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great　seigneur　in　the　rather　heedless　young　fellow　who；　in　their

talks；　would　flit　from　one　subject　to　another；　all　the　more　intent

upon　amusement　because　he　had　just　escaped　from　a　great　peril；　and；

finding　himself　in　a　city　where　his　family　was　unknown；　felt　at

liberty　to　lead　a　loose　life　without　the　risk　of　disgracing　his　name。



But　one　fine　day　in　1834　Adam　suddenly　bought　a　house　in　the　rue　de　la

Pepiniere。　Six　months　later　his　style　of　living　was　second　to　none　in

Paris。　About　the　time　when　he　thus　began　to　take　himself　seriously　he

had　seen　Clementine　du　Rouvre　at　the　Opera　and　had　fallen　in　love　with

her。　A　year　later　the　marriage　took　place。　The　salon　of　Madame

d'Espard　was　the　first　to　sound　his　praises。　Mothers　of　daughters　then

learned　too　late　that　as　far　back　as　the　year　900　the　family　of　the

Laginski　was　among　the　most　illustrious　of　the　North。　By　an　act　of

prudence　which　was　very　unPolish；　the　mother　of　the　young　count　had

mortgaged　her　entire　property　on　the　breaking　out　of　the　insurrection

for　an　immense　sum　lent　by　two　Jewish　bankers　in　Paris。　Comte　Adam　was

now　in　possession　of　eighty　thousand　francs　a　year。　When　this　was

discovered　society　ceased　to　be　surprised　at　the　imprudence　which　had

been　laid　to　the　charge　of　Madame　de　Serizy；　the　Marquis　de

Ronquerolles；　and　the　Chevalier　du　Rouvre　in　yielding　to　the　foolish

passion　of　their　niece。　People　jumped；　as　usual；　from　one　extreme　of

judgment　to　the　other。



During　the　winter　of　1836　Comte　Adam　was　the　fashion；　and　Clementine

Laginska　one　of　the　queens　of　Paris。　Madame　Laginska　is　now　a　member

of　that　charming　circle　of　young　women　represented　by　Mesdames　de

Lestorade；　de　Portenduere；　Marie　de　Vandenesse；　du　Guenic；　and　de

Maufrigneuse；　the　flowers　of　our　present　Paris；　who　live　at　such

immeasurable　distance　from　the　parvenus；　the　vulgarians；　and　the

speculators　of　the　new　regime。



This　preamble　is　necessary　to　show　the　sphere　in　which　was　done　one　of

those　noble　actions；　less　rare　than　the　calumniators　of　our　time

admit；actions　which；　like　pearls；　the　fruit　of　pain　and　suffering；

are　hidden　within　rough　shells；　lost　in　the　gulf；　the　sea；　the　tossing

waves　of　what　we　call　society；　the　century；　Paris；　London；　St。

Petersburg；or　what　you　will。



If　the　axiom　that　architecture　is　the　expression　of　manner　and　morals

was　ever　proved；　it　was　certainly　after　the　insurrection　of　1830；

during　the　present　reign　of　the　house　of　Orleans。　As　all　the　old

fortunes　are　diminishing　in　France；　the　majestic　mansions　of　our

ancestors　are　constantly　being　demolished　and　replaced　by　species　of

phalansteries；　in　which　the　peers　of　July　occupy　the　third　floor　above

some　newly　enriched　empirics　on　the　lower　floors。　A　mixture　of　styles

is　confusedly　employed。　As　there　is　no　longer　a　real　court　or　nobility

to　give　the　tone；　there　is　no　harmony　in　the　production　of　art。　Never；

on　the　other　hand；　has　architecture　discovered　so　many　economical　ways

of　imitating　the　real　and　the　solid；　or　displayed　more　resources；　more

talent；　in　distributing　them。　Propose　to　an　architect　to　build　upon

the　garden　at　the　back　of　an　old　mansion；　and　he　will　run　you　up　a

little　Louvre　overloaded　with　ornament。　He　will　manage　to　get　in　a

courtyard；　stables；　and　if　you　care　for　it；　a　garden。　Inside　the　house

