English
Monseigneur,oneofthegreatlordsinpowerattheCourt,heldhisfortnightlyreceptioninhisgrandhotelinParis.
Monseigneurwasinhisinnerroom,hissanctuaryofsanctuaries,theHoliestofHolieststothecrowdofworshippersinthesuiteofroomswithout.
Monseigneurwasabouttotakehischocolate.
Monseigneurcouldswallowagreatmanythingswithease,andwasbysomefewsullenmindssupposedtoberatherrapidlyswallowingFrance;but,hismorning’schocolatecouldnotsomuchasgetintothethroatofMonseigneur,withouttheaidoffourstrongmenbesidestheCook.
Yes.Ittookfourmen,allfourablazewithgorgeousdecoration,andtheChiefofthemunabletoexistwithfewerthantwogoldwatchesinhispocket,emulativeofthenobleandchastefashionsetbyMonseigneur,toconductthehappychocolatetoMonseigneur’slips.
Onelacqueycarriedthechocolate-potintothesacredpresence;asecond,milledandfrothedthechocolatewiththelittleinstrumentheboreforthatfunction;athird,presentedthefavourednapkin;afourth(heofthetwogoldwatches),pouredthechocolateout.
ItwasimpossibleforMonseigneurtodispensewithoneoftheseattendantsonthechocolateandholdhishighplaceundertheadmiringHeavens.
Deepwouldhavebeentheblotuponhisescutcheonifhischocolatehadbeenignoblywaitedonbyonlythreemen;hemusthavediedoftwo.
Monseigneurhadbeenoutatalittlesupperlastnight,wheretheComedyandtheGrandOperawerecharminglyrepresented.
Monseigneurwasoutatalittlesuppermostnights,withfascinatingcompany.
SopoliteandsoimpressiblewasMonseigneur,thattheComedyandtheGrandOperahadfarmoreinfluencewithhiminthetiresomearticlesofstateaffairsandstatesecrets,thantheneedsofallFrance.
AhappycircumstanceforFrance,asthelikealwaysisforallcountriessimilarlyfavoured!
—alwayswasforEngland(bywayofexample),intheregretteddaysofthemerryStuartwhosoldit.
Monseigneurhadonetrulynobleideaofgeneralpublicbusiness,whichwas,toleteverythinggooninitsownway;ofparticularpublicbusiness,Monseigneurhadtheothertrulynobleideathatitmustallgohisway—tendtohisownpowerandpocket.
Ofhispleasures,generalandparticular,Monseigneurhadtheothertrulynobleidea,thattheworldwasmadeforthem.
Thetextofhisorder(alteredfromtheoriginalbyonlyapronoun,whichisnotmuch)ran:“Theearthandthefulnessthereofaremine,saithMonseigneur.”
Yet,Monseigneurhadslowlyfoundthatvulgarembarrassmentscreptintohisaffairs,bothprivateandpublic;andhehad,astobothclassesofaffairs,alliedhimselfperforcewithaFarmer-General.
Astofinancespublic,becauseMonseigneurcouldnotmakeanythingatallofthem,andmustconsequentlyletthemouttosomebodywhocould;astofinancesprivate,becauseFarmer-Generalswererich,andMonseigneur,aftergenerationsofgreatluxuryandexpense,wasgrowingpoor.
HenceMonseigneurhadtakenhissisterfromaconvent,whiletherewasyettimetowardofftheimpendingveil,thecheapestgarmentshecouldwear,andhadbestowedherasaprizeuponaveryrichFarmer-General,poorinfamily.
WhichFarmer-General,carryinganappropriatecanewithagoldenappleonthetopofit,wasnowamongthecompanyintheouterrooms,muchprostratedbeforebymankind—alwaysexceptingsuperiormankindofthebloodofMonseigneur,who,hisownwifeincluded,lookeddownuponhimwiththeloftiestcontempt.
AsumptuousmanwastheFarmer-General.Thirtyhorsesstoodinhisstables,twenty-fourmaledomesticssatinhishalls,sixbody-womenwaitedonhiswife.
