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contrived at the end of a boudoir on the ground…floor which opens upon
an admirable suite of reception rooms。 An English philanthropist had
built this architectural bijou； designed the garden； added the
greenhouse； polished the doors； bricked the courtyard； painted the
window…frames green； and realized； in short； a dream which resembled
（proportions excepted） George the Fourth's Pavilion at Brighton。 The
inventive and industrious Parisian workmen had moulded the doors and
window…frames； the ceilings were imitated from the middle…ages or
those of a Venetian palace； marble veneering abounded on the outer
walls。 Steinbock and Francois Souchet had designed the mantel…pieces
and the panels above the doors； Schinner had painted the ceilings in
his masterly manner。 The beauties of the staircase； white as a woman's
arm； defied those of the hotel Rothschild。 On account of the riots and
the unsettled times； the cost of this folly was only about eleven
hundred thousand francs；to an Englishman a mere nothing。 All this
luxury； called princely by persons who do not know what real princes
are； was built in the garden of the house of a purveyor made a Croesus
by the Revolution； who had escaped to Brussels and died there after
going into bankruptcy。 The Englishman died in Paris； of Paris； for to
many persons Paris is a disease；sometimes several diseases。 His
widow； a Methodist； had a horror of the little nabob establishment；
and ordered it to be sold。 Comte Adam bought it at a bargain； and how
he came to do so shall presently be made known； for bargains were not
at all in his line as a grand seigneur。
Behind the house lay the verdant velvet of an English lawn shaded at
the lower end by a clump of exotic trees； in the midst of which stood
a Chinese pagoda with soundless belfries and motionless golden eggs。
The greenhouse concealed the garden wall on the northern side； the
opposite wall was covered with climbing plants trained upon poles
painted green and connected with crossway trellises。 This lawn； this
world of flowers； the gravelled paths； the simulated forest； the
verdant palisades； were contained within the space of five and twenty
square rods； which are worth to…day four hundred thousand francs；the
value of an actual forest。 Here； in this solitude in the middle of
Paris； the birds sang； thrushes； nightingales； warblers； bulfinches；
and sparrows。 The greenhouse was like an immense jardiniere； filling
the air with perfume in winter as in summer。 The means by which its
atmosphere was made to order； torrid as in China or temperate as in
Italy； were cleverly concealed。 Pipes in which hot water circulated；
or steam； were either hidden under ground or festooned with plants
overhead。 The boudoir was a large room。 The miracle of the modern
Parisian fairy named Architecture is to get all these many and great
things out of a limited bit of ground。
The boudoir of the young countess was arranged to suit the taste of
the artist to whom Comte Adam entrusted the decoration of the house。
It is too full of pretty nothings to be a place for repose； one scarce
knows where to sit down among carved Chinese work…tables with their
myriads of fantastic figures inlaid in ivory； cups of yellow topaz
mounted on filagree； mosaics which inspire theft； Dutch pictures in
the style which Schinner has adopted； angels such as Steinbock
conceived but often could not execute； statuettes modelled by genius
pursued by creditors （the real explanation of the Arabian myth）；
superb sketches by our best artists； lids of chests made into panels
alternating with fluted draperies of Italian silk； portieres hanging
from rods of old oak in tapestried masses on which the figures of some
hunting scene are swarming； pieces of furniture worthy to have
belonged to Madame de Pompadour； Persian rugs； et cetera。 For a last
graceful touch； all these elegant things were subdued by the half…
light which filtered through embroidered curtains and added to their
charm。 On a table between the windows； among various curiosities； lay
a whip； the handle designed by Mademoiselle de Fauveau； which proved
that the countess rode on horseback。
Such is a lady's boudoir in 1837；an exhibition of the contents of
many shops； which amuse the eye； as if ennui were the one thing to be
dreaded by the social world of the liveliest and most stirring capital
in Europe。 Why is there nothing of an inner life？ nothing which leads
to revery； nothing reposeful？ Why indeed？ Because no one in our day is
sure of the future； we are living our lives like prodigal annuitants。
One morning Clementine appeared to be thinking of something。 She was
lying at full length on one of those marvellous couches from which it
is almost impossible to rise； the upholsterer having invented them for
lovers of the 〃far niente〃 and its attendant joys of laziness to sink
into。 The doors of the greenhouse were open； letting the odors of
vegetation and the perfume of the tropics pervade the room。 The young
wife was looking at her husband who was smoking a narghile； the only
form of pipe she would have suffered in that room。 The portieres； held
back by cords； gave a vista through two elegant salons； one white and
gold； comparable only to that of the hotel Forbin…Janson； the other in
the style of the Renaissance。 The dining…room； which had no rival in
Paris except that of the Baron de Nucingen； was at the end of a short
gallery decorated in the manner of the middle…ages。 This gallery
opened on the side of the courtyard upon a large antechamber； through
which could be seen the beauties of the staircase。
The count and countess had just finished breakfast； the sky was a
sheet of azure without a cloud； April was nearly over。 They had been
married two years； and Clementine had just discovered for the first
time that there was something resembling a secret or a mystery in her
household。 The Pole； let us say it to his honor； is usually helpless
before a woman； he is so full of tenderness for her that in Poland he
becomes her inferior； though Polish women make admirable wives。 Now a
Pole is still more easily vanquished by a Parisian woman。 Consequently
Comte Adam； pressed by questions； did not even attempt the innocent
roguery of selling the suspected secret。 It is always wise with a
woman to get some good out of a mystery； she will like you the better
for it； as a swindler respects an honest man the more when he finds he
cannot swindle him。 Brave in heart but not in speech； Comte Adam
merely stipulated that he should not be compelled to answer until he
had finished his narghile。
〃If any difficulty occurred when we were travelling；〃 said Clementine；
〃you always dismissed it by saying； 'Paz will settle that。' You never
wrote to any one but Paz。 When we returned here everybody kept saying；
'the captain； the captain。' If I want the carriage'the captain。' Is
there a bill to pay'the captain。' If my horse is not properly
bitted； they must speak