he　will　accommodate　a　quantity　of　little　rooms　and　passages。　He　is　so

clever　in　deceiving　the　eye　that　you　think　you　will　have　plenty　of

space；　but　it　is　only　a　nest　of　small　rooms；　after　all；　in　which　a

ducal　family　has　to　turn　itself　about　in　the　space　that　its　own

bakehouse　formerly　occupied。



The　hotel　of　the　Comtesse　Laginska；　rue　de　la　Pepiniere；　is　one　of

these　creations；　and　stands　between　court　and　garden。　On　the　right；　in

the　court；　are　the　kitchens　and　offices；　to　the　left　the　coachhouse

and　stables。　The　porter's　lodge　is　between　two　charming　portes…

cocheres。　The　chief　luxury　of　the　house　is　a　delightful　greenhouse

contrived　at　the　end　of　a　boudoir　on　the　ground…floor　which　opens　upon

an　admirable　suite　of　reception　rooms。　An　English　philanthropist　had

built　this　architectural　bijou；　designed　the　garden；　added　the

greenhouse；　polished　the　doors；　bricked　the　courtyard；　painted　the

window…frames　green；　and　realized；　in　short；　a　dream　which　resembled

（proportions　excepted）　George　the　Fourth's　Pavilion　at　Brighton。　The

inventive　and　industrious　Parisian　workmen　had　moulded　the　doors　and

window…frames；　the　ceilings　were　imitated　from　the　middle…ages　or

those　of　a　Venetian　palace；　marble　veneering　abounded　on　the　outer

walls。　Steinbock　and　Francois　Souchet　had　designed　the　mantel…pieces

and　the　panels　above　the　doors；　Schinner　had　painted　the　ceilings　in

his　masterly　manner。　The　beauties　of　the　staircase；　white　as　a　woman's

arm；　defied　those　of　the　hotel　Rothschild。　On　account　of　the　riots　and

the　unsettled　times；　the　cost　of　this　folly　was　only　about　eleven

hundred　thousand　francs；to　an　Englishman　a　mere　nothing。　All　this

luxury；　called　princely　by　persons　who　do　not　know　what　real　princes

are；　was　built　in　the　garden　of　the　house　of　a　purveyor　made　a　Croesus

by　the　Revolution；　who　had　escaped　to　Brussels　and　died　there　after

going　into　bankruptcy。　The　Englishman　died　in　Paris；　of　Paris；　for　to

many　persons　Paris　is　a　disease；sometimes　several　diseases。　His

widow；　a　Methodist；　had　a　horror　of　the　little　nabob　establishment；

and　ordered　it　to　be　sold。　Comte　Adam　bought　it　at　a　bargain；　and　how

he　came　to　do　so　shall　presently　be　made　known；　for　bargains　were　not

at　all　in　his　line　as　a　grand　seigneur。



Behind　the　house　lay　the　verdant　velvet　of　an　English　lawn　shaded　at

the　lower　end　by　a　clump　of　exotic　trees；　in　the　midst　of　which　stood

a　Chinese　pagoda　with　soundless　belfries　and　motionless　golden　eggs。

The　greenhouse　concealed　the　garden　wall　on　the　northern　side；　the

opposite　wall　was　covered　with　climbing　plants　trained　upon　poles

painted　green　and　connected　with　crossway　trellises。　This　lawn；　this

world　of　flowers；　the　gravelled　paths；　the　simulated　forest；　the

verdant　palisades；　were　contained　within　the　space　of　five　and　twenty

square　rods；　which　are　worth　to…day　four　hundred　thousand　francs；the

value　of　an　actual　forest。　Here；　in　this　solitude　in　the　middle　of

Paris；　the　birds　sang；　thrushes；　nightingales；　warblers；　bulfinches；

and　sparrows。　The　greenhouse　was　like　an　immense　jardiniere；　filling

the　air　with　perfume　in　winter　as　in　summer。　The　means　by　which　its

atmosphere　was　made　to　order；　torrid　as　in　China　or　temperate　as　in

Italy；　were　cleverly　concealed。　Pipes　in　which　hot　water　circulated；