Asonewhopretendedtodonothingbutplunderandforagewherehecould,theFarmer-General—howsoeverhismatrimonialrelationsconducedtosocialmorality—wasatleastthegreatestrealityamongthepersonageswhoattendedatthehotelofMonseigneurthatday.
For,therooms,thoughabeautifulscenetolookat,andadornedwitheverydeviceofdecorationthatthetasteandskillofthetimecouldachieve,were,intruth,notasoundbusiness;consideredwithanyreferencetothescarecrowsintheragsandnightcapselsewhere(andnotsofaroff,either,butthatthewatchingtowersofNotreDame,almostequidistantfromthetwoextremes,couldseethemboth),theywouldhavebeenanexceedinglyuncomfortablebusiness—ifthatcouldhavebeenanybody’sbusiness,atthehouseofMonseigneur.
Militaryofficersdestituteofmilitaryknowledge;navalofficerswithnoideaofaship;civilofficerswithoutanotionofaffairs;brazenecclesiastics,oftheworstworldworldly,withsensualeyes,loosetongues,andlooserlives;alltotallyunfitfortheirseveralcallings,alllyinghorriblyinpretendingtobelongtothem,butallnearlyorremotelyoftheorderofMonseigneur,andthereforefoistedonallpublicemploymentsfromwhichanythingwastobegot;theseweretobetoldoffbythescoreandthescore.
PeoplenotimmediatelyconnectedwithMonseigneurortheState,yetequallyunconnectedwithanythingthatwasreal,orwithlivespassedintravellingbyanystraightroadtoanytrueearthlyend,werenolessabundant.
Doctorswhomadegreatfortunesoutofdaintyremediesforimaginarydisordersthatneverexisted,smiledupontheircourtlypatientsintheante-chambersofMonseigneur.
ProjectorswhohaddiscoveredeverykindofremedyforthelittleevilswithwhichtheStatewastouched,excepttheremedyofsettingtoworkinearnesttorootoutasinglesin,pouredtheirdistractingbabbleintoanyearstheycouldlayholdof,atthereceptionofMonseigneur.
UnbelievingPhilosopherswhowereremodellingtheworldwithwords,andmakingcard-towersofBabeltoscaletheskieswith,talkedwithUnbelievingChemistswhohadaneyeonthetransmutationofmetals,atthiswonderfulgatheringaccumulatedbyMonseigneur.
Exquisitegentlemenofthefinestbreeding,whichwasatthatremarkabletime—andhasbeensince—tobeknownbyitsfruitsofindifferencetoeverynaturalsubjectofhumaninterest,wereinthemostexemplarystateofexhaustion,atthehotelofMonseigneur.
SuchhomeshadthesevariousnotabilitiesleftbehindtheminthefineworldofParis,thatthespiesamongtheassembleddevoteesofMonseigneur—formingagoodlyhalfofthepolitecompany—wouldhavefoundithardtodiscoveramongtheangelsofthatsphereonesolitarywife,who,inhermannersandappearance,ownedtobeingaMother.
Indeed,exceptforthemereactofbringingatroublesomecreatureintothisworld—whichdoesnotgofartowardstherealisationofthenameofmother—therewasnosuchthingknowntothefashion.
Peasantwomenkepttheunfashionablebabiesclose,andbroughtthemup,andcharminggrandmammasofsixtydressedandsuppedasattwenty.
TheleprosyofunrealitydisfiguredeveryhumancreatureinattendanceuponMonseigneur.
Intheoutermostroomwerehalfadozenexceptionalpeoplewhohadhad,forafewyears,somevaguemisgivinginthemthatthingsingeneralweregoingratherwrong.
Asapromisingwayofsettingthemright,halfofthehalf-dozenhadbecomemembersofafantasticsectofConvulsionists,andwereeventhenconsideringwithinthemselveswhethertheyshouldfoam,rage,roar,andturncatalepticonthespot—therebysettingupahighlyintelligiblefinger-posttotheFuture,forMonseigneur’sguidance.
