the girl with the golden eyes-第6节

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waited　for　him　to　pass　again；　and　engraved　him　in　their　minds　that
they　might　remember　in　due　season　that　fragrant　face；　which　would　not
have　disadorned　the　body　of　the　fairest　among　themselves。

〃What　are　you　doing　here　on　Sunday？〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles
to　Henri；　as　he　passed。

〃There's　a　fish　in　the　net；〃　answered　the　young　man。

This　exchange　of　thoughts　was　accomplished　by　means　of　two　significant
glances；　without　it　appearing　that　either　De　Ronquerolles　or　De　Marsay
had　any　knowledge　of　the　other。　The　young　man　was　taking　note　of　the
passers…by　with　that　promptitude　of　eye　and　ear　which　is　peculiar　to
the　Parisian　who　seems；　at　first；　to　see　and　hear　nothing；　but　who
sees　and　hears　all。

At　that　moment　a　young　man　came　up　to　him　and　took　him　familiarly　by
the　arm；　saying　to　him：　〃How　are　you；　my　dear　De　Marsay？〃

〃Extremely　well；〃　De　Marsay　answered；　with　that　air　of　apparent
affection　which　amongst　the　young　men　of　Paris　proves　nothing；　either
for　the　present　or　the　future。

In　effect；　the　youth　of　Paris　resemble　the　youth　of　no　other　town。
They　may　be　divided　into　two　classes：　the　young　man　who　has　something；
and　the　young　man　who　has　nothing；　or　the　young　man　who　thinks　and　he
who　spends。　But；　be　it　well　understood　this　applies　only　to　those
natives　of　the　soil　who　maintain　in　Paris　the　delicious　course　of　the
elegant　life。　There　exist；　as　well；　plenty　of　other　young　men；　but
they　are　children　who　are　late　in　conceiving　Parisian　life；　and　who
remain　its　dupes。　They　do　not　speculate；　they　study；　they　/fag/；　as
the　others　say。　Finally　there　are　to　be　found；　besides；　certain　young
people；　rich　or　poor；　who　embrace　careers　and　follow　them　with　a
single　heart；　they　are　somewhat　like　the　Emile　of　Rousseau；　of　the
flesh　of　citizens；　and　they　never　appear　in　society。　The　diplomatic
impolitely　dub　them　fools。　Be　they　that　or　no；　they　augment　the　number
of　those　mediocrities　beneath　the　yoke　of　which　France　is　bowed　down。
They　are　always　there；　always　ready　to　bungle　public　or　private
concerns　with　the　dull　trowel　of　their　mediocrity；　bragging　of　their
impotence；　which　they　count　for　conduct　and　integrity。　This　sort　of
social　/prizemen/　infests　the　administration；　the　army；　the
magistracy；　the　chambers；　the　courts。　They　diminish　and　level　down　the
country　and　constitute；　in　some　manner；　in　the　body　politic；　a　lymph
which　infects　it　and　renders　it　flabby。　These　honest　folk　call　men　of
talent　immoral　or　rogues。　If　such　rogues　require　to　be　paid　for　their
services；　at　least　their　services　are　there；　whereas　the　other　sort　do
harm　and　are　respected　by　the　mob；　but；　happily　for　France；　elegant
youth　stigmatizes　them　ceaselessly　under　the　name　of　louts。

