第38章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(21)

第38章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(21)

but，thecomfortwas，thatallthecompanyatthegrandhotelofmonseigneurwereperfectlydressed.ifthedayofjudgmenthadonlybeenascertainedtobeadressday，everybodytherewouldhavebeeneternallycorrect.suchfrizzlingandpowderingandstickingupofhair，suchdelicatecomplexionsartificiallypreservedandmended，suchgallantswordstolookat，andsuchdelicatehonourtothesenseofsmell，wouldsurelykeepanythinggoing，foreverandever.theexquisitegentlemenofthefinestbreedingworelittlependenttrinketsthatchinkedastheylanguidlymoved；thesegoldenfettersranglikepreciouslittlebells；andwhatwiththatringing，andwiththerustleofsilkandbrocadeandfinelinen，therewasaflutterintheairthatfannedsaintantoineandhisdevouringhungerfaraway.

dresswastheoneunfailingtalismanandcharmusedforkeepingallthingsintheirplaces.everybodywasdressedforafancyballthatwasnevertoleaveoff.fromthepalaceofthetuileries，throughmonseigneurandthewholecourt，throughthechambers，thetribunalsofjustice，andallsociety（exceptthescarecrows），thefancyballdescendedtothecommonexecutioner：who，inpursuanceofthecharm，wasrequiredtoofficiate'frizzled，powdered，inagold-lacedcoat，pumps，andwhitesilkstockings.'atthegallowsandthewheel—theaxewasararity—monsieurparis，asitwastheepiscopalmodeamonghisbrotherprofessorsoftheprovinces，monsieurorleans，andtherest，tocallhim，presidedinthisdaintydress.andwhoamongthecompanyatmonseigneur'sreceptioninthatseventeenhundredandeightiethyearofourlord，couldpossiblydoubt，thatasystemrootedinafrizzledhangman，powdered，gold-laced，pumped，andwhite-silkstockinged，wouldseetheverystarsout！monseigneurhavingeasedhisfourmenoftheirburdensandtakenhischocolate，causedthedoorsoftheholiestofholieststobethrownopen，andissuedforth.then，whatsubmission，whatcringingandfawning，whatservility，whatabjecthumiliation！astobowingdowninbodyandspirit，nothinginthatwaywasleftforheaven—whichmayhavebeenoneamongotherreasonswhytheworshippersofmonseigneurnevertroubledit.

bestowingawordofpromisehereandasmilethere，awhisperononehappyslaveandwaveofthehandonanother，monseigneuraffablypassedthroughhisroomstotheremoteregionofthecircumferenceoftruth.there，monseigneurturned，andcamebackagain，andsoinduecourseoftimegothimselfshutupinhissanctuarybythechocolatesprites，andwasseennomore.

theshowbeingover，theflutterintheairbecamequitealittlestorm，andthepreciouslittlebellswentringingdownstairs.therewassoonbutonepersonleftofallthecrowd，andhe，withhishatunderhisarmandhissnuff-boxinhishand，slowlypassedamongthemirrorsonhiswayout.

'idevoteyou，'saidthisperson，stoppingatthelastdooronhisway，andturninginthedirectionofthesanctuary，'tothedevil！'

withthat，heshookthesnufffromhisfingersasifhehadshakenthedustfromhisfeet，andquietlywalkeddownstairs.

hewasamanofaboutsixty，handsomelydressed，haughtyinmanner，andwithafacelikeafinemask.afaceofatransparentpaleness；everyfeatureinitclearlydefined；onesetexpressiononit.thenose，beautifullyformedotherwise，wasveryslightlypinchedatthetopofeachnostril.inthosetwocompressions，ordints，theonlylittlechangethatthefaceevershowed，resided.theypersistedinchangingcoloursometimes，andtheywouldbeoccasionallydilatedandcontractedbysomethinglikeafaintpulsation：then，theygavealookoftreachery，andcruelty，tothewholecountenance.examinedwithattention，itscapacityofhelpingsuchalookwastobefoundinthelineofthemouth，andthelinesoftheorbitsoftheeyes，beingmuchtoohorizontalandthin；still，intheeffectthefacemade，itwasahandsomeface，andaremarkableone.

itsownerwentdownstairsintothecourtyard，gotintohiscarriage，anddroveaway.notmanypeoplehadtalkedwithhimatthereception；hehadstoodinalittlespaceapart，andmonseigneurmighthavebeenwarmerinhismanner.itappearedunderthecircumstances，ratheragreeabletohimtoseethecommonpeopledispersedbeforehishorses，andoftenbarelyescapingfrombeingrundown.hismandroveasifhewerecharginganenemy，andthefuriousrecklessnessofthemanbroughtnocheckintotheface，ortothelips，ofthemaster.thecomplainthadsometimesmadeitselfaudible，eveninthatdeafcityanddumbage，that，inthenarrowstreetswithoutfootways，thefiercepatriciancustomofharddrivingendangeredandmaimedthemerevulgarinabarbarousmanner.butfewcaredenoughforthattothinkofitasecondtime，and，inthismatter，asinallothers，thecommonwretcheswerelefttogetoutoftheirdifficultiesastheycould.

withawildrattleandclatter，andaninhumanabandonmentofconsiderationnoteasytobeunderstoodinthesedays，thecarriagedashedthoughthestreetsandsweptroundcorners，withwomenscreamingbeforeit，andmenclutchingeachotherandclutchingchildrenoutofitsway.atlast，swoopingatastreetcornerbyafountain，oneofitswheelscametoasickeninglittlejolt，andtherewasaloudcryfromanumberofvoices，andthehorsesrearedandplunged.

butforthelatterinconvenience，thecarriageprobablywouldnothavestopped；carriageswereoftenknowntodriveon，andleavetheirwoundedbehind，andwhynot？butthefrightenedvalethadgotdowninahurry，andthereweretwentyhandsatthehorses'bridles.

'whathasgonewrong？'saidmonsieur，calmlylookingout.

atallmaninanightcaphadcaughtupabundlefromamongthefeetofthehorses，andhadlaiditonthebasementofthefountain，andwasdowninthemudandwet，howlingoveritlikeawildanimal.

'pardon，monsieurthemarquis！'saidaedandsubmissiveman，'itisachild.'