for the load of newspapers which he has undertaken to distribute。 He
receives this political bread with eagerness； takes it； bears it away。
At nine o'clock he is in the bosom of his family； flings a jest to his
wife； snatches a loud kiss from her； gulps down a cup of coffee； or
scolds his children。 At a quarter to ten he puts in an appearance at
the /Mairie/。 There； stuck upon a stool； like a parrot on its perch；
warmed by Paris town； he registers until four o'clock； with never a
tear or a smile； the deaths and births of an entire district。 The
sorrow； the happiness； of the parish flow beneath his penas the
essence of the /Constitutionnel/ traveled before upon his shoulders。
Nothing weighs upon him！ He goes always straight before him； takes his
patriotism ready made from the newspaper； contradicts no one； shouts
or applauds with the world； and lives like a bird。 Two yards from his
parish； in the event of an important ceremony； he can yield his place
to an assistant； and betake himself to chant a requiem from a stall in
the church of which on Sundays he is the fairest ornament； where his
is the most imposing voice； where he distorts his huge mouth with
energy to thunder out a joyous /Amen/。 So is he chorister。 At four
o'clock； freed from his official servitude； he reappears to shed joy
and gaiety upon the most famous shop in the city。 Happy is his wife；
he has no time to be jealous： he is a man of action rather than of
sentiment。 His mere arrival spurs the young ladies at the counter；
their bright eyes storm the customers； he expands in the midst of all
the finery； the lace and muslin kerchiefs； that their cunning hands
have wrought。 Or； again； more often still； before his dinner he waits
on a client； copies the page of a newspaper； or carries to the
doorkeeper some goods that have been delayed。 Every other day； at six；
he is faithful to his post。 A permanent bass for the chorus； he
betakes himself to the opera； prepared to become a soldier or an arab；
prisoner； savage； peasant； spirit； camel's leg or lion； a devil or a
genie； a slave or a eunuch； black or white； always ready to feign joy
or sorrow； pity or astonishment； to utter cries that never vary； to
hold his tongue； to hunt； or fight for Rome or Egypt； but always at
hearta huckster still。
At midnight he returnsa man； the good husband； the tender father； he
slips into the conjugal bed； his imagination still afire with the
illusive forms of the operatic nymphs； and so turns to the profit of
conjugal love the world's depravities； the voluptuous curves of
Taglioni's leg。 And finally； if he sleeps； he sleeps apace； and
hurries through his slumber as he does his life。
This man sums up all thingshistory； literature； politics；
government； religion； military science。 Is he not a living
encyclopaedia； a grotesque Atlas； ceaselessly in motion； like Paris
itself； and knowing not repose？ He is all legs。 No physiognomy could
preserve its purity amid such toils。 Perhaps the artisan who dies at
thirty； an old man； his stomach tanned by repeated doses of brandy；
will be held； according to certain leisured philosophers； to be
happier than the huckster is。 The one perishes in a breath； and the
other by degrees。 From his eight industries； from the labor of his
shoulders； his throat； his hands； from his wife and his business； the
one derivesas from so many farmschildren； some thousands of
francs； and the most laborious happiness that has ever diverted the
heart of man。 This fortune and these children； or the children who sum
up everything for him； become the prey of the world above； to which he
brings his ducats and his daughter or his son； reared at college； who；
with more education than his father； raises higher his ambitious gaze。
Often the son of a retail tradesman would fain be something in the
State。
Ambition of that sort carries on our thought to the second Parisian
sphere。 Go up one story； then； and descend to the /entresol/： or climb
down from the attic and remain on the fourth floor； in fine； penetrate
into the world which has possessions： the same result！ Wholesale
merchants； and their menpeople with small banking accounts and much
integrityrogues and catspaws； clerks old and young； sheriffs'
clerks； barristers' clerks； solicitors' clerks； in fine； all the
working； thinking； and speculating members of that lower middle class
which honeycombs the interests of Paris and watches over its granary；
accumulates the coin； stores the products that the proletariat have
made； preserves the fruits of the South； the fishes； the wine from
