按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
pearl； innocence； and pearls are not to be dissolved in mud。
So long as man is in his childhood； God wills that he shall be innocent。
If one were to ask that enormous city：
〃What is this？〃 she would reply： 〃It is my little one。〃
BOOK FIRST。PARIS STUDIED IN ITS ATOM
CHAPTER II
SOME OF HIS PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTICS
The gaminthe street Arabof Paris is the dwarf of the giant。
Let us not exaggerate； this cherub of the gutter sometimes has a shirt； but； in that case； he owns but one； he sometimes has shoes； but then they have no soles； he sometimes has a lodging； and he loves it； for he finds his mother there； but he prefers the street； because there he finds liberty。
He has his own games； his own bits of mischief； whose foundation consists of hatred for the bourgeois； his peculiar metaphors：
to be dead is to eat dandelions by the root； his own occupations； calling hackney…coaches； letting down carriage…steps； establishing means of transit between the two sides of a street in heavy rains； which he calls making the bridge of arts； crying discourses pronounced by the authorities in favor of the French people； cleaning out the cracks in the pavement； he has his own coinage； which is posed of all the little morsels of worked copper which are found on the public streets。 This curious money； which receives the name of loquesragshas an invariable and well…regulated currency in this little Bohemia of children。
ly； he has his own fauna； which he observes attentively in the corners； the lady…bird； the death's…head plant…louse； the daddy…long…legs； 〃the devil；〃 a black insect； which menaces by twisting about its tail armed with two horns。
He has his fabulous monster； which has scales under its belly； but is not a lizard； which has pustules on its back； but is not a toad； which inhabits the nooks of old lime…kilns and wells that have run dry； which is black； hairy； sticky； which crawls sometimes slowly； sometimes rapidly； which has no cry； but which has a look； and is so terrible that no one has ever beheld it； he calls this monster 〃the deaf thing。〃
The search for these 〃deaf things〃 among the stones is a joy of formidable nature。
Another pleasure consists in suddenly prying up a paving…stone； and taking a look at the wood…lice。 Each region of Paris is celebrated for the interesting treasures which are to be found there。
There are ear…wigs in the timber…yards of the Ursulines； there are millepeds in the Pantheon； there are tadpoles in the ditches of the Champs…de…Mars。
As far as sayings are concerned； this child has as many of them as Talleyrand。
He is no less cynical； but he is more honest。 He is endowed with a certain indescribable； unexpected joviality； he upsets the posure of the shopkeeper with his wild laughter。 He ranges boldly from high edy to farce。
A funeral passes by。
Among those who acpany the dead there is a doctor。
〃Hey there！〃 shouts some street Arab； 〃how long has it been customary for doctors to carry home their own work？〃
Another is in a crowd。
A grave man； adorned with spectacles and trinkets； turns round indignantly：
〃You good…for…nothing； you have seized my wife's waist！〃〃I； sir？
Search me！〃
BOOK FIRST。PARIS STUDIED IN ITS ATOM
CHAPTER III
HE IS AGREEABLE
In the evening； thanks to a few sous； which he always finds means to procure； the homuncio enters a theatre。
On crossing that magic threshold； he bees transfigured； he was the street Arab； he bees the titi。＇18＇ Theatres are a sort of ship turned upside down with the keel in the air。
It is in that keel that the titi huddle together。
The titi is to the gamin what the moth is to the larva； the same being endowed with wings and soaring。 It suffices for him to be there； with his radiance of happiness； with his power of enthusiasm and joy； with his hand…clapping； which resembles a clapping of wings； to confer on that narrow； dark； fetid； sordid； unhealthy； hideous； abominable keel； the name of Paradise。
＇18＇ Chicken：
slang allusion to the noise made in calling poultry。
Bestow on an individual the useless and deprive him of the necessary； and you have the gamin。
The gamin is not devoid of literary intuition。
His tendency； and we say it with the proper amount of regret； would not constitute classic taste。
He is not very academic by nature。
Thus； to give an example； the popularity of Mademoiselle Mars among that little audience of stormy children was seasoned with a touch of irony。 The gamin called her Mademoiselle Muche〃hide yourself。〃
This being bawls and scoffs and ridicules and fights； has rags like a baby and tatters like a philosopher； fishes in the sewer； hunts in the cesspool； extracts mirth from foulness； whips up the squares with his wit； grins and bites； whistles and sings； shouts； and shrieks； tempers Alleluia with Matantur…lurette； chants every rhythm from the De Profundis to the Jack…pudding； finds without seeking； knows what he is ignorant of； is a Spartan to the point of thieving； is mad to wisdom； is lyrical to filth； would crouch down on Olympus； wallows in the dunghill and emerges from it covered with stars。 The gamin of Paris is Rabelais in this youth。
He is not content with his trousers unless they have a watch…pocket。
He is not easily astonished； he is still less easily terrified； he makes songs on superstitions； he takes the wind out of exaggerations； he twits mysteries； he thrusts out his tongue at ghosts； he takes the poetry out of stilted things； he introduces caricature into epic extravaganzas。
It is not that he is prosaic； far from that； but he replaces the solemn vision by the farcical phantasmagoria。 If Adamastor were to appear to him； the street Arab would say： 〃Hi there！
The bugaboo！〃
BOOK FIRST。PARIS STUDIED IN ITS ATOM
CHAPTER IV
HE MAY BE OF USE
Paris begins with the lounger and ends with the street Arab； two beings of which no other city is capable； the passive acceptance； which contents itself with gazing； and the inexhaustible initiative； Prudhomme and Fouillou。
Paris alone has this in its natural history。 The