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The words which he uttered the most frequently were：
the sensible man； and nature。
He did not give to this last word the grand acceptation which our epoch has accorded to it； but he made it enter； after his own fashion； into his little chimney…corner satires： 〃Nature；〃 he said； 〃in order that civilization may have a little of everything； gives it even specimens of its amusing barbarism。 Europe possesses specimens of Asia and Africa on a small scale。 The cat is a drawing…room tiger； the lizard is a pocket crocodile。 The dancers at the opera are pink female savages。
They do not eat men； they crunch them； or； magicians that they are； they transform them into oysters and swallow them。
The Caribbeans leave only the bones； they leave only the shell。
Such are our morals。
We do not devour； we gnaw； we do not exterminate； we claw。〃
BOOK SECOND。THE GREAT BOURGEOIS
CHAPTER II
LIKE MASTER； LIKE HOUSE
He lived in the Marais； Rue des Filles…du…Calvaire； No。 6。 He owned the house。
This house has since been demolished and rebuilt； and the number has probably been changed in those revolutions of numeration which the streets of Paris undergo。
He occupied an ancient and vast apartment on the first floor； between street and gardens； furnished to the very ceilings with great Gobelins and Beauvais tapestries representing pastoral scenes； the subjects of the ceilings and the panels were repeated in miniature on the arm…chairs。 He enveloped his bed in a vast； nine…leaved screen of Coromandel lacquer。
Long； full curtains hung from the windows； and formed great； broken folds that were very magnificent。 The garden situated immediately under his windows was attached to that one of them which formed the angle； by means of a staircase twelve or fifteen steps long； which the old gentleman ascended and descended with great agility。
In addition to a library adjoining his chamber； he had a boudoir of which he thought a great deal； a gallant and elegant retreat； with magnificent hangings of straw； with a pattern of flowers and fleurs…de…lys made on the galleys of Louis XIV。
and ordered of his convicts by M。 de Vivonne for his mistress。
M。 Gillenormand had inherited it from a grim maternal great…aunt； who had died a centenarian。
He had had two wives。 His manners were something between those of the courtier； which he had never been； and the lawyer； which he might have been。 He was gay； and caressing when he had a mind。
In his youth he had been one of those men who are always deceived by their wives and never by their mistresses； because they are； at the same time； the most sullen of husbands and the most charming of lovers in existence。
He was a connoisseur of painting。
He had in his chamber a marvellous portrait of no one knows whom； painted by Jordaens； executed with great dashes of the brush； with millions of details； in a confused and hap…hazard manner。
M。 Gillenormand's attire was not the habit of Louis XIV。
nor yet that of Louis XVI。； it was that of the Incroyables of the Directory。
He had thought himself young up to that period and had followed the fashions。 His coat was of light…weight cloth with voluminous revers； a long swallow…tail and large steel buttons。
With this he wore knee…breeches and buckle shoes。
He always thrust his hands into his fobs。 He said authoritatively：
〃The French Revolution is a heap of blackguards。〃
BOOK SECOND。THE GREAT BOURGEOIS
CHAPTER III
LUC…ESPRIT
At the age of sixteen； one evening at the opera； he had had the honor to be stared at through opera…glasses by two beauties at the same timeripe and celebrated beauties then； and sung by Voltaire； the Camargo and the Salle。
Caught between two fires； he had beaten a heroic retreat towards a little dancer； a young girl named Nahenry； who was sixteen like himself； obscure as a cat； and with whom he was in love。
He abounded in memories。
He was accustomed to exclaim： 〃How pretty she wasthat Guimard…Guimardini…Guimardinette； the last time I saw her at Longchamps； her hair curled in sustained sentiments； with her e…and…see of turquoises； her gown of the color of persons newly arrived； and her little agitation muff！〃 He had worn in his young manhood a waistcoat of Nain…Londrin； which he was fond of talking about effusively。
〃I was dressed like a Turk of the Levant Levantin；〃 said he。
Madame de Boufflers； having seen him by chance when he was twenty； had described him as 〃a charming fool。〃
He was horrified by all the names which he saw in politics and in power； regarding them as vulgar and bourgeois。 He read the journals； the newspapers； the gazettes as he said； stifling outbursts of laughter the while。
〃Oh！〃 he said； 〃what people these are！
Corbiere！
Humann！
Casimir Perier！ There's a minister for you！
I can imagine this in a journal： ‘M。 Gillenorman； minister！' that would be a farce。
Well！
They are so stupid that it would pass〃； he merrily called everything by its name； whether decent or indecent； and did not restrain himself in the least before ladies。
He uttered coarse speeches； obscenities； and filth with a certain tranquillity and lack of astonishment which was elegant。 It was in keeping with the unceremoniousness of his century。 It is to be noted that the age of periphrase in verse was the age of crudities in prose。
His god…father had predicted that he would turn out a man of genius； and had bestowed on him these two significant names：
Luc…Esprit。
BOOK SECOND。THE GREAT BOURGEOIS
CHAPTER IV
A CENTENARIAN ASPIRANT
He had taken prizes in his boyhood at the College of Moulins； where he was born； and he had been crowned by the hand of the Duc de Nivernais； whom he called the Duc de Nevers。
Neither the Convention； nor the death of Louis XVI。； nor the Napoleon； nor the return of the Bourbons； nor anything else had been able to efface the memory of this crowning。 The Duc de Nevers was； in his eyes； the great figure of the century。 〃What a charming grand seigneur；〃 he said； 〃and what a fine air he had with his blue ribbon！〃
In the eyes of M。