　the　embrace　of　a　fine
idea；　who　remains　sober；　patient；　and　chaste；　else　to　some　self…
contented　fool；　feeding　himself　on　folly；　reeking　of　health；　in　a
perpetual　state　of　absorption　with　his　own　smile；　or　to　the　soft　and
happy　race　of　loungers；　the　only　folk　really　happy　in　Paris；　which
unfolds　for　them　hour　by　hour　its　moving　poetry。

Nevertheless；　there　is　in　Paris　a　proportion　of　privileged　beings　to
whom　this　excessive　movement　of　industries；　interests；　affairs；　arts；
and　gold　is　profitable。　These　beings　are　women。　Although　they　also
have　a　thousand　secret　causes　which；　here　more　than　elsewhere；　destroy
their　physiognomy；　there　are　to　be　found　in　the　feminine　world　little
happy　colonies；　who　live　in　Oriental　fashion　and　can　preserve　their
beauty；　but　these　women　rarely　show　themselves　on　foot　in　the　streets；
they　lie　hid　like　rare　plants　who　only　unfold　their　petals　at　certain
hours；　and　constitute　veritable　exotic　exceptions。　However；　Paris　is
essentially　the　country　of　contrasts。　If　true　sentiments　are　rare
there；　there　also　are　to　be　found；　as　elsewhere；　noble　friendships　and
unlimited　devotion。　On　this　battlefield　of　interests　and　passions；
just　as　in　the　midst　of　those　marching　societies　where　egoism
triumphs；　where　every　one　is　obliged　to　defend　himself；　and　which　we
call　/armies/；　it　seems　as　though　sentiments　liked　to　be　complete　when
they　showed　themselves；　and　are　sublime　by　juxtaposition。　So　it　is
with　faces。　In　Paris　one　sometimes　sees　in　the　aristocracy；　set　like
stars；　the　ravishing　faces　of　young　people；　the　fruit　of　quite
exceptional　manners　and　education。　To　the　youthful　beauty　of　the
English　stock　they　unite　the　firmness　of　Southern　traits。　The　fire　of
their　eyes；　a　delicious　bloom　on　their　lips；　the　lustrous　black　of
their　soft　locks；　a　white　complexion；　a　distinguished　caste　of
features；　render　them　the　flowers　of　the　human　race；　magnificent　to
behold　against　the　mass　of　other　faces；　worn；　old；　wrinkled；　and
grimacing。　So　women；　too；　admire　such　young　people　with　that　eager
pleasure　which　men　take　in　watching　a　pretty　girl；　elegant；　gracious；
and　embellished　with　all　the　virginal　charms　with　which　our
imagination　pleases　to　adorn　the　perfect　woman。　If　this　hurried　glance
at　the　population　of　Paris　has　enabled　us　to　conceive　the　rarity　of　a
Raphaelesque　face；　and　the　passionate　admiration　which　such　an　one
must　inspire　at　the　first　sight；　the　prime　interest　of　our　history
will　have　been　justified。　/Quod　erat　demonstrandum/if　one　may　be
permitted　to　apply　scholastic　formulae　to　the　science　of　manners。

Upon　one　of　those　fine　spring　mornings；　when　the　leaves；　although
unfolded；　are　not　yet　green；　when　the　sun　begins　to　gild　the　roofs；
and　the　sky　is　blue；　when　the　population　of　Paris　issues　from　its
cells　to　swarm　along　the　boulevards；　glides　like　a　serpent　of　a
thousand　coils　through　the　Rue　de　la　Paix　towards　the　Tuileries；
saluting　the　hymeneal　magnificence　which　the　country　puts　on；　on　one
of　these　joyous　days；　then；　a　young　man　as　beautiful　as　the　day
itself；　dressed　with　taste；　easy　of　mannerto　let　out　the　secret　he
was　a　love…child；　the　natural　son　of　Lord　Dudley　and　the　famous
Marquise　de　Vordacwas　walking　in　the　great　avenue　of　the　Tuileries。
This　Adonis；　by　name　Henri　de　Marsay；　was　born　in　France；　when　Lord
Dudley　had　just　married　the　young　lady；　already　Henri's　mother；　to　an
old　gentleman　called　M。　de　Marsay。　This　faded　and　almost　extinguished
butterfly　recognized　the　child　as　his　own　in　consideration　of　the　life
interest　in　a　fund　of　a　hundred　thousand　francs　definitively　assigned
to　his　putative　son；　a　generosity　which　did　not　cost　Lord　Dudley　too
dear。　French　funds　were　wor