At　the　first　glance；　then；　it　is　natural　to　consider　as　very　distinct
the　two　sorts　of　young　men　who　lead　the　life　of　elegance；　the　amiable
corporation　to　which　Henri　de　Marsay　belonged。　But　the　observer；　who
goes　beyond　the　superficial　aspect　of　things；　is　soon　convinced　that
the　difference　is　purely　moral；　and　that　nothing　is　so　deceptive　as
this　pretty　outside。　Nevertheless；　all　alike　take　precedence　over
everybody　else；　speak　rightly　or　wrongly　of　things；　of　men；
literature；　and　the　fine　arts；　have　ever　in　their　mouth　the　Pitt　and
Coburg　of　each　year；　interrupt　a　conversation　with　a　pun；　turn　into
ridicule　science　and　the　/savant/；　despise　all　things　which　they　do
not　know　or　which　they　fear；　set　themselves　above　all　by　constituting
themselves　the　supreme　judges　of　all。　They　would　all　hoax　their
fathers；　and　be　ready　to　shed　crocodile　tears　upon　their　mothers'
breasts；　but　generally　they　believe　in　nothing；　blaspheme　women；　or
play　at　modesty；　and　in　reality　are　led　by　some　old　woman　or　an　evil
courtesan。　They　are　all　equally　eaten　to　the　bone　with　calculation；
with　depravity；　with　a　brutal　lust　to　succeed；　and　if　you　plumbed　for
their　hearts　you　would　find　in　all　a　stone。　In　their　normal　state　they
have　the　prettiest　exterior；　stake　their　friendship　at　every　turn；　are
captivating　alike。　The　same　badinage　dominates　their　ever…changing
jargon；　they　seek　for　oddity　in　their　toilette；　glory　in　repeating　the
stupidities　of　such　and　such　actor　who　is　in　fashion；　and　commence
operations；　it　matters　not　with　whom；　with　contempt　and　impertinence；
in　order　to　have；　as　it　were；　the　first　move　in　the　game；　but；　woe
betide　him　who　does　not　know　how　to　take　a　blow　on　one　cheek　for　the
sake　of　rendering　two。　They　resemble；　in　fine；　that　pretty　white　spray
which　crests　the　stormy　waves。　They　dress　and　dance；　dine　and　take
their　pleasure；　on　the　day　of　Waterloo；　in　the　time　of　cholera　or
revolution。　Finally；　their　expenses　are　all　the　same；　but　here　the
contrast　comes　in。　Of　this　fluctuating　fortune；　so　agreeably　flung
away；　some　possess　the　capital　for　which　the　others　wait；　they　have
the　same　tailors；　but　the　bills　of　the　latter　are　still　to　pay。　Next；
if　the　first；　like　sieves；　take　in　ideas　of　all　kinds　without
retaining　any；　the　latter　compare　them　and　assimilate　all　the　good。　If
the　first　believe　they　know　something；　know　nothing　and　understand
everything；　lend　all　to　those　who　need　nothing　and　offer　nothing　to
those　who　are　in　need；　the　latter　study　secretly　others'　thoughts　and
place　out　their　money；　like　their　follies；　at　big　interest。　The　one
class　have　no　more　faithful　impressions；　because　their　soul；　like　a
mirror；　worn　from　use；　no　longer　reflects　any　image；　the　others
economize　their　senses　and　life；　even　while　they　seem；　like　the　first；
to　be　flinging　them　away　broadcast。　The　first；　on　the　faith　of　a　hope；
devote　themselves　without　conviction　to　a　system　which　has　wind　and
tide　against　it；　but　they　leap　upon　another　political　craft　when　the
first　goes　adrift；　the　second　take　the　measure　of　the　future；　sound
it；　and　see　in　political　fidelity　what　the　English　see　in　commercial
integrity；　an　element　of　success。　Where　the　young　man　of　possessions
makes　a　pun　or　an　epigram　upon　the　restoration　of　the　throne；　he　who
has　nothing　makes　a　public　calculation　or　a　secret　reservation；　and
obtains　everything　by　giving　a　handshake　to　his　friends。　The　one　deny
every　faculty　to　others；　look　upon　all　their　ideas　as　new；　as　though
the　world　had　been　made　yesterday；　they　have　unlimited　confidence　in
themselves；　and　no　crueler　enemy　than　those　same　selves。　But　the
others　are　armed　with　an　incessant　distrust　of　men；　whom　they　estimate
at　their　value；　and　are　sufficiently　profound　to　have　one　thought
beyond　their　friends；　whom　they　exploit；　then　of　evenings；　when　they
lay　their　heads　on　their　pillows；　they　weigh　men　as　a　miser　weighs　his
gold　pieces。　The　one　are　vexed　at　an　aimless　impertinence；　and　allow
themselves　to　be　ridiculed　by　the　diplomatic；　who　make　them　dance　for
them　by　pulling　what　is　the　main　string　of　these　puppetstheir
vanity。　Thus；　a　day　comes　when　those　who　had　nothing　have　something；
and　those　who　had　something　have　nothing。　The　latter　look　at　their
comrades　who　have　achieved　positions　as　cunning　fellows；　their　hearts
may　be　bad；　but　their　heads　are　strong。　〃He　is　very　strong！〃　is　the
supreme　praise　accorded　to　those　who　have　attained　/quibuscumque
viis/；　political　rank；　a　woman；　or　a　fortune。　Amongst　them　are　to　be
found　certain　young　men　who　play　this　/role/　by　commencing　with　having
debts。　Naturally；　these　are　more　dangerous　than　those　who　play　it
without　a　farthing。

The　young　man　who　called　himself　a　friend　of　Henri　de　Marsay　was　a
rattle…head　who　had　come　from　the　provinces；　and　whom　the　young　men
then　in　fashion　were　teaching　the　art　of　running　through　an
inheritance；　but　he　had　one　last　leg　to　stand　on　in　his　province；　in
the　shape　of　a　secure　establishment。　He　was　simply　an　heir　who　had
passed　without　any　transition　from　his　pittance　of　a　hundred　francs　a
month　to　the　entire　paternal　fortune；　and　who；　if　he　had　not　wit
enough　to　perceive　that　he　was　laughed　at；　was　sufficiently　cautious
to　stop　short　at　two…thirds　of　his　capital。　He　had　learned　at　Paris；
for　a　consideration　of　some　thousands　of　francs；　the　exact　value　of
harness；　the　art　of　not　being　too　respectful　to　his　gloves；　learned　to
make　skilful　meditations　upon　the　right　wages　to　give　people；　and　to
seek　out　what　bargain　was　the　best　to　close　with　them。　He　set　store　on
his　capacity　to　speak　in　good　terms　of　his　horses；　of　his　Pyrenean
hound；　to　tell　by　her　dress；　her　walk；　her　shoes；　to　what　class　a
woman　belonged；　to　study　/ecarte/；　remember　a　few　fashionable
catchwords；　and　win　by　his　sojourn　in　Parisian　society　the　necessary
authority　to　import　later　into　his　province　a　taste　for　tea　and　silver
of　an　English　fashion；　and　to　obtain　the　right　of　despising　everything
around　him　for　the　rest　of　his　days。

De　Marsay　had　admitted　him　to　his　society　in　order　to　make　use　of　him
in　the　world；　just　as　a　bold　speculator　employs　a　confidential　clerk。
The　friendship；　real　or　feigned；　of　De　Marsay　was　a　social　position
for　Paul　de　Manerville；　who；　on　his　side；　thought　himself　astute　in
exploiting；　after　his　fashion；　his　intimate　friend。　He　lived　in　the
reflecting　lustre　of　his　friend；　walked　constantly　under　his　umbrella；
wore　his　boots；　gilded　himself　with　his　rays。　When　he　posed　in　H