the duchesse de langeais-第5章

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Mainethe　Benjamin　among　his　legitimated　offspring。　　And　indeed；　for　people　accustomed　to　a　stately　life；　can　there　be　more　unseemly　surroundings　than　the　bustle；　the　mud；　the　street　cries；　the　bad　smells；　and　narrow　thoroughfares　of　a　populous　quarter？　　The　very　habits　of　life　in　a　mercantile　or　manufacturing　district　are　completely　at　variance　with　the　lives　of　nobles。　　The　shopkeeper　and　artisan　are　just　going　to　bed　when　the　great　world　is　thinking　of　dinner；　and　the　noisy　stir　of　life　begins　among　the　former　when　the　latter　have　gone　to　rest。　　Their　day's　calculations　never　coincide；　the　one　class　represents　the　expenditure；　the　other　the　receipts。　　Consequently　their　manners　and　customs　are　diametrically　opposed。　　

Nothing　contemptuous　is　intended　by　this　statement。　　An　aristocracy　is　in　a　manner　the　intellect　of　the　social　system；　as　the　middle　classes　and　the　proletariat　may　be　said　to　be　its　organising　and　working　power。　　It　naturally　follows　that　these　forces　are　differently　situated；　and　of　their　antagonism　there　is　bred　a　seeming　antipathy　produced　by　the　performance　of　different　functions；　all　of　them；　however；　existing　for　one　common　end。

Such　social　dissonances　are　so　inevitably　the　outcome　of　any　charter　of　the　constitution；　that　however　much　a　Liberal　may　be　disposed　to　complain　of　them；　as　of　treason　against　those　sublime　ideas　with　which　the　ambitious　plebeian　is　apt　to　cover　his　designs；　he　would　none　the　less　think　it　a　preposterous　notion　that　M。　le　Prince　de　Montmorency；　for　instance；　should　continue　to　live　in　the　Rue　Saint…Martin　at　the　corner　of　the　street　which　bears　that　nobleman's　name；　or　that　M。　le　Duc　de　Fitz…James；　descendant　of　the　royal　house　of　Scotland；　should　have　his　hotel　at　the　angle　of　the　Rue　Marie　Stuart　and　the　Rue　Montorgueil。　　Sint　ut　sunt；　aut　non　sint；　the　grand　words　of　the　Jesuit；　might　be　taken　as　a　motto　by　the　great　in　all　countries。　　These　social　differences　are　patent　in　all　ages；　the　fact　is　always　accepted　by　the　people；　its　〃reasons　of　state〃　are　self…evident；　it　is　at　once　cause　and　effect；　a　principle　and　a　law。　　The　common　sense　of　the　masses　never　deserts　them　until　demagogues　stir　them　up　to　gain　ends　of　their　own；　that　common　sense　is　based　on　the　verities　of　social　order；　and　the　social　order　is　the　same　everywhere；　in　Moscow　as　in　London；　in　Geneva　as　in　Calcutta。　　Given　a　certain　number　of　families　of　unequal　fortune　in　any　given　space；　you　will　see　an　aristocracy　forming　under　your　eyes；　there　will　be　the　patricians；　the　upper　classes；　and　yet　other　ranks　below　them。　　Equality　may　be　a　RIGHT；　but　no　power　on　earth　can　convert　it　into　FACT。　　It　would　be　a　good　thing　for　France　if　this　idea　could　be　popularised。　　The　benefits　of　political　harmony　are　obvious　to　the　least　intelligent　classes。　　Harmony　is；　as　it　were；　the　poetry　of　order；　and　order　is　a　matter　of　vital　importance　to　the　working　population。　　And　what　is　order；　reduced　to　its　simplest　expression；　but　the　agreement　of　things　among　themselvesunity；　in　short？　　Architecture；　music；　and　poetry；　everything　in　France；　and　in　France　more　than　in　any　other　country；　is　based　upon　this　principle；　it　is　written　upon　the　very　foundations　of　her　clear　accurate　language；　and　a　language　must　always　be　the　most　infallible　index　of　national　character。　　In　the　same　way　you　may　note　that　the　French　popular　airs　are　those　most　calculated　to　strike　the　imagination；　the　best…modulated　melodies　are　taken　over　by　the　people；　clearness　of　thought；　the　intellectual　simplicity　of　an　idea　attracts　them；　they　like　the　incisive　sayings　that　hold　the　greatest　number　of　ideas。

