the ways of men-第14节

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The　〃oldest　inhabitant；〃　with　his　twice…told　tales　of　　transformations　and　changes；　is　to　a　certain　extent　　responsible　for　this；　by　contrast；　we　imagine　that　the　　capitals　of　Europe　have　always　been　just　as　we　see　them。　　So　　strong　is　this　impression　that　it　requires　a　serious　effort　of　　the　imagination　to　reconstruct　the　Paris　that　our　grandparents　　knew　and　admired；　few　as　the　years　are　that　separate　their　day　　from　ours。

It　is；　for　instance；　difficult　to　conceive　of　a　Paris　that　　ended　at　the　rue　Royale；　with　only　waste　land　and　market　　gardens　beyond　the　Madeleine；　where　to…day　so　many　avenues　　open　their　stately　perspectives；　yet　such　was　the　case！　　The　　few　fine　residences　that　existed　beyond　that　point　faced　the　　Faubourg　Saint…Honore；　with　gardens　running　back　to　an　unkempt　　open　country　called　the　Champs　Elysees；　where　an　unfinished　　Arc　de　Triomphe　stood　alone　in　a　wilderness　that　no　one　ever　　dreamed　of　traversing。

The　fashionable　ladies　of　that　time　drove　in　the　afternoon　　along　the　boulevards　from　the　Madeleine　to　the　Chateau　d'Eau；　　and　stopped　their　ponderous　yellow　barouches　at　Tortoni's；　　where　ices　were　served　to　them　in　their　carriages；　while　they　　chatted　with　immaculate　dandies　in　skin…tight　nankeen　　unmentionables；　blue　swallow…tailed　coats；　and　furry　‘beaver〃　　hats。

While　looking　over　some　books　in　the　company　of　an　old　lady　　who　from　time　to　time　opens　her　store　of　treasures　and　recalls　　her　remote　youth　at　my　request；　and　whose　SPIRITUEL　and　　graphic　language　gives　to　her　souvenirs　the　air　of　being　stray　　chapters　from　some　old…fashioned　romance；　I　received　a　vivid　　impression　of　how　the　French　capital　must　have　looked　fifty　　years　ago。

Emptying　in　her　company　a　chest　of　books　that　had　not　seen　the　　light　for　several　decades；　we　came　across　a　〃Panorama　of　the　　Boulevards；〃　dated　1845；　which　proved　when　unfolded　to　be　a　　colored　lithograph；　a　couple　of　yards　long　by　five　or　six　　inches　high；　representing　the　line　of　boulevards　from　the　　Madeleine　to　the　Place　de　la　Bastille。　　Each　house；　almost　　each　tree；　was　faithfully　depicted；　together　with　the　crowds　　on　the　sidewalks　and　the　carriages　in　the　street。　　The　whole　　scene　was　as　different　from　the　effect　made　by　that　　thoroughfare　to…day　as　though　five　hundred　and　not　fifty　years　　had　elapsed　since　the　little　book　was　printed。　　The　picture　　breathed　an　atmosphere　of　calm　and　nameless　quaintness　that　　one　finds　now　only　in　old　provincial　cities　which　have　escaped　　the　ravages　of　improvement。

My　companion　sat　with　the　book　unfolded　before　her；　in　a　　smiling　trance。　　Her　mind　had　turned　back　to　the　far…away　days　　when　she　first　trod　those　streets　a　bride；　with　all　the　　pleasures　and　few　of　the　cares　of　life　to　think　about。

I　watched　her　in　silence　（it　seemed　a　sacrilege　to　break　in　on　　such　a　train　of　thought）；　until　gradually　her　eyes　lost　their　　far…away　expression；　and；　turning　to　me　with　a　smile；　she　　exclaimed：　〃How　we　ever　had　the　courage　to　appear　in　the　　street　dressed　as　we　were　is　a　mystery！　　Do　you　see　that　　carriage？〃　pointing　in　the　print　to　a　high…swung　family　　vehicle　with　a　powdered　coachman　on　the　box；　and　two　sky…blue　　lackeys　standing　behind。　　〃I　can　remember；　as　if　it　were　　yesterday；　going　to　drive　with　Lady　B…；　the　British　　ambassadress；　in　just　such　a　conveyance。　　She　drove　four　　horses　with　feathers　on　their　heads；　when　she　used　to　come　to　　Meurice's　for　me。　　I　blush　when　I　think　that　my　frock　was　so　　scant　that　I　had　to　raise　the　skirt　almost　to　my　knees　in　　order　to　get　into　her　carriage。

