The richest became libertines; those of
moderate fortune followed some profession and resigned themselves to the
sword or to the robe. The poorest gave themselves up with cold enthusiasm
to great thoughts, plunged into the frightful sea of aimless effort. As
human weakness seeks association and as men are herds by nature, politics
became mingled with it. There were struggles with the _garde du corps_ on
the steps of the legislative assembly; at the theater, Talma wore a
peruke which made him resemble Caesar; every one flocked to the burial of
a liberal deputy.
But of the members of the two parties there was not one who, upon
returning home, did not bitterly realize the emptiness of his life and
the feebleness of his hands.
While life outside was so colorless and so mean, the interior life of
society assumed a somber aspect of silence; hypocrisy ruled in all
departments of conduct; English ideas of devotion, gaiety even, had
disappeared. Perhaps Providence was already preparing new ways, perhaps
the herald angel of future society was already sowing in the hearts of
women the seeds of human independence. But it is certain that a strange
thing suddenly happened: in all the salons of Paris the men passed to one
side and the women to the other; and thus, the one clad in white like a
bride and the other in black like an orphan began to take measurements
with the eye.
Let us not be deceived: that vestment of black which the men of our time
wear is a terrible symbol; before coming to this, the armor must have
fallen piece by piece and the embroidery flower by flower.
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