France　is　the　one　country　in　the　world　where　a　little　phrase　may　bring　about　a　great　revolution。　　Whenever　the　masses　have　risen；　it　has　been　to　bring　men；　affairs；　and　principles　into　agreement。

No　nation　has　a　clearer　conception　of　that　idea　of　unity　which　should　permeate　the　life　of　an　aristocracy；　possibly　no　other　nation　has　so　intelligent　a　comprehension　of　a　political　necessity；　history　will　never　find　her　behind　the　time。　　France　has　been　led　astray　many　a　time；　but　she　is　deluded；　woman…like；　by　generous　ideas；　by　a　glow　of　enthusiasm　which　at　first　outstrips　sober　reason。

So；　to　begin　with；　the　most　striking　characteristic　of　the　Faubourg　is　the　splendour　of　its　great　mansions；　its　great　gardens；　and　a　surrounding　quiet　in　keeping　with　princely　revenues　drawn　from　great　estates。

And　what　is　this　distance　set　between　a　class　and　a　whole　metropolis　but　visible　and　outward　expression　of　the　widely　different　attitude　of　mind　which　must　inevitably　keep　them　apart？

The　position　of　the　head　is　well　defined　in　every　organism。　　If　by　any　chance　a　nation　allows　its　head　to　fall　at　its　feet；　it　is　pretty　sure　sooner　or　later　to　discover　that　this　is　a　suicidal　measure；　and　since　nations　have　no　desire　to　perish；　they　set　to　work　at　once　to　grow　a　new　head。　　If　they　lack　the　strength　for　this；　they　perish　as　Rome　perished；　and　Venice；　and　so　many　other　states。

This　distinction　between　the　upper　and　lower　spheres　of　social　activity；　emphasised　by　differences　in　their　manner　of　living；　necessarily　implies　that　in　the　highest　aristocracy　there　is　real　worth　and　some　distinguishing　merit。　　In　any　state；　no　matter　what　form　of　〃government〃　is　affected；　so　soon　as　the　patrician　class　fails　to　maintain　that　complete　superiority　which　is　the　condition　of　its　existence；　it　ceases　to　be　a　force；　and　is　pulled　down　at　once　by　the　populace。　　The　people　always　wish　to　see　money；　power；　and　initiative　in　their　leaders；　hands；　hearts；　and　heads；　they　must　be　the　spokesmen；　they　must　represent　the　intelligence　and　the　glory　of　the　nation。　　Nations；　like　women；　love　strength　in　those　who　rule　them；　they　cannot　give　love　without　respect；　they　refuse　utterly　to　obey　those　of　whom　they　do　not　stand　in　awe。　　An　aristocracy　fallen　into　contempt　is　a　roi　faineant；　a　husband　in　petticoats；　first　it　ceases　to　be　itself；　and　then　it　ceases　to　be。

And　in　this　way　the　isolation　of　the　great；　the　sharply　marked　distinction　in　their　manner　of　life；　or　in　a　word；　the　general　custom　of　the　patrician　caste　is　at　once　the　sign　of　a　real　power；　and　their　destruction　so　soon　as　that　power　is　lost。　　The　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　failed　to　recognise　the　conditions　of　its　being；　while　it　would　still　have　been　easy　to　perpetuate　its　existence；　and　therefore　was　brought　low　for　a　time。　　The　Faubourg　should　have　looked　the　facts　fairly　in　the　face；　as　the　English　aristocracy　did　before　them；　they　should　have　seen　that　every　institution　has　its　climacteric　periods；　when　words　lose　their　old　meanings；　and　ideas　reappear　in　a　new　guise；　and　the　whole　conditions　of　politics　wear　a　changed　aspect；　while　the　underlying　realities　undergo　no　essential　alteration。

These　ideas　demand　further　development　which　form　an　essential　part　of　this　episode；　they　are　given　here　both　as　a　succinct　statement　of　the　causes；　and　an　explanation　of　the　things　which　happen　in　the　course　of　the　story。　