or　steam；　were　either　hidden　under　ground　or　festooned　with　plants

overhead。　The　boudoir　was　a　large　room。　The　miracle　of　the　modern

Parisian　fairy　named　Architecture　is　to　get　all　these　many　and　great

things　out　of　a　limited　bit　of　ground。



The　boudoir　of　the　young　countess　was　arranged　to　suit　the　taste　of

the　artist　to　whom　Comte　Adam　entrusted　the　decoration　of　the　house。

It　is　too　full　of　pretty　nothings　to　be　a　place　for　repose；　one　scarce

knows　where　to　sit　down　among　carved　Chinese　work…tables　with　their

myriads　of　fantastic　figures　inlaid　in　ivory；　cups　of　yellow　topaz

mounted　on　filagree；　mosaics　which　inspire　theft；　Dutch　pictures　in

the　style　which　Schinner　has　adopted；　angels　such　as　Steinbock

conceived　but　often　could　not　execute；　statuettes　modelled　by　genius

pursued　by　creditors　（the　real　explanation　of　the　Arabian　myth）；

superb　sketches　by　our　best　artists；　lids　of　chests　made　into　panels

alternating　with　fluted　draperies　of　Italian　silk；　portieres　hanging

from　rods　of　old　oak　in　tapestried　masses　on　which　the　figures　of　some

hunting　scene　are　swarming；　pieces　of　furniture　worthy　to　have

belonged　to　Madame　de　Pompadour；　Persian　rugs；　et　cetera。　For　a　last

graceful　touch；　all　these　elegant　things　were　subdued　by　the　half…

light　which　filtered　through　embroidered　curtains　and　added　to　their

charm。　On　a　table　between　the　windows；　among　various　curiosities；　lay

a　whip；　the　handle　designed　by　Mademoiselle　de　Fauveau；　which　proved

that　the　countess　rode　on　horseback。



Such　is　a　lady's　boudoir　in　1837；an　exhibition　of　the　contents　of

many　shops；　which　amuse　the　eye；　as　if　ennui　were　the　one　thing　to　be

dreaded　by　the　social　world　of　the　liveliest　and　most　stirring　capital

in　Europe。　Why　is　there　nothing　of　an　inner　life？　nothing　which　leads

to　revery；　nothing　reposeful？　Why　indeed？　Because　no　one　in　our　day　is

sure　of　the　future；　we　are　living　our　lives　like　prodigal　annuitants。



One　morning　Clementine　appeared　to　be　thinking　of　something。　She　was

lying　at　full　length　on　one　of　those　marvellous　couches　from　which　it

is　almost　impossible　to　rise；　the　upholsterer　having　invented　them　for

lovers　of　the　〃far　niente〃　and　its　attendant　joys　of　laziness　to　sink

into。　The　doors　of　the　greenhouse　were　open；　letting　the　odors　of

vegetation　and　the　perfume　of　the　tropics　pervade　the　room。　The　young

wife　was　looking　at　her　husband　who　was　smoking　a　narghile；　the　only

form　of　pipe　she　would　have　suffered　in　that　room。　The　portieres；　held

back　by　cords；　gave　a　vista　through　two　elegant　salons；　one　white　and

gold；　comparable　only　to　that　of　the　hotel　Forbin…Janson；　the　other　in

the　style　of　the　Renaissance。　The　dining…room；　which　had　no　rival　in

Paris　except　that　of　the　Baron　de　Nucingen；　was　at　the　end　of　a　short

gallery　decorated　in　the　manner　of　the　middle…ages。　This　gallery

opened　on　the　side　of　the　courtyard　upon　a　large　antechamber；　through

which　could　be　seen　the　beauties　of　the　staircase。



The　count　and　countess　had　just　finished　breakfast；　the　sky　was　a

sheet　of　azure　without　a　cloud；　April　was　nearly　over。　They　had　been

married　two　years；　and　Clementine　had　just　discovered　for　the　first

time　that　there　was　something　resembling　a　secret　or　a　mystery　in　her

household。　The　Pole；　let　us　say　it　to　his　honor；　is　usually　helpless

before　a　woman；　he