every sun…favored hill； which stretches its hands over the Orient； and
takes from it the shawls that the Russ and the Turk despise； which
harvests even from the Indies； crouches down in expectation of a sale；
greedy of profit； which discounts bills； turns over and collects all
kinds of securities； holds all Paris in its hand； watches over the
fantasies of children； spies out the caprices and the vices of mature
age； sucks money out of disease。 Even so； if they drink no brandy；
like the artisan； nor wallow in the mire of debauch； all equally abuse
their strength； immeasurably strain their bodies and their minds
alike； are burned away with desires； devastated with the swiftness of
the pace。 In their case the physical distortion is accomplished
beneath the whip of interests； beneath the scourge of ambitions which
torture the educated portion of this monstrous city； just as in the
case of the proletariat it is brought about by the cruel see…saw of
the material elaborations perpetually required from the despotism of
the aristocratic 〃/I will/。〃 Here； too； then； in order to obey that
universal master； pleasure or gold； they must devour time； hasten
time； find more than four…and…twenty hours in the day and night； waste
themselves； slay themselves； and purchase two years of unhealthy
repose with thirty years of old age。 Only； the working…man dies in
hospital when the last term of his stunted growth expires； whereas the
man of the middle class is set upon living； and lives on； but in a
state of idiocy。 You will meet him； with his worn； flat old face； with
no light in his eyes； with no strength in his limbs； dragging himself
with a dazed air along the boulevardthe belt of his Venus； of his
beloved city。 What was his want？ The sabre of the National Guard； a
permanent stock…pot； a decent plot in Pere Lachaise； and； for his old
age； a little gold honestly earned。 /HIS/ Monday is on Sunday； his
rest a drive in a hired carriagea country excursion during which his
wife and children glut themselves merrily with dust or bask in the
sun； his dissipation is at the restaurateur's； whose poisonous dinner
has won renown； or at some family ball； where he suffocates till
midnight。 Some fools are surprised at the phantasmagoria of the monads
which they see with the aid of the microscope in a drop of water； but
what would Rabelais' Gargantua；that misunderstood figure of an
audacity so sublime；what would that giant say； fallen from the
celestial spheres； if he amused himself by contemplating the motions
of this secondary life of Paris； of which here is one of the formulae？
Have you seen one of those little constructionscold in summer； and
with no other warmth than a small stove in winterplaced beneath the
vast copper dome which crowns the Halle…auble？ Madame is there by
morning。 She is engaged at the markets； and makes by this occupation
twelve thousand francs a year； people say。 Monsieur； when Madame is
up； passes into a gloomy office； where he lends money till the week…
end to the tradesmen of his district。 By nine o'clock he is at the
passport office； of which he is one of the minor officials。 By evening
he is at the box…office of the Theatre Italien； or of any other
theatre you like。 The children are put out to nurse； and only return
to be sent to college or to boarding…school。 Monsieur and Madame live
on the third floor； have but one cook； give dances in a salon twelve
foot by eight； lit by argand lamps； but they give a hundred and fifty
thousand francs to their daughter； and retire at the age of fifty； an
age when they begin to show themselves on the balcony of the opera； in
a /fiacre/ at Longchamps； or； on sunny days； in faded clothes on the
boulevardsthe fruit of all this sowing。 Respected by their
neighbors； in good odor with the government； connected with the upper
middle classes； Monsieur obtains at sixty…five the Cross of the Legion
of Honor； and his daughter's father…in…law； a parochial mayor； invites
him to his evenings。 These life…long labors； then； are for the good of
the children； whom these lower middle classes are inevitably driven to
exalt。 Thus each sphere directs all its efforts towards the sphere
above it。 The son of the rich grocer becomes a notary； the son of the
timber merchant becomes a magistrate。 No link is wanting in the chain；
and everything stimulates the upward march of money。
Thus we are brought to the third circle of this hell； which； perhaps；
will some day find its Dante。 In this third social circle； a sort of
Parisian belly； in which the interests of the town are digested； and
where they are condensed into the form known