the origins of contemporary france-1-第42章

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verse　containing　an　allusion　to　princes；　and；　a　moment　after；　at　the

speech　which　exalts　the　merits　of　the　people；　the　princes　return　the

compliment　by　applauding　in　their　turn。＇19＇　…　On　all　sides；　just　as

this　society　is　vanishing；　a　mutual　deference；　a　spirit　of　kindliness

arises；　like　a　soft　and　balmy　autumnal　breeze；　to　dissipate　whatever

harshness　remains　of　its　aridity　and　to　mingle　with　the　radiance　of

its　last　hours　the　perfume　of　dying　roses。　　We　now　encounter　acts　and

words　of　infinite　grace；　unique　of　their　kind；　like　a　lovely；

exquisite　little　figure　on　old　Sèvres　porcelain。　　One　day；　on　the

Comtesse　Amélie　de　Boufflers　speaking　somewhat　flippantly　of　her

husband；　her　mother…in…law　interposes；　〃You　forget　that　you　are

speaking　of　my　son。〃　…　〃True；　mamma；　I　thought　I　was　only　speaking　of

your　son…in…law。〃　It　is　she　again　who；　on　playing　〃the　boat；〃　and

obliged　to　decide　between　this　beloved　mother…in…law　and　her　own

mother；　whom　she　scarcely　knew；　replies；　〃I　would　save　my　mother　and

drown　with　my　mother…in…law。〃＇20＇　The　Duchesse　de　Choiseul；　the

Duchesse　de　Lauzun；　and　others　besides；　are　equally　charming

miniatures。　　When　the　heart　and　the　mind　combine　their　considerations

they　produce　masterpieces；　and　these；　like　the　art；　the　refinements

and　the　society　which　surrounds　them；　possess　a　charm　unsurpassed　by

anything　except　their　own　fragility。



III。　　Personality　Defects。



The　failings　of　character　thus　formed。　　…　Adapted　to　one　situation

but　not　to　a　contrary　situation。　　…　Defects　of　intelligence。　　…　Defects

of　disposition。　　…　Such　a　character　is　disarmed　by　good…breeding。



The　reason　is　that；　the　better　people　have　become　adapted　to　a

certain　situation　the　less　prepared　are　they　for　the　opposite

situation。　　The　habits　and　faculties　that　serve　them　in　the　previous

condition　become　prejudicial　to　them　in　the　new　one。　　In　acquiring

talents　adapted　to　tranquil　times　they　lose　those　suited　to　times　of

agitation；　reaching　the　extreme　of　feebleness　at　the　same　time　with

the　extreme　of　urbanity。　　The　more　polished　an　aristocracy　becomes　the

weaker　it　becomes；　and　when　no　longer　possessing　the　power　to　please

it　not　longer　possesses　the　strength　to　struggle。　　And　yet；　in　this

world；　we　must　struggle　if　we　would　live。　　In　humanity；　as　in　nature；

empire　belongs　to　force。　　Every　creature　that　loses　the　art　and　energy

of　self…defense　becomes　so　much　more　certainly　a　prey　according　as　its

brilliancy；　imprudence　and　even　gentleness　deliver　it　over　in　advance

to　the　gross　appetites　roaming　around　it。　　Where　find　resistance　in

characters　formed　by　the　habits　we　have　just　described？　To　defend

ourselves　we　must；　first　of　all；　look　carefully　around　us；　see　and

foresee；　and　provide　for　danger。　　How　could　they　do　this　living　as　they

did？　Their　circle　is　too　narrow　and　too　carefully　enclosed。　　Confined

to　their　castles　and　mansions　they　see　only　those　of　their　own　sphere；

they　hear　only　the　echo　of　their　own　ideas；　they　imagine　that　there　is

nothing　beyond　the　public　seems　to　consist　of　two　hundred　persons。

Moreover；　disagreeable　truths　are　not　admitted　into　a　drawing…room；

especially　when　of　personal　import；　an　idle　fancy　there　becoming　a

dogma　because　it　becomes　conventional。　　Here；　accordingly；　we　find

those　who；　already　deceived　by　the　limitations　of　their　accustomed

horizon；　fortify　their　delusion　still　more　by　delusions　about　their

fellow　men。　　They　comprehend　nothing　of　the　vast　world；　which　envelops

their　little　world；　they　are　incapable　of　entering　into　the　sentiments

