a bundle of letters-第7部分

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demons　of　daughters　to　bring　up　in　the　path　of　virtue。　　She　managed

to　bring　them　up；　my　little　cousins　are　rigidly　virtuous。　　If　you　ask

me　how　she　managed　it；　I　can't　tell　you；　it's　no　business　of　mine；

and；　a　fortiori　none　of　yours。　　She　is　now　fifty　years　old　（she

confesses　to　thirty…seven）；　and　her　daughters；　whom　she　has　never

been　able　to　marry；　are　respectively　twenty…seven　and　twenty…three

（they　confess　to　twenty　and　to　seventeen）。　　Three　years　ago　she　had

the　thrice…blessed　idea　of　opening　a　sort　of　pension　for　the

entertainment　and　instruction　of　the　blundering　barbarians　who　come

to　Paris　in　the　hope　of　picking　up　a　few　stray　particles　of　the

language　of　Voltaireor　of　Zola。　　The　idea　lui　a　porte　bonheur；　the

shop　does　a　very　good　business。　　Until　within　a　few　months　ago　it　was

carried　on　by　my　cousins　alone；　but　lately　the　need　of　a　few

extensions　and　embellishments　has　caused　itself　to　he　felt。　　My

cousin　has　undertaken　them；　regardless　of　expense；　she　has　asked　me

to　come　and　stay　with　herboard　and　lodging　gratisand　keep　an　eye

on　the　grammatical　eccentricities　of　her　pensionnaires。　　I　am　the

extension；　my　good　Prosper；　I　am　the　embellishment！　　I　live　for

nothing；　and　I　straighten　up　the　accent　of　the　prettiest　English

lips。　　The　English　lips　are　not　all　pretty；　heaven　knows；　but　enough

of　them　are　so　to　make　it　a　gaining　bargain　for　me。



Just　now；　as　I　told　you；　I　am　in　daily　conversation　with　three

separate　pairs。　　The　owner　of　one　of　them　has　private　lessons；　she

pays　extra。　　My　cousin　doesn't　give　me　a　sou　of　the　money；　but　I　make

bold；　nevertheless；　to　say　that　my　trouble　is　remunerated。　　But　I　am

well；　very　well；　with　the　proprietors　of　the　two　other　pairs。　　One　of

them　is　a　little　Anglaise；　of　about　twentya　little　figure　de

keepsake；　the　most　adorable　miss　that　you　ever；　or　at　least　that　I

ever　beheld。　　She　is　decorated　all　over　with　beads　and　bracelets　and

embroidered　dandelions；　but　her　principal　decoration　consists　of　the

softest　little　gray　eyes　in　the　world；　which　rest　upon　you　with　a

profundity　of　confidencea　confidence　that　I　really　feel　some

compunction　in　betraying。　　She　has　a　tint　as　white　as　this　sheet　of

paper；　except　just　in　the　middle　of　each　cheek；　where　it　passes　into

the　purest　and　most　transparent；　most　liquid；　carmine。　　Occasionally

this　rosy　fluid　overflows　into　the　rest　of　her　faceby　which　I　mean

that　she　blushesas　softly　as　the　mark　of　your　breath　on　the　window…

pane。



Like　every　Anglaise；　she　is　rather　pinched　and　prim　in　public；　but　it

is　very　easy　to　see　that　when　no　one　is　looking　elle　ne　demande　qu'a

se　laisser　aller！　　Whenever　she　wants　it　I　am　always　there；　and　I

have　given　her　to　understand　that　she　can　count　upon　me。　　I　have

reason　to　believe　that　she　appreciates　the　assurance；　though　I　am

bound　in　honesty　to　confess　that　with　her　the　situation　is　a　little

less　advanced　than　with　the　others。　　Que　voulez…vous？　　The　English

are　heavy；　and　the　Anglaises　move　slowly；　that's　all。　　The　movement；

however；　is　perceptible；　and　once　this　fact　is　established　I　can　let

the　pottage　simmer。　　I　can　give　her　time　to　arrive；　for　I　am　over…

well　occupied　with　her　concurrentes。　　Celles…ci　don't　keep　me

waiting；　par　exemple！