〃Why　we　didn't　all　die　of　pneumonia　is　another　marvel；　for　we　　wore　low…necked　dresses　and　the　thinnest　of　slippers　in　the　　street；　our　heads　being　about　the　only　part　that　was　　completely　covered。　　I　was　particularly　proud　of　a　turban　　surmounted　with　a　bird　of　paradise；　but　Lady　B…　affected　poke　　bonnets；　then　just　coming　into　fashion；　so　large　and　so　deep　　that　when　one　looked　at　her　from　the　side　nothing　was　visible　　except　two　curls；　‘as　damp　and　as　black　as　leeches。'　　In　other　　ways　our　toilets　were　absurdly　unsuited　for　every…day　wear；　we　　wore　light　scarves　over　our　necks；　and　rarely　used　furlined　　pelisses。〃

Returning　to　an　examination　of　the　panorama；　my　companion　　pointed　out　to　me　that　there　was　no　break　in　the　boulevards；　　where　the　opera…house；　with　its　seven　radiating　avenues；　now　　stands；　but　a　long　line　of　Hotels；　dozing　behind　high　walls；　　and　quaint　two…storied　buildings　that　undoubtedly　dated　from　　the　razing　of　the　city　wall　and　the　opening　of　the　new　　thoroughfare　under　Louis　XV。

A　little　farther　on　was　the　world…famous　Maison　Doree；　where　　one　almost　expected　to　see　Alfred　de　Musset　and　le　docteur　　Veron　dining　with　Dumas　and　Eugene　Sue。

〃What　in　the　name　of　goodness　is　that？〃　I　exclaimed；　pointing　　to　a　couple　of　black　and　yellow　monstrosities　on　wheels；　which　　looked　like　three　carriages　joined　together　with　a　〃buggy〃　　added　on　in　front。

〃That's　the　diligence　just　arrived　from　Calais；　it　has　been　　two　days　EN　ROUTE；　the　passengers　sleeping　as　best　they　could；　　side　by　side；　and　escaping　from　their　confinement　only　when　　horses　were　changed　or　while　stopping　for　meals。　　That　high　　two…wheeled　trap　with　the　little　‘tiger'　standing　up　behind　is　　a　tilbury。　　We　used　to　see　the　Count　d'Orsay　driving　one　like　　that　almost　every　day。　　He　wore　butter…colored　gloves；　and　the　　skirts　of　his　coat　were　pleated　full　all　around；　and　stood　out　　like　a　ballet　girl's。　　It　is　a　pity　they　have　not　included　　Louis　Philippe　and　his　family　jogging　off　to　Neuilly　in　the　　court　‘carryall；'　…　the　‘Citizen　King；'　with　his　blue　umbrella　　between　his　knees；　trying　to　look　like　an　honest　bourgeois；　　and　failing　even　in　that　attempt　to　please　the　Parisians。

〃We　were　in　Paris　in　'48；　from　my　window　at　Meurice's　I　saw　　poor　old　JUSTE　MILIEU　read　his　abdication　from　the　historic　　middle　balcony　of　the　Tuileries；　and　half　an　hour　later　we　　perceived　the　Duchesse　d'Orleans　leave　the　Tuileries　on　foot；　　leading　her　two　sons　by　the　hand；　and　walk　through　the　gardens　　and　across　the　Place　de　la　Concorde　to　the　Corps　Legislatif；　　in　a　last　attempt　to　save　the　crown　for　her　son。　　Futile　　effort！　　That　evening　the　‘Citizen　King'　was　hurried　through　　those　same　gardens　and　into　a　passing　cab；　EN　ROUTE　for　a　life　　exile。