of　a　bourgeois；　of　a　villager；　they　have　no　conception　of　the　peasant

as　he　is　but　as　they　would　like　him　to　be。　　The　idyll　is　in　fashion；

and　no　one　dares　dispute　it；　any　other　supposition　would　be　false

because　it　would　be　disagreeable；　and　as　the　drawing　rooms　have

decided　that　all　will　go　well；　all　must　go　well。　　Never　was　a　delusion

more　complete　and　more　voluntary。　　The　Duc　d'Orléans　offers　to　wager　a

hundred　louis　that　the　States…General　will　dissolve　without

accomplishing　anything；　not　even　abolishing　the　lettre…de…cachet。。

After　the　demolition　has　begun；　and　yet　again　after　it　is　finished；

they　will　form　opinions　no　more　accurate。　　They　have　no　idea　of　social

architecture；　they　know　nothing　about　its　materials；　its　proportions；

or　its　harmonious　balance；　they　have　had　no　hand　in　it；　they　have

never　worked　at　it。　　They　are　entirely　ignorant　of　the　old　building＇21＇

in　which　they　occupy　the　first　story。　　They　are　not　qualified　to

calculate　either　its　pressure　or　its　resistance。＇＇22＇＇　They　conclude；

finally；　that　it　is　better　to　let　the　thing　tumble　in；　and　that　the

restoration　of　the　edifice　in　their　behalf　will　follow　its　own　course；

and　that　they　will　return　to　their　drawing…room；　expressly　rebuilt　for

them；　and　freshly　gilded；　to　begin　over　again　the　pleasant

conversation　which　an　accident；　some　tumult　in　the　street；　had

interrupted。＇23＇　Clear…sighted　in　society；　they　are　obtuse　in

politics。　　They　examine　everything　by　the　artificial　light　of　candles；

they　are　disturbed　and　bewildered　in　the　powerful　light　of　open　day。

The　eyelid　has　grown　stiff　through　age。　　The　organ　so　long　bent　on　the

petty　details　of　one　refined　life　no　longer　takes　in　the　popular　life

of　the　masses；　and；　in　the　new　sphere　into　which　it　is　suddenly

plunged；　its　refinement　becomes　the　source　of　its　blindness。



Nevertheless　action　is　necessary；　for　danger　is　seizing　them　by　the

throat。　　But　the　danger　is　of　an　ignoble　species；　while　their　education

has　provided　them　with　no　arms　suitable　for　warding　it　off。　　They　have

learned　how　to　fence；　but　not　how　to　box。　　They　are　still　the　sons　of

those　at　Fontenoy；　who；　instead　of　being　the　first　to　fire；

courteously　raised　their　hats　and　addressed　their　English　antagonists；

〃No；　gentlemen；　fire　yourselves。〃　Being　the　slaves　of　good…breeding

they　are　not　free　in　their　movements。　　Numerous　acts；　and　those　the

most　important；　those　of　a　sudden；　vigorous　and　rude　stamp；　are

opposed　to　the　respect　a　well…bred　man　entertains　for　others；　or　at

least　to　the　respect　which　he　owes　to　himself。　　They　do　not　consider

these　allowable　among　themselves；　they　do　not　dream　of　their　being

allowed；　and；　the　higher　their　position　the　more　their　rank　fetters

them。　　When　the　royal　family　sets　out　for　Varennes　the　accumulated

delays　by　which　they　are　lost　are　the　result　of　etiquette。　　Madame　de

Touzel　insists　on　her　place　in　the　carriage　to　which　she　is　entitled

as　governess　of　the　Children　of　France。　　The　king；　on　arriving；　is

desirous　of　conferring　the　marshal's　baton　on　M。　de　Bouillé；　and　after

running　to　and　fro　to　obtain　a　baton　he　is　obliged　to　borrow　that　of

the　Duc　de　Choiseul。　　The　queen　cannot　dispense　with　a　traveling

dressing…case　and　one　has　to　be　made　large　enough　to　contain　every

imaginable　implement　from　a　warming…pan　to　a　silver　porridge…dish；

with　other　dishes　besides；　and；　as　if　there　were　no　shifts　to　be　had

in　Brussels；　there　had　to　be　a　complete　outfit　in　this　line　for

herself　and　her　children。＇24＇　…　A　fervent　devotion；　even　humanness；

the　frivolity　of　the　small　literary　spirit；　graceful　urbanity；

profound　ignorance；＇25＇　the　lack　or　rigidity　of　the　comprehension　and

