the lesser bourgeoisie-第2章

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retail　business；　brought　so　few　carriages　into　that　tranquil　courtyard
that　the　concierge　was　obliged　to　pull　up　the　grass　between　the　paving
stones。　Messrs。　Barbet　and　Metivier　paid　a　few　rare　visits　to　their
landlords；　and　the　punctuality　with　which　they　paid　their　rent　classed
them　as　good　tenants；　in　fact；　they　were　looked　upon　as　very　honest
men　by　the　Thuillier　circle。

As　for　the　third　floor　on　the　street；　it　was　made　into　two　apartments；
one　of　which　was　occupied　by　M。　Dutocq；　clerk　of　the　justice　of　peace；
a　retired　government　employee；　and　a　frequenter　of　the　Thuillier
salon；　the　other　by　the　hero　of　this　Scene；　about　whom　we　must　content
ourselves　at　the　present　moment　by　fixing　the　amount　of　his　rent；
namely；　seven　hundred　francs　a　year；and　the　location　he　had　chosen
in　the　heart　of　this　well…filled　building；　exactly　three　years　before
the　curtain　rises　on　the　present　domestic　drama。

The　clerk；　a　bachelor　of　fifty；　occupied　the　larger　of　the　two
apartments　on　the　third　floor。　He　kept　a　cook；　and　the　rent　of　the
rooms　was　a　thousand　francs　a　year。　Within　two　years　of　the　time　of
her　purchase；　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　was　receiving　seven　thousand　two
hundred　francs　in　rentals；　for　a　house　which　the　late　proprietor　had
supplied　with　outside　blinds；　renovated　within；　and　adorned　with
mirrors；　without　being　able　to　sell　or　let　it。　Moreover；　the
Thuilliers　themselves；　nobly　lodged；　as　we　shall　see；　enjoyed　also　a
fine　garden；one　of　the　finest　in　that　quarter；the　trees　of　which
shaded　the　lonely　little　street　named　the　rue　Neuve…Saint…Catherine。

Standing　between　the　courtyard　and　the　garden；　the　main　building；
which　they　inhabited；　seems　to　have　been　the　caprice　of　some　enriched
bourgeois　in　the　reign　of　Louis　XIV。；　the　dwelling；　perhaps；　of　a
president　of　the　parliament；　or　that　of　a　tranquil　savant。　Its　noble
free…stone　blocks；　damaged　by　time；　have　a　certain　air　of　Louis…the…
Fourteenth　grandeur；　the　courses　of　the　facade　define　the　storeys；
panels　of　red　brick　recall　the　appearance　of　the　stables　at
Versailles；　the　windows　have　masks　carved　as　ornaments　in　the　centre
of　their　arches　and　below　their　sills。　The　door；　of　small　panels　in
the　upper　half　and　plain　below；　through　which；　when　open；　the　garden
can　be　seen；　is　of　that　honest；　unassuming　style　which　was　often
employed　in　former　days　for　the　porter's　lodges　of　the　royal　chateaux。

This　building；　with　five　windows　to　each　course；　rises　two　storeys
above　the　ground…floor；　and　is　particularly　noticeable　for　a　roof　of
four　sides　ending　in　a　weather…vane；　and　broken　here　and　there　by
tall；　handsome　chimneys；　and　oval　windows。　Perhaps　this　structure　is
the　remains　of　some　great　mansion；　but　after　examining　all　the
existing　old　maps　of　Paris；　we　find　nothing　which　bears　out　this
conjecture。　Moreover；　the　title…deeds　of　property　under　Louis　XIV。　was
Petitot；　the　celebrated　painter　in　miniature；　who　obtained　it
originally　from　President　Lecamus。　We　may　therefore　believe　that
Lecamus　lived　in　this　building　while　he　was　erecting　his　more　famous
mansion　in　the　rue　de　Thorigny。

So　Art　and　the　legal　robe　have　passed　this　way　in　turn。　How　many
instigations　of　needs　and　pleasures　have　led　to　the　interior
arrangement　of　the　dwelling！　To　right；　as　we　enter　a　square　hall
forming　a　closed　vestibule；　rises　a　stone　staircase　with　two　windows
looking　on　the　garden。　Beneath　the　staircase　opens　a　door　to　the
cellar。　From　this　vestibule　we　enter　the　dining…room；　lighted　from　the
courtyard；　and　the　dining…room　communicates　at　its　side　with　the
kitchen；　which　forms　a　continuation　of　the　wing　in　which　are　the
warerooms　of　Metivier　and　Barbet。　Behind　the　staircase　extends；　on　the
garden　side；　a　fine　study　or　office　with　two　large　windows。　The　first
and　second　floor　form　two　complete　apartments；　and　the　servants'
quarters　are　shown　by　the　oval　windows　in　the　four…sided　roof。

