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every kind of Parisian prostitution； in short； for all the money well
or ill earned； this people numbers three hundred thousand individuals。
Were it not for the /cabarets/； would not the Government be overturned
every Tuesday？ Happily； by Tuesday； this people is glutted； sleeps off
its pleasure； is penniless； and returns to its labor； to dry bread；
stimulated by a need of material procreation； which has become a habit
to it。 None the less； this people has its phenomenal virtues； its
complete men； unknown Napoleons； who are the type of its strength
carried to its highest expression； and sum up its social capacity in
an existence wherein thought and movement combine less to bring joy
into it than to neutralize the action of sorrow。
Chance has made an artisan economical； chance has favored him with
forethought； he has been able to look forward； has met with a wife and
found himself a father； and； after some years of hard privation； he
embarks in some little draper's business； hires a shop。 If neither
sickness nor vice blocks his wayif he has prosperedthere is the
sketch of this normal life。
And； in the first place； hail to that king of Parisian activity； to
whom time and space give way。 Yes； hail to that being； composed of
saltpetre and gas； who makes children for France during his laborious
nights； and in the day multiplies his personality for the service；
glory； and pleasure of his fellow…citizens。 This man solves the
problem of sufficing at once to his amiable wife； to his hearth； to
the /Constitutionnel/； to his office； to the National Guard； to the
opera； and to God； but； only in order that the /Constitutionnel/； his
office； the National Guard； the opera； his wife； and God may be
changed into coin。 In fine； hail to an irreproachable pluralist。 Up
every day at five o'clock； he traverses like a bird the space which
separates his dwelling from the Rue Montmartre。 Let it blow or
thunder； rain or snow； he is at the /Constitutionnel/； and waits there
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 mi