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ndsome； like some of our friends that look rather too much of professional beauties to be anything else； but no more of that； we have said it； it is shocking！ Well； he was a crack shot； and sat a horse to admiration； he had fought a duel for a trifle； and had not killed his man。
〃If you wish to know in what pure； complete； and unadulterated happiness consists in this Nineteenth Century in Paristhe happiness； that is to say； of a young man of twenty…sixdo you realize that you must enter into the infinitely small details of existence？ Beaudenord's bootmaker had precisely hit off his style of foot； he was well shod； his tailor loved to clothe him。 Godefroid neither rolled his r's； nor lapsed into Normanisms nor Gascon； he spoke pure and correct French； and tied his cravat correctly （like Finot）。 He had neither father nor mothersuch luck had he！and his guardian was the Marquis d'Aiglemont； his cousin by marriage。 He could go among city people as he chose； and the Faubourg Saint…Germain could make no objection； for； fortunately； a young bachelor is allowed to make his own pleasure his sole rule of life； he is at liberty to betake himself wherever amusement is to be found； and to shun the gloomy places where cares flourish and multiply。 Finally； he had been vaccinated （you know what I mean； Blondet）。
〃And yet； in spite of all these virtues；〃 continued Bixiou； 〃he might very well have been a very unhappy young man。 Eh！ eh！ that word happiness； unhappily； seems to us to mean something absolute； a delusion which sets so many wiseacres inquiring what happiness is。 A very clever woman said that 'Happiness was where you chose to put it。' 〃
〃She formulated a dismal truth；〃 said Blondet。
〃And a moral；〃 added Finot。
〃Double distilled；〃 said Blondet。 〃Happiness； like Good； like Evil； is relative。 Wherefore La Fontaine used to hope that in the course of time the damned would feel as much at home in hell as a fish in water。〃
〃La Fontaine's sayings are known in Philistia！〃 put in Bixiou。
〃Happiness at six…and…twenty in Paris is not the happiness of six…and… twenty atsay Blois；〃 continued Blondet； taking no notice of the interruption。 〃And those that proceed from this text to rail at the instability of opinion are either knaves or fools for their pains。 Modern medicine； which passed （it is its fairest title to glory） from a hypothetical to a positive science； through the influence of the great analytical school of Paris； has proved beyond a doubt that a man is periodically renewed throughout〃
〃New haft； new blade； like Jeannot's knife； and yet you think that he is still the same man；〃 broke in Bixiou。 〃So there are several lozenges in the harlequin's coat that we call happiness； andwell； there was neither hole nor stain in this Godefroid's costume。 A young man of six…and…twenty； who would be happy in love； who would be loved； that is to say； not for his blossoming youth； nor for his wit； nor for his figure； but spontaneously； and not even merely in return for his own love； a young man； I say； who has found love in the abstract； to quote Royer…Collard； might yet very possibly find never a farthing in the purse which She； loving and beloved； embroidered for him； he might owe rent to his landlord； he might be unable to pay the bootmaker before mentioned； his very tailor； like France herself； might at last show signs of disaffection。 In short； he might have love and yet be poor。 And poverty spoils a young man's happiness； unless he holds our transcendental views of the fusion of interests。 I know nothing more wearing than happiness within combined with adversity without。 It is as if you had one leg freezing in the draught from the door； and the other half…roasted by a brazieras I have at this moment。 I hope to be understood。 Comes there an echo from thy waistcoat…pocket； Blondet？ Between ourselves； let the heart alone； it spoils the intellect。
〃Let us resume。 Godefroid de Beaudenord was respected by his tradespeople； for they were paid with tolerable regularity。 The witty woman before quotedI cannot give her name； for she is still living； thanks to her want of heart〃
〃Who is this？〃
〃The Marquise d'Espard。 She said that a young man ought to live on an entresol； there should be no sign of domesticity about the place； no cook； no kitchen； an old manservant to wait upon him； and no pretence of permanence。 In her opinion； any other sort of establishment is bad form。 Godefroid de Beaudenord； faithful to this programme； lodged on an entresol on the Quai Malaquais； he had； however； been obliged to have this much in common with married couples； he had put a bedstead in his room； though for that matter it was so narrow that he seldom slept in it。 An Englishwoman might have visited his rooms and found nothing 'improper' there。 Finot； you have yet to learn the great law of the 'Improper' that rules Britain。 But； for the sake of the bond between usthat bill for a thousand francsI will just give you some idea of it。 I have been in England myself。I will give him wit enough for a couple of thousand；〃 he added in an aside to Blondet。
〃In England； Finot； you grow extremely intimate with a woman in the course of an evening； at a ball or wherever it is； next day you meet her in the street and look as though you knew her again'improper。' At dinner you discover a delightful man beneath your left…hand neighbor's dresscoat； a clever man； no high mightiness； no constraint； nothing of an Englishman about him。 In accordance with the tradition of French breeding； so urbane； so gracious as they are； you address your neighbor'improper。'At a ball you walk up to a pretty woman to ask her to dance'improper。' You wax enthusiastic； you argue； laugh； and give yourself out； you fling yourself heart and soul into the conversation； you give expression to your real feelings； you play when you are at the card…table； chat while you chat； eat while you eat 'improper！ improper！ improper！' Stendhal； one of the cleverest and profoundest minds of the age； hit off the 'improper' excellently well when he said that such…and…such a British peer did not dare to cross his legs when he sat alone before his own hearth for fear of being improper。 An English gentlewoman； were she one of the rabid 'Saints' that most straitest sect of Protestants that would leave their whole family to starve if the said family did anything 'improper'may play the deuce's own delight in her own bedroom； and need not be 'improper；' but she would look on herself as lost if she received a visit from a man of her acquaintance in the aforesaid room。 Thanks to propriety； London and its inhabitants will be found petrified some of these days。〃
〃And to think that there are asses here in France that want to import the solemn tomfoolery that the English keep up among themselves with that admirable self…possession which you know！〃 added Blondet。 〃It is enough to make any man shudder if he has seen the English at home； and recollects the charming； gracious French manners。 Sir Walter Scott was afraid to paint women as they are for fear of being 'improper'； and at the close of his life repented of the creation of the great character of Effie in The Heart of Midlothian。〃
〃Do you wish not to be 'improper'