〃Our　balcony　at　Meurice's　was　a　fine　point　of　observation　from　　which　to　watch　a　revolution。　　With　an　opera…glass　we　could　see　　the　mob　surging　to　the　sack　of　the　palace；　the　priceless　　furniture　and　bric…a…brac　flung　into　the　street；　court　dresses　　waved　on　pikes　from　the　tall　windows；　and　finally　the　throne　　brought　out；　and　carried　off　to　be　burned。　　There　was　no　　keeping　the　men　of　our　party　in　after　that。　　They　rushed　off　　to　have　a　nearer　glimpse　of　the　fighting；　and　we　saw　no　more　　of　them　until　daybreak　the　following　morning　when；　just　as　we　　were　preparing　to　send　for　the　police；　two　dilapidated；　　ragged；　black…faced　mortals　appeared；　in　whom　we　barely　　recognized　our　husbands。　　They　had　been　impressed　into　service　　and　passed　their　night　building　barricades。　　My　better　half；　　however；　had　succeeded　in　snatching　a　handful　of　the　gold　　fringe　from　the　throne　as　it　was　carried　by；　an　act　of　prowess　　that　repaid　him　for　all　his　troubles　and　fatigue。

〃I　passed　the　greater　part　of　forty…eight　hours　on　our　　balcony；　watching　the　mob　marching　by；　singing　LA　　MARSEILLAISE；　and　camping　at　night　in　the　streets。　　It　was　all　　I　could　do　to　tear　myself　away　from　the　window　long　enough　to　　eat　and　write　in　my　journal。

〃There　was　no　Avenue　de　l'Opera　then。　　The　trip　from　the　　boulevards　to　the　Palais…Royal　had　to　be　made　by　a　long　detour　　across　the　Place　Vendome　（where；　by　the　bye；　a　cattle　market　　was　held）　or　through　a　labyrinth　of　narrow；　bad…smelling　　little　streets；　where　strangers　easily　lost　their　way。　　Next　　to　the　boulevards；　the　Palais…Royal　was　the　centre　of　the　　elegant　and　dissipated　life　in　the　capital。　　It　was　there　we　　met　of　an　afternoon　to　drink　chocolate　at　the　‘Rotonde；'　or　to　　dine　at　‘Les　Trois　Freres　Provencaux；'　and　let　our　husbands　　have　a　try　at　the　gambling　tables　in　the　Passage　d'Orleans。

〃No　one　thought　of　buying　jewelry　anywhere　else。　　It　was　from　　the　windows　of　its　shops　that　the　fashions　started　on　their　　way　around　the　world。　　When　Victoria　as　a　bride　was　visiting　　Louis　Philippe；　she　was　so　fascinated　by　the　aspect　of　the　　place　that　the　gallant　French　king　ordered　a　miniature　copy　of　　the　scene；　made　IN　PAPIER…MACHE；　as　a　present　for　his　guest；　a　　sort　of　gigantic　dolls'　house　in　which　not　only　the　palace　and　　its　long　colonnades　were　reproduced；　but　every　tiny　shop　and　　the　myriad　articles　for　sale　were　copied　with　Chinese　　fidelity。　　Unfortunately　the　pear…headed　old　king　became　　England's　uninvited　guest　before　this　clumsy　toy　was　finished；　　so　it　never　crossed　the　Channel；　but　can　be　seen　to…day　by　any　　one　curious　enough　to　examine　it；　in　the　Musee　Carnavalet。

〃Few　of　us　realize　that　the　Paris　of　Charles　X。　and　Louis　　Philippe　would　seem　to　us　now　a　small；　ill…paved；　and　worse…　lighted　provincial　town；　with　few　theatres　or　hotels；　　communicating　with　the　outer　world　only　by　means　of　a　horse…　drawn　‘post；'　and　practically　farther　from　London　than　　Constantinople　is　to