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〃Such an one is a traitor； such another is very malicious； such another is great； such another is ridiculous。〃
（All these words： traitor； malicious； great； ridiculous； have a particular meaning in his mouth。） That one imagines that he owns the Pont…Neuf； and he prevents people from walking on the cornice outside the parapet； that other has a mania for pulling person's ears； etc。； etc。
BOOK FIRST。PARIS STUDIED IN ITS ATOM
CHAPTER IX
THE OLD SOUL OF GAUL
There was something of that boy in Poquelin； the son of the fish…market； Beaumarchais had something of it。
Gaminerie is a shade of the Gallic spirit。
Mingled with good sense； it sometimes adds force to the latter； as alcohol does to wine。
Sometimes it is a defect。 Homer repeats himself eternally； granted； one may say that Voltaire plays the gamin。
Camille Desmoulins was a native of the faubourgs。
Championnet； who treated miracles brutally； rose from the pavements of Paris； he had； when a small lad； inundated the porticos of Saint…Jean de Beauvais； and of Saint…Etienne du Mont； he had addressed the shrine of Sainte…Genevieve familiarly to give orders to the phial of Saint Januarius。
The gamin of Paris is respectful； ironical； and insolent。
He has villainous teeth； because he is badly fed and his stomach suffers； and handsome eyes because he has wit。
If Jehovah himself were present； he would go hopping up the steps of paradise on one foot。 He is strong on boxing。
All beliefs are possible to him。 He plays in the gutter； and straightens himself up with a revolt； his effrontery persists even in the presence of grape…shot； he was a scapegrace； he is a hero； like the little Theban； he shakes the skin from the lion； Barra the drummer…boy was a gamin of Paris； he Shouts： 〃Forward！〃 as the horse of Scripture says 〃Vah！〃 and in a moment he has passed from the small brat to the giant。
This child of the puddle is also the child of the ideal。 Measure that spread of wings which reaches from Moliere to Barra。
To sum up the whole； and in one word； the gamin is a being who amuses himself； because he is unhappy。
BOOK FIRST。PARIS STUDIED IN ITS ATOM
CHAPTER X
ECCE PARIS； ECCE HOMO
To sum it all up once more； the Paris gamin of to…day； like the graeculus of Rome in days gone by； is the infant populace with the wrinkle of the old world on his brow。
The gamin is a grace to the nation； and at the same time a disease； a disease which must be cured； how？
By light。
Light renders healthy。
Light kindles。
All generous social irradiations spring from science； letters； arts； education。
Make men； make men。
Give them light that they may warm you。 Sooner or later the splendid question of universal education will present itself with the irresistible authority of the absolute truth； and then； those who govern under the superintendence of the French idea will have to make this choice； the children of France or the gamins of Paris； flames in the light or will…o'…the…wisps in the gloom。
The gamin expresses Paris； and Paris expresses the world。
For Paris is a total。
Paris is the ceiling of the human race。 The whole of this prodigious city is a foreshortening of dead manners and living manners。
He who sees Paris thinks he sees the bottom of all history with heaven and constellations in the intervals。
Paris has a capital； the Town…Hall； a Parthenon； Notre…Dame； a Mount Aventine； the Faubourg Saint…Antoine； an Asinarium； the Sorbonne； a Pantheon； the Pantheon； a Via Sacra； the Boulevard des Italiens； a temple of the winds； opinion； and it replaces the Gemoniae by ridicule。 Its majo is called 〃faraud；〃 its Transteverin is the man of the faubourgs； its hammal is the market…porter； its lazzarone is the pegre； its cockney is the native of Ghent。
Everything that exists elsewhere exists at Paris。
The fishwoman of Dumarsais can retort on the herb…seller of Euripides； the discobols Vejanus lives again in the Forioso； the tight…rope dancer。
Therapontigonus Miles could walk arm in arm with Vadeboncoeur the grenadier； Damasippus the second…hand dealer would be happy among bric…a…brac merchants； Vincennes could grasp Socrates in its fist as just as Agora could imprison Diderot； Grimod de la Reyniere discovered larded roast beef； as Curtillus invented roast hedgehog； we see the trapeze which figures in Plautus reappear under the vault of the Arc of l'Etoile； the sword…eater of Poecilus encountered by Apuleius is a sword…swallower on the PontNeuf； the nephew of Rameau and Curculio the parasite make a pair； Ergasilus could get himself presented to Cambaceres by d'Aigrefeuille； the four dandies of Rome：
Alcesimarchus； Phoedromus； Diabolus； and Argyrippus； descend from Courtille in Labatut's posting…chaise； Aulus Gellius would halt no longer in front of Congrio than would Charles Nodier in front of Punchinello； Marto is not a tigress； but Pardalisca was not a dragon； Pantolabus the wag jeers in the Cafe Anglais at Nomentanus the fast liver； Hermogenus is a tenor in the Champs…Elysees； and round him； Thracius the beggar； clad like Bobeche； takes up a collection； the bore who stops you by the button of your coat in the Tuileries makes you repeat after a lapse of two thousand years Thesprion's apostrophe：
Quis properantem me prehendit pallio？ The wine on Surene is a parody of the wine of Alba； the red border of Desaugiers forms a balance to the great cutting of Balatro； Pere Lachaise exhales beneath nocturnal rains same gleams as the Esquiliae； and the grave of the poor bought for five years； is certainly the equivalent of the slave's hived coffin。
Seek something that Paris has not。
The vat of Trophonius contains nothing that is not in Mesmer's tub； Ergaphilas lives again in Cagliostro； the Brahmin Vasaphanta bee incarnate in the te de Saint…Germain； the cemetery of Saint…Medard works quite as good miracles as the Mosque of Oumoumie at Damascus。
Paris has an AEsop…Mayeux； and a Canidia； Mademoiselle Lenormand。 It is terrified； like Delphos at the fulgurating realities of the vision； it makes tables turn as Dodona did tripods。
It places the