These　young　ladies　are　Americans；　and　you　know　that　it　is　the

national　character　to　move　fast。　　〃All　rightgo　ahead！〃　　（I　am

learning　a　great　deal　of　English；　or；　rather；　a　great　deal　of

American。）　　They　go　ahead　at　a　rate　that　sometimes　makes　it　difficult

for　me　to　keep　up。　　One　of　them　is　prettier　than　the　other；　but　this

hatter　（the　one　that　takes　the　private　lessons）　is　really　une　file

prodigieuse。　　Ah；　par　exemple；　elle　brule　ses　vais…seux　cella…la！

She　threw　herself　into　my　arms　the　very　first　day；　and　I　almost　owed

her　a　grudge　for　having　deprived　me　of　that　pleasure　of　gradation；　of

carrying　the　defences；　one　by　one；　which　is　almost　as　great　as　that

of　entering　the　place。



Would　you　believe　that　at　the　end　of　exactly　twelve　minutes　she　gave

me　a　rendezvous？　　It　is　true　it　was　in　the　Galerie　d'Apollon；　at　the

Louvre；　but　that　was　respectable　for　a　beginning；　and　since　then　we

have　had　them　by　the　dozen；　I　have　ceased　to　keep　the　account。　　Non；

c'est　une　file　qui　me　depasse。



The　little　one　（she　has　a　mother　somewhere；　out　of　sight；　shut　up　in

a　closet　or　a　trunk）　is　a　good　deal　prettier；　and；　perhaps；　on　that

account　elle　y　met　plus　de　facons。　　She　doesn't　knock　about　Paris

with　me　by　the　hour；　she　contents　herself　with　long　interviews　in　the

petit　salon；　with　the　curtains　half…drawn；　beginning　at　about　three

o'clock；　when　every　one　is　a　la　promenade。　　She　is　admirable；　this

little　one；　a　little　too　thin；　the　bones　rather　accentuated；　but　the

detail；　on　the　whole；　most　satisfactory。　　And　you　can　say　anything　to

her。　　She　takes　the　trouble　to　appear　not　to　understand；　but　her

conduct；　half　an　hour　afterwards；　reassures　you　completelyoh；

completely！



However；　it　is　the　tall　one；　the　one　of　the　private　lessons；　that　is

the　most　remarkable。　　These　private　lessons；　my　good　Prosper；　are　the

most　brilliant　invention　of　the　age；　and　a　real　stroke　of　genius　on

the　part　of　Miss　Miranda！　　They　also　take　place　in　the　petit　salon；

but　with　the　doors　tightly　closed；　and　with　explicit　directions　to

every　one　in　the　house　that　we　are　not　to　be　disturbed。　　And　we　are

not；　my　good　Prosper；　we　are　not！　　Not　a　sound；　not　a　shadow；

interrupts　our　felicity。　　My　cousine　is　really　admirable；　the　shop

deserves　to　succeed。　　Miss　Miranda　is　tall　and　rather　flat；　she　is

too　pale；　she　hasn't　the　adorable　rougeurs　of　the　little　Anglaise。

But　she　has　bright；　keen；　inquisitive　eyes；　superb　teeth；　a　nose

modelled　by　a　sculptor；　and　a　way　of　holding　up　her　head　and　looking

every　one　in　the　face；　which　is　the　most　finished　piece　of

impertinence　I　ever　beheld。　　She　is　making　the　tour　du　monde　entirely

alone；　without　even　a　soubrette　to　carry　the　ensign；　for　the　purpose

of　seeing　for　herself　a　quoi　s'en　tenir　sur　les　hommes　et　les　choses…

…on　les　hommes　particularly。　　Dis　donc；　Prosper；　it　must　be　a　drole

de　pays　over　there；　where　young　persons　animated　by　this　ardent

curiosity　are　manufactured！　　If　we　should　turn　the　tables；　some　day；

thou　and　I；　and　go　over　and　see　it　for　ourselves。　　It　is　as　well　that

we　should　go　and　find　them　chez　elles；　as　that　they　should　come　out

here　after　us。　　Dis　donc；　mon　gras　Prosper　。　。　。







CHAPTER　VIII







FROM　DR。　RUDOLF　STAUB；　IN　PARIS；　TO　DR。　JULIUS　HIRSCH；　AT　GOTTINGEN。



My　dear　brother　in　ScienceI　resume　my　hasty　notes；　of　which　I　sent

