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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 as /business/； there
moves and agitates； as by some acrid and bitter intestinal process；
the crowd of lawyers； doctors； notaries； councillors； business men；
bankers； big merchants； speculators； and magistrates。 Here are to be
found even more causes of moral and physical destruction than
elsewhere。 These peoplealmost all of themlive in unhealthy
offices； in fetid ante…chambers； in little barred dens； and spend
their days bowed down beneath the weight of affairs； they rise at dawn
to be in time； not to be left behind； to gain all or not to lose； to
overreach a man or his money； to open or wind up some business； to
take advantage of some fleeting opportunity； to get a man hanged or
set him free。 They infect their horses； they overdrive and age and
break them； like their own legs； before their time。 Time is their
tyrant： it fails them； it escapes them； they can neither expand it nor
cut it short。 What soul can remain great； pure； moral； and generous；
and； consequently； what face retain its beauty in this depraving
practice of a calling which compels one to bear the weight of the
public sorrows； to analyze them； to weigh them； estimate them； and
mark them out by rule？ Where do these folk put aside their
hearts？ 。 。 。 I do not know； but they leave them somewhere or other；
when they have any； before they descend each morning into the abyss of
the misery which puts families on the rack。 For them there is no such
thing as mystery； they see the reverse side of society； whose
confessors they are； and despise it。 Then； whatever they do； owing to
their contact with corruption； they either are horrified at it and
grow gloomy； or else； out of lassitude； or some secret compromise；
espouse it。 In fine； they necessarily become callous to every
sentiment； since man； his laws and his institutions； make them steal；
like jackals； from corpses that are still warm。 At all hours the
financier is trampling on the living； the attorney on the dead； the
pleader on the conscience。 Forced to be speaking without a rest； they
all substitute words for ideas； phrases for feelings； and their soul
becomes a larynx。 Neither the great merchant； nor the judge； nor the
pleader preserves his sense of right； they feel no more； they apply
set rules that leave cases out of count。 Borne along by their headlong
course； they are neither husbands nor fathers nor lovers； they glide
on sledges over the facts of life； and live at all times at the high
pressure conduced by business and the vast city。 When they return to
their homes they are required to go to a ball； to the opera； into
society； where they can make clients； acquaintances； protectors。 They
all eat to excess； play and keep vigil； and their faces become
bloated； flushed； and emaciated。
To this terrific expenditure of intellectual strength； to such
multifold moral contradictions； they opposenot； indeed pleasure； it
would be too pale a contrastbut debauchery； a debauchery both secret
and alarming； for they have all means at their disposal； and fix the
morality o