BesidestheseDervishes,wereotherthreewhohadrushedintoanothersect,whichmendedmatterswithajargonabout“theCentreofTruth:”holdingthatManhadgotoutoftheCentreofTruth—whichdidnotneedmuchdemonstration—buthadnotgotoutoftheCircumference,andthathewastobekeptfromflyingoutoftheCircumference,andwaseventobeshovedbackintotheCentre,byfastingandseeingofspirits.
Amongthese,accordingly,muchdiscoursingwithspiritswenton—anditdidaworldofgoodwhichneverbecamemanifest.
But,thecomfortwas,thatallthecompanyatthegrandhotelofMonseigneurwereperfectlydressed.
IftheDayofJudgmenthadonlybeenascertainedtobeadressday,everybodytherewouldhavebeeneternallycorrect.
Suchfrizzlingandpowderingandstickingupofhair,suchdelicatecomplexionsartificiallypreservedandmended,suchgallantswordstolookat,andsuchdelicatehonourtothesenseofsmell,wouldsurelykeepanythinggoing,foreverandever.
Theexquisitegentlemenofthefinestbreedingworelittlependenttrinketsthatchinkedastheylanguidlymoved;thesegoldenfettersranglikepreciouslittlebells;andwhatwiththatringing,andwiththerustleofsilkandbrocadeandfinelinen,therewasaflutterintheairthatfannedSaintAntoineandhisdevouringhungerfaraway.
Dresswastheoneunfailingtalismanandcharmusedforkeepingallthingsintheirplaces.
EverybodywasdressedforaFancyBallthatwasnevertoleaveoff.
FromthePalaceoftheTuileries,throughMonseigneurandthewholeCourt,throughtheChambers,theTribunalsofJustice,andallsociety(exceptthescarecrows),theFancyBalldescendedtotheCommonExecutioner:who,inpursuanceofthecharm,wasrequiredtoofficiate“frizzled,powdered,inagold-lacedcoat,pumps,andwhitesilkstockings.”
Atthegallowsandthewheel—theaxewasararity—MonsieurParis,asitwastheepiscopalmodeamonghisbrotherProfessorsoftheprovinces,MonsieurOrleans,andtherest,tocallhim,presidedinthisdaintydress.
AndwhoamongthecompanyatMonseigneur’sreceptioninthatseventeenhundredandeightiethyearofourLord,couldpossiblydoubt,thatasystemrootedinafrizzledhangman,powdered,gold-laced,pumped,andwhite-silkstockinged,wouldseetheverystarsout!
Monseigneurhavingeasedhisfourmenoftheirburdensandtakenhischocolate,causedthedoorsoftheHoliestofHolieststobethrownopen,andissuedforth.
Then,whatsubmission,whatcringingandfawning,whatservility,whatabjecthumiliation!
Astobowingdowninbodyandspirit,nothinginthatwaywasleftforHeaven—whichmayhavebeenoneamongotherreasonswhytheworshippersofMonseigneurnevertroubledit.
Bestowingawordofpromisehereandasmilethere,awhisperononehappyslaveandawaveofthehandonanother,MonseigneuraffablypassedthroughhisroomstotheremoteregionoftheCircumferenceofTruth.
There,Monseigneurturned,andcamebackagain,andsoinduecourseoftimegothimselfshutupinhissanctuarybythechocolatesprites,andwasseennomore.
Theshowbeingover,theflutterintheairbecamequitealittlestorm,andthepreciouslittlebellswentringingdownstairs.
Therewassoonbutonepersonleftofallthecrowd,andhe,withhishatunderhisarmandhissnuff-boxinhishand,slowlypassedamongthemirrorsonhiswayout.
“Idevoteyou,”saidthisperson,stoppingatthelastdooronhisway,andturninginthedirectionofthesanctuary,“totheDevil!”
Withthat,heshookthesnufffromhisfingersasifhehadshakenthedustfromhisfeet,andquietlywalkeddownstairs.
Hewasamanofaboutsixty,handsomelydressed,haughtyinmanner,andwithafacelikeafinemask.
Afaceofatransparentpaleness;everyfeatureinitclearlydefined;onesetexpressiononit.
Thenose,beautifullyformedotherwise,wasveryslightlypinchedatthetopofeachnostril.