you　the　first　instalment　some　weeks　ago。　　I　mentioned　then　that　I

intended　to　leave　my　hotel；　not　finding　it　sufficiently　local　and

national。　　It　was　kept　by　a　Pomeranian；　and　the　waiters；　without

exception；　were　from　the　Fatherland。　　I　fancied　myself　at　Berlin；

Unter　den　Linden；　and　I　reflected　that；　having　taken　the　serious　step

of　visiting　the　head…quarters　of　the　Gallic　genius；　I　should　try　and

project　myself；　as　much　as　possible；　into　the　circumstances　which　are

in　part　the　consequence　and　in　part　the　cause　of　its　irrepressible

activity。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　there　could　be　no　well…grounded

knowledge　without　this　preliminary　operation　of　placing　myself　in

relations；　as　slightly　as　possible　modified　by　elements　proceeding

from　a　different　combination　of　causes；　with　the　spontaneous　home…

life　of　the　country。



I　accordingly　engaged　a　room　in　the　house　of　a　lady　of　pure　French

extraction　and　education；　who　supplements　the　shortcomings　of　an

income　insufficient　to　the　ever…growing　demands　of　the　Parisian

system　of　sense…gratification；　by　providing　food　and　lodging　for　a

limited　number　of　distinguished　strangers。　　I　should　have　preferred

to　have　my　room　alone　in　the　house；　and　to　take　my　meals　in　a

brewery；　of　very　good　appearance；　which　I　speedily　discovered　in　the

same　street；　but　this　arrangement；　though　very　lucidly　proposed　by

myself；　was　not　acceptable　to　the　mistress　of　the　establishment　（a

woman　with　a　mathematical　head）；　and　I　have　consoled　myself　for　the

extra　expense　by　fixing　my　thoughts　upon　the　opportunity　that

conformity　to　the　customs　of　the　house　gives　me　of　studying　the

table…manners　of　my　companions；　and　of　observing　the　French　nature　at

a　peculiarly　physiological　moment；　the　moment　when　the　satisfaction

of　the　TASTE；　which　is　the　governing　quality　in　its　composition；

produces　a　kind　of　exhalation；　an　intellectual　transpiration；　which；

though　light　and　perhaps　invisible　to　a　superficial　spectator；　is

nevertheless　appreciable　by　a　properly　adjusted　instrument。



I　have　adjusted　my　instrument　very　satisfactorily　（I　mean　the　one　I

carry　in　my　good　square　German　head）；　and　I　am　not　afraid　of　losing　a

single　drop　of　this　valuable　fluid；　as　it　condenses　itself　upon　the

plate　of　my　observation。　　A　prepared　surface　is　what　I　need；　and　I

have　prepared　my　surface。



Unfortunately　here；　also；　I　find　the　individual　native　in　the

minority。　　There　are　only　four　French　persons　in　the　housethe

individuals　concerned　in　its　management；　three　of　whom　are　women；　and

one　a　man。　　This　preponderance　of　the　feminine　element　is；　however；

in　itself　characteristic；　as　I　need　not　remind　you　what　an

abnormallydeveloped　part　this　sex　has　played　in　French　history。

The　remaining　figure　is　apparently　that　of　a　man；　but　I　hesitate　to

classify　him　so　superficially。　　He　appears　to　me　less　human　than

simian；　and　whenever　I　hear　him　talk　I　seem　to　myself　to　have　paused

in　the　street　to　listen　to　the　shrill　clatter　of　a　hand…organ；　to

which　the　gambols　of　a　hairy　homunculus　form　an　accompaniment。



I　mentioned　to　you　before　that　my　expectation　of　rough　usage；　in

consequence　of　my　German　nationality；　had　proved　completely

unfounded。　　No　one　seems　to　know　or　to　care　what　my　nationality　is；

and　I　am　treated；　on　the　contrary；　with　the　civility　which　is　the

portion　of　every　tra