A　large　porcelain　stove　heats　the　square　vestibule；　the　two　glass
doors　of　which；　placed　opposite　to　each　other；　light　it。　This　room；
paved　in　black　and　white　marble；　is　especially　noticeable　for　a
ceiling　of　beams　formerly　painted　and　gilt；　but　which　had　since
received；　probably　under　the　Empire；　a　coat　of　plain　white　paint。　The
three　doors　of　the　study；　salon　and　dining…room；　surmounted　by　oval
panels；　are　awaiting　a　restoration　that　is　more　than　needed。　The　wood…
work　is　heavy；　but　the　ornamentation　is　not　without　merit。　The　salon；
panelled　throughout；　recalls　the　great　century　by　its　tall　mantelpiece
of　Languedoc　marble；　its　ceiling　decorated　at　the　corners；　and　by　the
style　of　its　windows；　which　still　retain　their　little　panes。　The
dining…room；　communicating　with　the　salon　by　a　double　door；　is　floored
with　stone；　the　wood…work　is　oak；　unpainted；　and　an　atrocious　modern
wall…paper　has　been　substituted　for　the　tapestries　of　the　olden　time。
The　ceiling　is　of　chestnut；　and　the　study；　modernized　by　Thuillier；
adds　its　quota　to　these　discordances。

The　white　and　gold　mouldings　of　the　salon　are　so　effaced　that　nothing
remains　of　the　gilding　but　reddish　lines；　while　the　white　enamelling
is　yellow；　cracked；　and　peeling　off。　Never　did　the　Latin　saying　〃Otium
cum　dignitate〃　have　a　greater　commentary　to　the　mind　of　a　poet　than　in
this　noble　building。　The　iron…work　of　the　staircase　baluster　is　worthy
of　the　artist　and　the　magistrate；　but　to　find　other　traces　of　their
taste　to…day　in　this　majestic　relic；　the　eyes　of　an　artistic　observer
are　needed。

The　Thuilliers　and　their　predecessors　have　frequently　degraded　this
jewel　of　the　upper　bourgeoisie　by　the　habits　and　inventions　of　the
lesser　bourgeoisie。　Look　at　those　walnut　chairs　covered　with　horse…
hair；　that　mahogany　table　with　its　oilcloth　cover；　that　sideboard；
also　of　mahogany；　that　carpet；　bought　at　a　bargain；　beneath　the　table；
those　metal　lamps；　that　wretched　paper　with　its　red　border；　those
execrable　engravings；　and　the　calico　curtains　with　red　fringes；　in　a
dining…room；　where　the　friends　of　Petitot　once　feasted！　Do　you　notice
the　effect　produced　in　the　salon　by　those　portraits　of　Monsieur　and
Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　by　Pierre　Grassou；　the　artist　par
excellence　of　the　modern　bourgeoisie。　Have　you　remarked　the　card…
tables　and　the　consoles　of　the　Empire；　the　tea…table　supported　by　a
lyre；　and　that　species　of　sofa；　of　gnarled　mahogany；　covered　in
painted　velvet　of　a　chocolate　tone？　On　the　chimney…piece；　with　the
clock　（representing　the　Bellona　of　the　Empire）；　are　candelabra　with
fluted　columns。　Curtains　of　woollen　damask；　with　under…curtains　of
embroidered　muslin　held　back　by　stamped　brass　holders；　drape　the
windows。　On　the　floor　a　cheap　carpet。　The　handsome　vestibule　has
wooden　benches；　covered　with　velvet；　and　the　panelled　walls　with　their
fine　carvings　are　mostly　hidden　by　wardrobes；　brought　there　from　time
to　time　from　the　bedrooms　occupied　by　the　Thuilliers。　Fear；　that
hideous　divinity；　has　caused　the　family　to　add　sheet…iron　doors　on　the
garden　side　and　on　the　courtyard　side；　which　are　folded　back　against
the　walls　in　the　daytime；　and　are　closed　at　night。

It　is　easy　to　explain　the　deplorable　profanation　practised　on　this
monument　of　the　private　life　of　the　bourgeoisie　of　the　seventeenth
century；　by　the　private　life　of　the　bourgeoisie　of　the　nineteenth。　At
the　beginning　of　the　Consulate；　let　us　say；　some　master…mason　having
bought　the　ancient　building；　took　the　idea　of　turning　to　account　the
ground　which　lay　between　it　and　the　street。　He　probably　pulled　down
the　fine　porte…cochere　or　entrance　gate；　flanked　by　little　lodges
which　guarded　the　charming　〃sejour〃　（to　use　a　word　of　the　olden　time）；
and　proceeded；　with　the　industry　of　a　Parisian　proprietor；　to　impress
his　withering　mark　on　the　elegance　of　the　old　building。　What　a　curious
study　might　be　made　of　the　successive　title…deeds　of　property　in
Paris！　A　private　lunatic　asylum　performs　its　functions　in　the　rue　des
Batailles　in　the　former　dwelling　of　the　Chevalier　Pierre　Bayard　du
Terrail；　once　without　fear　and　without　reproach；　a　street　has　now　been
built　by　the　present　bourgeois　administration　through　the　site　of　the
hotel　Necker。　Old　Paris　is　departing；　following　its　kings　who
abandone