determination　are　still　greater　with　the　princes　than　with　the　nobles。

…　All　are　impotent　against　the　wild　and　roaring　outbreak。　　They　have

not　the　physical　superiority　that　can　master　it；　the　vulgar

charlatanism　which　can　charm　it　away；　the　tricks　of　a　Scapin　to　throw

it　off　the　scent；　the　bull's　neck；　the　mountebank's　gestures；　the

stentor's　lungs；　in　short；　the　resources　of　the　energetic　temperament

and　of　animal　cunning；　alone　capable　of　diverting　the　rage　of　the

unchained　brute。　　To　find　such　fighters；　they　seek　three　or　four　men　of

a　different　race　and　education；　men　having　suffered　and　roamed　about；

a　brutal　commoner　like　the　abbé　Maury；　a　colossal　and　dirty　satyr　like

Mirabeau；　a　bold　and　prompt　adventurer　like　that　Dumouriez　who；　at

Cherbourg；　when；　through　the　feebleness　of　the　Duc　de　Beuvron；　the

stores　of　grain　were　given　up　and　the　riot　began；　hooted　at　and　nearly

cut　to　pieces；　suddenly　sees　the　keys　of　the　storehouse　in　the　hands

of　a　Dutch　sailor；　and；　yelling　to　the　mob　that　it　was　betrayed

through　a　foreigner　having　got　hold　of　the　keys；　himself　jumps　down

from　the　railing；　seizes　the　keys　and　hands　them　to　the　officer　of　the

guard；　saying　to　the　people；　〃I　am　your　father；　I　am　the　man　to　be

responsible　for　the　storehouse！〃＇26＇　To　entrust　oneself　with　porters

and　brawlers；　to　be　collared　by　a　political　club；　to　improvise　on　the

highways；　to　bark　louder　than　the　barkers；　to　fight　with　the　fists　or

a　cudgel；　as　much　later　with　the　young　and　rich　gangs；　against　brutes

and　lunatics　incapable　of　employing　other　arguments；　and　who　must　be

answered　in　the　same　vein；　to　mount　guard　over　the　Assembly；　to　act　as

volunteer　constable；　to　spare　neither　one's　own　hide　nor　that　of

others；　to　be　one　of　the　people　to　face　the　people；　all　these　are

simple　and　effectual　proceedings；　but　so　vulgar　as　to　appear　to　them

disgusting。　　The　idea　of　resorting　to　such　means　never　enters　their

head；　they　neither　know　how；　nor　do　they　care　to　make　use　of　their

hands　in　such　business。＇27＇　They　are　skilled　only　in　the　duel　and；

almost　immediately；　the　brutality　of　opinion；　by　means　of　assaults；

stops　the　way　to　polite　combats。　　Their　arms；　the　shafts　of　the

drawing…room；　epigrams；　witticisms；　songs；　parodies；　and　other　needle

thrusts　are　impotent　against　the　popular　bull。＇28＇　Their　personality

lacks　both　roots　and　resources；　through　super…refinement　it　has

weakened；　their　nature；　impoverished　by　culture；　is　incapable　of　the

transformations　by　which　we　are　renewed　and　survive。　　…　An　all…powerful

education　has　repressed；　mollified；　and　enfeebled　their　very

instincts。　　About　to　die；　they　experience　none　of　the　reactions　of

blood　and　rage；　the　universal　and　sudden　restoration　of　the　forces；

the　murderous　spasm；　the　blind　irresistible　need　of　striking　those　who

strike　them。　　If　a　gentleman　is　arrested　in　his　own　house　by　a　Jacobin

we　never　find　him　splitting　his　head　open。＇29＇　　They　allow　themselves

to　be　taken；　going　quietly　to　prison；　to　make　an　uproar　would　be　bad

taste；　it　is　necessary；　above　all　things；　to　remain　what　they　are；

well…bred　people　of　society。　　In　prison　both　men　and　women　dress

themselves　with　great　care；　pay　each　other　visits　and　keep　up　a

drawing…room；　it　may　be　at　the　end　of　a　corridor；　by　the　light　of

three　or　four　candles；　but　here　they　circulate　jests；　compose

madrigals；　sing　songs　and　pride　themselves　on　being　as　gallant；　as　gay

and　as　gracious　as　ever：　need　people　be　morose　and　ill…behaved　because

accident　has　consigned　them　to　a　poor　inn？　They　preserve　their　dignity

and　their　smile　before　their　judges　and　on　the　cart；　the　women；

especially；　mount　the　scaffold　with　the　ease　and　serenity

characteristic　o