Inthosetwocompressions,ordints,theonlylittlechangethatthefaceevershowed,resided.
Theypersistedinchangingcoloursometimes,andtheywouldbeoccasionallydilatedandcontractedbysomethinglikeafaintpulsation;then,theygavealookoftreachery,andcruelty,tothewholecountenance.
Examinedwithattention,itscapacityofhelpingsuchalookwastobefoundinthelineofthemouth,andthelinesoftheorbitsoftheeyes,beingmuchtoohorizontalandthin;still,intheeffectofthefacemade,itwasahandsomeface,andaremarkableone.
Itsownerwentdownstairsintothecourtyard,gotintohiscarriage,anddroveaway.
Notmanypeoplehadtalkedwithhimatthereception;hehadstoodinalittlespaceapart,andMonseigneurmighthavebeenwarmerinhismanner.
Itappeared,underthecircumstances,ratheragreeabletohimtoseethecommonpeopledispersedbeforehishorses,andoftenbarelyescapingfrombeingrundown.
Hismandroveasifhewerecharginganenemy,andthefuriousrecklessnessofthemanbroughtnocheckintotheface,ortothelips,ofthemaster.
Thecomplainthadsometimesmadeitselfaudible,eveninthatdeafcityanddumbage,that,inthenarrowstreetswithoutfootways,thefiercepatriciancustomofharddrivingendangeredandmaimedthemerevulgarinabarbarousmanner.
But,fewcaredenoughforthattothinkofitasecondtime,and,inthismatter,asinallothers,thecommonwretcheswerelefttogetoutoftheirdifficultiesastheycould.
Withawildrattleandclatter,andaninhumanabandonmentofconsiderationnoteasytobeunderstoodinthesedays,thecarriagedashedthroughstreetsandsweptroundcorners,withwomenscreamingbeforeit,andmenclutchingeachotherandclutchingchildrenoutofitsway.
Atlast,swoopingatastreetcornerbyafountain,oneofitswheelscametoasickeninglittlejolt,andtherewasaloudcryfromanumberofvoices,andthehorsesrearedandplunged.
Butforthelatterinconvenience,thecarriageprobablywouldnothavestopped;carriageswereoftenknowntodriveon,andleavetheirwoundedbehind,andwhynot?
Butthefrightenedvalethadgotdowninahurry,andthereweretwentyhandsatthehorses’bridles.
“Whathasgonewrong?”saidMonsieur,calmlylookingout.
Atallmaninanightcaphadcaughtupabundlefromamongthefeetofthehorses,andhadlaiditonthebasementofthefountain,andwasdowninthemudandwet,howlingoveritlikeawildanimal.
“Pardon,MonsieurtheMarquis!”saidaraggedandsubmissiveman,“itisachild.”
“Whydoeshemakethatabominablenoise?Isithischild?”
“Excuseme,MonsieurtheMarquis—itisapity—yes.”
Thefountainwasalittleremoved;forthestreetopened,whereitwas,intoaspacesometenortwelveyardssquare.
Asthetallmansuddenlygotupfromtheground,andcamerunningatthecarriage,MonsieurtheMarquisclappedhishandforaninstantonhissword-hilt.
“Killed!”shriekedtheman,inwilddesperation,extendingbotharmsattheirlengthabovehishead,andstaringathim.“Dead!”
Thepeopleclosedround,andlookedatMonsieurtheMarquis.
Therewasnothingrevealedbythemanyeyesthatlookedathimbutwatchfulnessandeagerness;therewasnovisiblemenacingoranger.
Neitherdidthepeoplesayanything;afterthefirstcry,theyhadbeensilent,andtheyremainedso.
Thevoiceofthesubmissivemanwhohadspoken,wasflatandtameinitsextremesubmission.
MonsieurtheMarquisranhiseyesoverthemall,asiftheyhadbeenmereratscomeoutoftheirholes.
Hetookouthispurse.
“Itisextraordinarytome,”saidhe,“thatyoupeoplecannottakecareofyourselvesandyourchildren.
Oneortheotherofyouisforeverinthe,way.
