The Two Brothers

第23章

boilingfromalltheworld。Fortwoyearshehadboiledhiseggswithasuccesswhichearnedhimmanywitticisms。Butnow,everynightforawholemonth,theeggsweretakenfromhishen-house,andhard-boiledeggssubstituted。Thesub-prefectwasathiswits’end,andlosthisreputationasthe“sous-prefetal’oeuf。“Finallyhewasforcedtobreakfastonotherthings。YetheneversuspectedtheKnightsofIdleness,whosetrickhadbeencautiouslyplayed。Afterthis,Maxmanagedtogreasethesub-prefect’sstoveseverynightwithanoilwhichsentforthsofetidasmellthatitwasimpossibleforanyonetostayinthehouse。Eventhatwasnotenough;hiswife,goingtomassonemorning,foundhershawlgluedtogetherontheinsidewithsometenacioussubstance,sothatshewasobligedtogowithoutit。

Thesub-prefectfinallyaskedforanotherappointment。ThecowardlysubmissivenessofthisofficerhadmuchtodowithfirmlyestablishingtheweirdandcomicauthorityoftheKnightsofIdleness。

BeyondtheruedesMinimesandtheplaceMisere,asectionofaquarterwasatthattimeenclosedbetweenanarmofthe“Riviereforcee“onthelowersideandtherampartsontheother,beginningattheplaced’Armesandgoingasfarasthepotterymarket。Thisirregularsquareisfilledwithpoor-lookinghousescrowdedoneagainsttheother,anddividedhereandtherebystreetssonarrowthattwopersonscannotwalkabreast。Thissectionofthetown,asortofcourdesMiracles,wasoccupiedbypoorpeopleorpersonsworkingattradesthatwerelittleremunerative,——apopulationlivinginhovels,andbuildingscalledpicturesquelybythefamiliartermof“blindhouses。“Fromtheearliestagesthishasnodoubtbeenanaccursedquarter,thehauntofevil-doers;infactonethoroughfareisnamed“thestreetoftheExecutioner。“Formorethanfivecenturiesithasbeencustomaryfortheexecutionertohaveareddoorattheentranceofhishouse。TheassistantoftheexecutionerofChateaurouxstilllivesthere,——ifwearetobelievepublicrumor,forthetownspeopleneverseehim:thevine-dressersalonemaintainanintercoursewiththismysteriousbeing,whoinheritsfromhispredecessorsthegiftofcuringwoundsandfractures。InthedayswhenIssoudunassumedtheairsofacapitalcitythewomenofthetownmadethissectionofitthesceneoftheirwanderings。Herecamethesecond-handsellersofthingsthatlookasiftheynevercouldfindapurchaser,old-clothesdealerswhosewaresinfectedtheair;inshort,itwastherendezvousofthatapocryphalpopulationwhichistobefoundinnearlyallsuchportionsofacity,wheretwoorthreeJewshavegainedanascendency。

Atthecornerofoneofthesegloomystreetsinthelivelierhalfofthequarter,thereexistedfrom1815to1823,andperhapslater,apublic-housekeptbyawomancommonlycalledMereCognette。Thehouseitselfwastolerablywellbuilt,incoursesofwhitestone,withtheintermediaryspacesfilledinwithashlarandcement,onestoreyhighwithanatticabove。Overthedoorwasanenormousbranchofpine,lookingasthoughitwerecastinFlorentinebronze。Asifthissymbolwerenotexplanatoryenough,theeyewasarrestedbytheblueofaposterwhichwaspastedoverthedoorway,andonwhichappeared,abovethewords“GoodBeerofMars,“thepictureofasoldierpouringout,inthedirectionofaverydecolleteewoman,ajetoffoamwhichspurtedinanarchedlinefromthepitchertotheglasswhichshewasholdingtowardshim;thewholeofacolortomakeDelacroixswoon。

Theground-floorwasoccupiedbyanimmensehallservingbothaskitchenanddining-room,fromthebeamsofwhichhung,suspendedbyhugenails,theprovisionsneededforthecustomofsuchahouse。

Behindthishallawindingstaircaseledtotheuppersto

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