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oness herself； that so well… preserved flower； began to look like the last solitary frost…touched rose on a November bush。 I myself watched the slow decline of luxury by half…tones and semi…tones！ Frightful； upon my honor！ It was my last trouble of the kind； afterwards I said to myself； 'It is silly to care so much about other people。' But while I was in civil service； I was fool enough to take a personal interest in the houses where I dined； I used to stand up for them； I would say no ill of them myself； Ioh！ I was a child。
〃Well； when the ci…devant pearl's daughter put the state of the case before her； 'Oh my poor children；' cried she； 'who will make my dresses now？ I cannot afford new bonnets； I cannot see visitors here nor go out。'Now by what token do you know that a man is in love？〃 said Bixiou； interrupting himself。 〃The question is； whether Beaudenord was genuinely in love with the fair…haired girl。〃
〃He neglects his interests；〃 said Couture。
〃He changes his shirt three times a day；〃 opined Blondet； 〃a man of more than ordinary ability； can he； and ought he； to fall in love？〃
〃My friends；〃 resumed Bixiou； with a sentimental air； 〃there is a kind of man who； when he feels that he is in peril of falling in love； will snap his fingers or fling away his cigar （as the case may be） with a 'Pooh！ there are other women in the world。' Beware of that man for a dangerous reptile。 Still； the Government may employ that citizen somewhere in the Foreign Office。 Blondet； I call your attention to the fact that this Godefroid had thrown up diplomacy。〃
〃Well； he was absorbed；〃 said Blondet。 〃Love gives the fool his one chance of growing great。〃
〃Blondet； Blondet； how is it that we are so poor？〃 cried Bixiou。
〃And why is Finot so rich？〃 returned Blondet。 〃I will tell you how it is； there； my son； we understand each other。 Come； there is Finot filling up my glass as if I had carried in his firewood。 At the end of dinner one ought to sip one's wine slowly；Well？〃
〃Thou has said。 The absorbed Godefroid became fully acquainted with the familythe tall Malvina； the frivolous Baroness； and the little lady of the dance。 He became a servant after the most conscientious and restricted fashion。 He was not scared away by the cadaverous remains of opulence； not he！ by degrees he became accustomed to the threadbare condition of things。 It never struck the young man that the green silk damask and white ornaments in the drawing…room needed refurnishing。 The curtains； the tea…table； the knick…knacks on the chimney…piece； the rococo chandelier； the Eastern carpet with the pile worn down to the thread； the pianoforte； the little flowered china cups； the fringed serviettes so full of holes that they looked like open work in the Spanish fashion； the green sitting…room with the Baroness' blue bedroom beyond it；it was all sacred； all dear to him。 It is only your stupid woman with the brilliant beauty that throws heart； brain； and soul into the shade； who can inspire forgetfulness like this； a clever woman never abuses her advantages； she must be small…natured and silly to gain such a hold upon a man。 Beaudenord actually loved the solemn old Wirthhe has told me so himself！
〃That old rogue regarded his future master with the awe which a good Catholic feels for the Eucharist。 Honest Wirth was a kind of Gaspard； a beer…drinking German sheathing his cunning in good…nature； much as a cardinal in the Middle Ages kept his dagger up his sleeve。 Wirth saw a husband for Isaure； and accordingly proceeded to surround Godefroid with the mazy circumlocutions of his Alsacien's geniality； that most adhesive of all known varieties of bird…lime。
〃Mme。 d'Aldrigger was radically 'improper。' She thought love the most natural thing imaginable。 When Isaure and Malvina went out together to the Champs Elysees or the Tuileries； where they were sure to meet the young men of their set； she would simply say； 'A pleasant time to you； dear girls。' Their friends among men； the only persons who might have slandered the sisters； championed them； for the extraordinary liberty permitted in the d'Aldriggers' salon made it unique in Paris。 Vast wealth could scarcely have procured such evenings； the talk was good on any subject； dress was not insisted upon； you felt so much at home there that you could ask for supper。 The sisters corresponded as they pleased； and quietly read their letters by their mother's side； it never occurred to the Baroness to interfere in any way； the adorable woman gave the girls the full benefits of her selfishness； and in a certain sense selfish persons are the easiest to live with； they hate trouble； and therefore do not trouble other people； they never beset the lives of their fellow…creatures with thorny advice and captious fault…finding； nor do they torment you with the waspish solicitude of excessive affection that must know all things and rule all things〃
〃This comes home；〃 said Blondet； 〃but my dear fellow； this is not telling a story； this is blague〃
〃Blondet； if you were not tipsy； I should really feel hurt！ He is the one serious literary character among us； for his benefit； I honor you by treating you like men of taste； I am distilling my tale for you； and now he criticises me！ There is no greater proof of intellectual sterility； my friends； than the piling up of facts。 Le Misanthrope； that supreme comedy； shows us that art consists in the power of building a palace on a needle's point。 The gist of my idea is in the fairy wand which can turn the Desert into an Interlaken in ten seconds （precisely the time required to empty this glass）。 Would you rather that I fired off at you like a cannon…ball； or a commander…in…chief's report？ We chat and laugh； and this journalist； a bibliophobe when sober； expects me； forsooth； when he is drunk； to teach my tongue to move at the dull jogtrot of a printed book。〃 （Here he affected to weep。） 〃Woe unto the French imagination when men fain would blunt the needle points of her pleasant humor！ Dies iroe！ Let us weep for Candide。 Long live the Kritik of Pure Reason； La Symbolique； and the systems in five closely packed volumes； printed by Germans； who little suspect that the gist of the matter has been known in Paris since 1750； and crystallized in a few trenchant wordsthe diamonds of our national thought。 Blondet is driving a hearse to his own suicide； Blondet； forsooth！ who manufactures newspaper accounts of the last words of all the great men that die without saying anything！〃
〃Come； get on；〃 put in Finot。
〃It was my intention to explain to you in what the happiness of a man consists when he is not a shareholder （out of compliment to Couture）。 Well； now； do you not see at what a price Godefroid secured the greatest happiness of a young man's dreams？ He was trying to understand Isaure； by way of making sure that she should understand him。 Things which comprehend one another must needs be similar。 Infinity and Nothingness； for instance； are like； everything that lies between the two is like neither。 Nothingness is stupidity； genius； Infinity。 The lovers wrote each other the stupidest letters imaginable； putting down various expressions then in fashion upon bits of scented paper： 'Angel！ Aeolian har