HowdoIknowwhatinjuryyouhavedonemyhorses.See!Givehimthat.”
Hethrewoutagoldcoinforthevalettopickup,andalltheheadscranedforwardthatalltheeyesmightlookdownatitasitfell.Thetallmancalledoutagainwithamostunearthlycry,“Dead!”
Hewasarrestedbythequickarrivalofanotherman,forwhomtherestmadeway.
Onseeinghim,themiserablecreaturefelluponhisshoulder,sobbingandcrying,andpointingtothefountain,wheresomewomenwerestoopingoverthemotionlessbundle,andmovinggentlyaboutit.
Theywereassilent,however,asthemen.
“Iknowall,Iknowall,”saidthelastcomer.“Beabraveman,myGaspard!
Itisbetterforthepoorlittleplaythingtodieso,thantolive.Ithasdiedinamomentwithoutpain.
Couldithavelivedanhourashappily?”
“Youareaphilosopher,youthere,”saidthe,Marquis,smiling.“Howdotheycallyou?”
“TheycallmeDefarge.”
“Ofwhattrade?”
“MonsieurtheMarquis,vendorofwine.”
“Pickupthat,philosopherandvendorofwine,”saidtheMarquis,throwinghimanothergoldcoin,“andspenditasyouwill.Thehorsesthere;aretheyright?”
Withoutdeigningtolookattheassemblageasecondtime,MonsieurtheMarquisleanedbackinhisseat,andwasjustbeingdrivenawaywiththeairofagentlemanwhohadaccidentallybrokesomecommonthing,andhadpaidforit,andcouldaffordtopayforit;whenhiseasewassuddenlydisturbedbyacoinflyingintohiscarriage,andringingonitsfloor.
“Hold!”saidMonsieurtheMarquis.“Holdthehorses!Whothrewthat?”
HelookedtothespotwhereDefargethevendorofwinehadstood,amomentbefore;butthewretchedfatherwasgrovellingonhisfaceonthepavementinthatspot,andthefigurethatstoodbesidehimwasthefigureofadarkstoutwoman,knitting.
“Youdogs!”saidtheMarquis,butsmoothly,andwithanunchangedfront,exceptastothespotsonhisnose:“Iwouldrideoveranyofyouverywillingly,andexterminateyoufromtheearth.
IfIknewwhichrascalthrewatthecarriage,andifthatbrigandweresufficientlynearit,heshouldbecrushedunderthewheels.”
Socowedwastheircondition,andsolongandhardtheirexperienceofwhatsuchamancoulddotothem,withinthelawandbeyondit,thatnotavoice,orahand,orevenaneyewasraised.Amongthemen,notone.
Butthewomanwhostoodknittinglookedupsteadily,andlookedtheMarquisintheface.
Itwasnotforhisdignitytonoticeit;hiscontemptuouseyespassedoverher,andoveralltheotherrats;andheleanedbackinhisseatagain,andgavetheword“Goon!”
Hewasdrivenon,andothercarriagescamewhirlingbyinquicksuccession;theMinister,theState-Projector,theFarmer-General,theDoctor,theLawyer,theEcclesiastic,theGrandOpera,theComedy,thewholeFancyBallinabrightcontinuousflow,camewhirlingby.
Theratshadcreptoutoftheirholestolookon,andtheyremainedlookingonforhours;soldiersandpoliceoftenpassingbetweenthemandthespectacle,andmakingabarrierbehindwhichtheyslunk,andthroughwhichtheypeeped.
Thefatherhadlongagotakenuphisbundleandbiddenhimselfawaywithit,whenthewomenwhohadtendedthebundlewhileitlayonthebaseofthefountain,sattherewatchingtherunningofthewaterandtherollingoftheFancyBall—whentheonewomanwhohadstoodconspicuous,knitting,stillknittedonwiththesteadfastnessofFate.
Thewaterofthefountainran,theswiftriverran,thedayranintoevening,somuchlifeinthecityranintodeathaccordingtorule,timeandtidewaitedfornoman,theratsweresleepingclosetogetherintheirdarkholesagain,theFancyBallwaslightedupatsupper,allthingsrantheircourse.
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