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assistance； he had the sense to drop his title； and became plain
Rusticoli。 Among other deeds； M。 Rusticoli married a wife during the
war in Italy； a Capponi； a goddaughter of the Countess of Albany
（hence La Palferine's final names）。 Rusticoli was one of the best
colonels in the army。 The Emperor made him a commander of the Legion
of Honor and a count。 His spine was slightly curved； and his son was
wont to say of him laughingly that he was /un comte refait
（contrefait）/。
〃General Count Rusticoli； for he became a brigadier…general at
Ratisbon and a general of the division on the field of Wagram； died at
Vienna almost immediately after his promotion； or his name and ability
would sooner or later have brought him the marshal's baton。 Under the
Restoration he would certainly have repaired the fortunes of a great
and noble family so brilliant even as far back as 1100； centuries
before they took the French titlefor the Rusticoli had given a pope
to the church and twice revolutionized the kingdom of Naplesso
illustrious again under the Valois； so dexterous in the days of the
Fronde； that obstinate Frondeurs though they were； they still existed
through the reign of Louis XIV。 Mazarin favored them； there was the
Tuscan strain in them still； and he recognized it。
〃Today； when Charles Edward de la Palferine's name is mentioned； not
three persons in a hundred know the history of his house。 But the
Bourbons have actually left a Foix…Grailly to live by his easel。
〃Ah； if you but knew how brilliantly Charles Edward accepts his
obscure position！ how he scoffs at the bourgeois of 1830！ What Attic
salt in his wit！ He would be the king of Bohemia； if Bohemia would
endure a king。 His /verve/ is inexhaustible。 To him we owe a map of
the country and the names of the seven castles which Nodier could not
discover。〃
〃The one thing wanting in one of the cleverest skits of our time；〃
said the Marquise。
〃You can form your own opinion of La Palferine from a few
characteristic touches；〃 continued Nathan。 〃He once came upon a friend
of his； a fellow…Bohemian； involved in a dispute on the boulevard with
a bourgeois who chose to consider himself affronted。 To the modern
powers that be； Bohemia is insolent in the extreme。 There was talk of
calling one another out。
〃 'One moment；' interposed La Palferine； as much Lauzun for the
occasion as Lauzun himself could have been。 'One moment。 Monsieur was
born； I suppose？'
〃 'What； sir？'
〃 'Yes； are you born？ What is your name？'
〃 'Godin。'
〃 'Godin； eh！' exclaimed La Palferine's friend。
〃 'One moment； my dear fellow；' interrupted La Palferine。 'There are
the Trigaudins。 Are you one of them？'
〃Astonishment。
〃 'No？ Then you are one of the new dukes of Gaeta； I suppose； of
imperial creation？ No？ Oh； well； how can you expect my friend to cross
swords with you when he will be secretary of an embassy and ambassador
/some day/； and you will owe him respect？ /Godin！/ the thing is non…
existent！ You are a nonentity； Godin。 My friend cannot be expected to
beat the air！ When one is somebody； one cannot fight with a nobody！
Come； my dear fellowgood…day。'
〃 'My respects to madame；' added the friend。
〃Another day La Palferine was walking with a friend who flung his
cigar end in the face of a passer…by。 The recipient had the bad taste
to resent this。
〃 'You have stood your antagonist's fire；' said the young Count； 'the
witnesses declare that honor is satisfied。'
〃La Palferine owed his tailor a thousand francs； and the man instead
of going himself sent his assistant to ask for the money。 The
assistant found the unfortunate debtor up six pairs of stairs at the
back of a yard at the further end of the Faubourg du Roule。 The room
was unfurnished save for a bed （such a bed！）； a table； and such a
table！ La Palferine heard the preposterous demand'A demand which I
should qualify as illegal；' he said when he told us the story； 'made；
as it was； at seven o'clock in the morning。'
〃 'Go；' he answered； with the gesture and attitude of a Mirabeau；
'tell your master in what condition you find me。'
〃The assistant apologized and withdrew。 La Palferine； seeing the young
man on the landing； rose in the attire celebrated in verse in
/Britannicus/ to add； 'Remark the stairs！ Pay particular attention to
the stairs； do not forget to tell him about the stairs！'
〃In every position into which chance has thrown La Palferine； he has
never failed to rise to the occasion。 All that he does is witty and
never in bad taste； always and in everything he displays the genius of
Rivarol； the polished subtlety of the old French noble。 It was he who
told that delicious anecdote of a friend of Laffitte the banker。 A
national fund had been started to give back to Laffitte the mansion in
which the Revolution of 1830 was brewed； and this friend appeared at
the offices of the fund with； 'Here are five francs； give me a hundred
sous change！'A caricature was made of it。It was once La
Palferine's misfortune； in judicial style； to make a young girl a
mother。 The girl； not a very simple innocent； confessed all to her
mother； a respectable matron； who hurried forthwith to La Palferine
and asked what he meant to do。
〃 'Why； madame；' said he； 'I am neither a surgeon nor a midwife。'
〃She collapsed； but three or four years later she returned to the
charge； still persisting in her inquiry； 'What did La Palferine mean
to do？'
〃 'Well； madame；' returned he； 'when the child is seven years old； an
age at which a boy ought to pass out of women's hands'an indication
of entire agreement on the mother's part'if the child is really
mine'another gesture of assent'if there is a striking likeness； if
he bids fair to be a gentleman； if I can recognize in him my turn of
mind； and more particularly the Rusticoli air； then； ohah！'a new
movement from the matron'on my word and honor； I will make him a
cornet ofsugar…plums！'
〃All this； if you will permit me to make use of the phraseology
employed by M。 Sainte…Beuve for his biographies of obscuritiesall
this； I repeat； is the playful and sprightly yet already somewhat
decadent side of a strong race。 It smacks rather of the Parc…aux…Cerfs
than of the Hotel de Rambouillet。 It is a race of the strong rather
than of the sweet； I incline to lay a little debauchery to its charge；
and more than I should wish in brilliant and generous natures； it is
gallantry after the fashion of the Marechal de Richelieu； high spirits
and frolic carried rather too far； perhaps we may see in it the
/outrances/ of another age； the Eighteenth Century pushed to extremes；
it harks back to the Musketeers； it is an exploit stolen from
Champcenetz； nay； such light…hearted inconstancy takes us back to the
festooned and ornate period of the old court of the Valois。 In an age
as moral as the present； we are bound to regard audacity of this kind
sternly； still； at the same time that 'cornet of sugar…plums' may
serve to warn young girls of the perils of lingering where fancies；
more charming than chastened； come thickly from the first； on the rosy
flowery unguarded slopes； where trespasses ripen into errors full of
equivocal effervescen