the firm of nucingen-第5章
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she is still living； thanks to her want of heart〃
〃Who is this？〃
〃The Marquise d'Espard。 She said that a young man ought to live on an entresol； there should be no sign of domesticity about the place； no cook； no kitchen； an old manservant to wait upon him； and no pretence of permanence。 In her opinion； any other sort of establishment is bad form。 Godefroid de Beaudenord； faithful to this programme； lodged on an entresol on the Quai Malaquais； he had； however； been obliged to have this much in common with married couples； he had put a bedstead in his room； though for that matter it was so narrow that he seldom slept in it。 An Englishwoman might have visited his rooms and found nothing 'improper' there。 Finot； you have yet to learn the great law of the 'Improper' that rules Britain。 But； for the sake of the bond between usthat bill for a thousand francsI will just give you some idea of it。 I have been in England myself。I will give him wit enough for a couple of thousand；〃 he added in an aside to Blondet。
〃In England； Finot； you grow extremely intimate with a woman in the course of an evening； at a ball or wherever it is； next day you meet her in the street and look as though you knew her again'improper。' At dinner you discover a delightful man beneath your left…hand neighbor's dresscoat； a clever man； no high mightiness； no constraint； nothing of an Englishman about him。 In accordance with the tradition of French breeding； so urbane； so gracious as they are； you address your neighbor'improper。'At a ball you walk up to a pretty woman to ask her to dance'improper。' You wax enthusiastic； you argue； laugh； and give yourself out； you fling yourself heart and soul into the conversation； you give expression to your real feelings； you play when you are at the card…table； chat while you chat； eat while you eat 'improper！ improper！ improper！' Stendhal； one of the cleverest and profoundest minds of the age； hit off the 'improper' excellently well when he said that such…and…such a British peer did not dare to cross his legs when he sat alone before his own hearth for fear of being improper。 An English gentlewoman； were she one of the rabid 'Saints' that most straitest sect of Protestants that would leave their whole family to starve if the said family did anything 'improper'may play the deuce's own delight in her own bedroom； and need not be 'improper；' but she would look on herself as lost if she received a visit from a man of her acquaintance in the aforesaid room。 Thanks to propriety； London and its inhabitants will be found petrified some of these days。〃
〃And to think that there are asses here in France that want to import the solemn tomfoolery that the English keep up among themselves with that admirable self…possession which you know！〃 added Blondet。 〃It is enough to make any man shudder if he has seen the English at home； and recollects the charming； gracious French manners。 Sir Walter Scott was afraid to paint women as they are for fear of being 'improper'； and at the close of his life repented of the creation of the great character of Effie in The Heart of Midlothian。〃
〃Do you wish not to be 'improper' in England？〃 asked Bixiou； addressing Finot。
〃Well？〃
〃Go to the Tuileries and look at a figure there； something like a fireman carved in marble （'Themistocles；' the statuary calls it）； try to walk like the Commandant's statue； and you will never be 'improper。' It was through strict observance of the great law of the IMproper that Godefroid's happiness became complete。 There is the story：
〃Beaudenord had a tiger； not a 'groom；' as they write that know nothing of society。 The tiger； a diminutive Irish page called Paddy； Toby； Joby （which you please）； was three feet in height by twenty inches in breadth； a weasel…faced infant； with nerves of steel tempered in fire…water； and agile as a squirrel。 He drove a landau with a skill never yet at fault in London or Paris。 He had a lizard's eye； as sharp as my own； and he could mount a horse like the elder Franconi。 With the rosy cheeks and yellow hair of one of Rubens' Madonnas he was double…faced as a prince； and as knowing as an old attorney； in short； at the age of ten he was nothing more nor less than a blossom of depravity； gambling and swearing； partial to jam and punch； pert as a feuilleton； impudent and light…fingered as any Paris street…arab。 He had been a source of honor and profit to a well…known English lord； for whom he had already won seven hundred thousand francs on the race…course。 The aforesaid nobleman set no small store on Toby。 His tiger was a curiosity； the very smallest tiger in town。 Perched aloft on the back of a thoroughbred； Joby looked like a hawk。 Yetthe great man dismissed him。 Not for greediness； not for dishonesty； nor murder； nor rudeness to my lady； nor for cutting holes in my lady's own woman's pockets； nor because he had been 'got at' by some of his master's rivals on the turf； nor for playing games of a Sunday； nor for bad behavior of any sort or description。 Toby might have done all these things； he might even have spoken to milord before milord spoke to him； and his noble master might； perhaps； have pardoned that breach of the law domestic。 Milord would have put up with a good deal from Toby； he was very fond of him。 Toby could drive a tandem dog…cart； riding on the wheeler； postilion fashion； his legs did not reach the shafts； he looked in fact very much like one of the cherub heads circling about the Eternal Father in old Italian pictures。 But an English journalist wrote a delicious description of the little angel； in the course of which he said that Paddy was quite too pretty for a tiger； in fact； he offered to bet that Paddy was a tame tigress。 The description； on the heads of it； was calculated to poison minds and end in something 'improper。' And the superlative of 'improper' is the way to the gallows。 Milord's circumspection was highly approved by my lady。
〃But poor Toby； now that his precise position in insular zoology had been called in question； found himself hopelessly out of place。 At that time Godefroid had blossomed out at the French Embassy in London； where he learned the adventures of Toby； Joby； Paddy。 Godefroid found the infant weeping over a pot of jam （he had already lost the guineas with which milord gilded his misfortune）。 Godefroid took possession of him； and so it fell out that on his return among us he brought back with him the sweetest thing in tigers from England。 He was known by his tigeras Couture is known by his waistcoatsand found no difficulty in entering the fraternity of the club yclept to…day the Grammont。 He had renounced the diplomatic career； he ceased accordingly to alarm the susceptibilites of the ambitious； and as he had no very dangerous amount of intellect； he was well looked upon everywhere。
〃Some of us would feel mortified if we saw only smiling faces wherever we went； we enjoy the sour contortions of envy。 Godefroid did not like to be disliked。 Every one has his taste。 Now for the solid； practical aspects of life！
〃The distinguishing feature of his chambers； where I have licked my lips over breakfast more than once； was a mysterious dressing…closet； nicely decorated； and comfortably appointed； with a grate in it and a bath…tub。 It gave upon a narrow staircase； the folding doors were noiseless； the locks well oiled； the hinges discreet； the window panes of frosted glass； the curtain impervious to light。 While the bedroom was； as it ought to have been； in a fine disorder which would suit the most exacting painter in water…colors； while everything therein was redolent of the Bohemian life of a young man of fashion； the dressing… closet was like a shrinewhite； spotless； neat； and warm。 There were no draughts from door or window； the carpet had been made soft for bare feet hastily put to the floor in a sudden panic of alarmwhich stamps him as your thoroughbred dandy that knows life； for here； in a few moments； he may show himself either a noodle or a master in those little details in which a man's character is revealed。 The Marquise previously quotedno； it was the Marquise de Rochefidecame out of that dressing…closet in a furious rage； and never went back again。 She discovered nothing 'impro