The　stateliness　of　the　castles　and　palaces　where　nobles　dwell；　the　luxury　of　the　details；　the　constantly　maintained　sumptuousness　of　the　furniture；　the　〃atmosphere〃　in　which　the　fortunate　owner　of　landed　estates　（a　rich　man　before　he　was　born）　lives　and　moves　easily　and　without　friction；　the　habit　of　mind　which　never　descends　to　calculate　the　petty　workaday　gains　of　existence；　the　leisure；　the　higher　education　attainable　at　a　much　earlier　age；　and　lastly；　the　aristocratic　tradition　that　makes　of　him　a　social　force；　for　which　his　opponents；　by　dint　of　study　and　a　strong　will　and　tenacity　of　vocation；　are　scarcely　a　match…all　these　things　should　contribute　to　form　a　lofty　spirit　in　a　man；　possessed　of　such　privileges　from　his　youth　up；　they　should　stamp　his　character　with　that　high　self…respect；　of　which　the　least　consequence　is　a　nobleness　of　heart　in　harmony　with　the　noble　name　that　he　bears。　　And　in　some　few　families　all　this　is　realised。　　There　are　noble　characters　here　and　there　in　the　Faubourg；　but　they　are　marked　exceptions　to　a　general　rule　of　egoism　which　has　been　the　ruin　of　this　world　within　a　world。　　The　privileges　above　enumerated　are　the　birthright　of　the　French　noblesse；　as　of　every　patrician　efflorescence　ever　formed　on　the　surface　of　a　nation；　and　will　continue　to　be　theirs　so　long　as　their　existence　is　based　upon　real　estate；　or　money；　domaine…sol　and　domaine…argent　alike；　the　only　solid　bases　of　an　organised　society；　but　such　privileges　are　held　upon　the　understanding　that　the　patricians　must　continue　to　justify　their　existence。　　There　is　a　sort　of　moral　fief　held　on　a　tenure　of　service　rendered　to　the　sovereign；　and　here　in　France　the　people　are　undoubtedly　the　sovereigns　nowadays。　　The　times　are　changed；　and　so　are　the　weapons。　　The　knight…banneret　of　old　wore　a　coat　of　chain　armour　and　a　hauberk；；　he　could　handle　a　lance　well　and　display　his　pennon；　and　no　more　was　required　of　him；　today　he　is　bound　to　give　proof　of　his　intelligence。　　A　stout　heart　was　enough　in　the　days　of　old；　in　our　days　he　is　required　to　have　a　capacious　brain…pan。　　Skill　and　knowledge　and　capitalthese　three　points　mark　out　a　social　triangle　on　which　the　scutcheon　of　power　is　blazoned；　our　modern　aristocracy　must　take　its　stand　on　these。

A　fine　theorem　is　as　good　as　a　great　name。　　The　Rothschilds；　the　Fuggers　of　the　nineteenth　century；　are　princes　de　facto。　　A　great　artist　is　in　reality　an　oligarch；　he　represents　a　whole　century；　and　almost　always　he　is　a　law　to　others。　　And　the　art　of　words；　the　high　pressure　machinery　of　the　writer；　the　poet's　genius；　the　merchant's　steady　endurance；　the　strong　will　of　the　statesman　who　concentrates　a　thousand　dazzling　qualities　in　himself；　the　general's　swordall　these　victories；　in　short；　which　a　single　individual　will　win；　that　he　may　tower　above　the　rest　of　the　world；　the　patrician　class　is　now　bound　to　win　and　keep　exclusively。　　They　must　head　the　new　forces　as　they　once　headed　the　material　forces；　how　should　they　keep　the　position　unless　they　are　worthy　of　it？　　How；　unless　they　are　the　soul　and　brain　of　a　nation；　shall　they　set　its　hands　moving？　　How　lead　a　people　without　the　power　of　command？　　And　what　is　the　marshal's　baton　without　the　innate　power　of　the　captain　in　the　man　who　wields　it？

The　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　took　to　playing　with　batons；　and　fancied　that　all　the　power　was　in　its　hands。　　It　inverted　the　terms　of　the　proposition　which　called　it　into　existence。　　And　instead　of　flinging　away　the　insignia　which　offended　the　people；　and　quietly　grasping　the　power；　it　allowed　the　bourgeoisie　to　seize　the　authority；　clung　with　fatal　obstinacy　to　its　shadow；　and　over　and　over　again　forgot　the　laws　which　a　minority　must　observe　if　it　would　live。　　When　an　aristocracy　is　scarce　a　thousandth　part　of　the　body　social；　it　is　bound　today；　as　of　old；　to　multiply　its　points　of　action；　so　as　to　counterbalance　the　weight　of　the　masses　in　a　great　crisis。　　And　in　our　days　those　means　of　action　must　be　living　forces；　and　not　historical　memories。

In　France；　unluckily；　the　noblesse　were　still　so　puffed　up　with　the　notion　of　their　vanished　power；　that　it　was　difficult　to　contend　against　a　kind　of　innate　presumption　in　themselves。　　Perhaps　this　is　a　national　defect。　　The　Frenchman　is　less　given　than　an