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The Lesser Bourgeoisie
by Honore de Balzac
Translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley
DEDICATION
To Constance…Victoire。
Here； madame； is one of those books which come into the mind；
whence no one knows； giving pleasure to the author before he can
foresee what reception the public； our great present judge； will
accord to it。 Feeling almost certain of your sympathy in my
pleasure； I dedicate the book to you。 Ought it not to belong to
you as the tithe formerly belonged to the Church in memory of God；
who makes all things bud and fruit in the fields and in the
intellect？
A few lumps of clay； left by Moliere at the feet of his colossal
statue of Tartuffe； have here been kneaded by a hand more daring
than able； but； at whatever distance I may be from the greatest of
comic writers； I shall still be glad to have used these crumbs in
showing the modern Hypocrite in action。 The chief encouragement
that I have had in this difficult undertaking was in finding it
apart from all religious questions；questions which ought to be
kept out of it for the sake of one so pious as yourself； and also
because of what a great writer has lately called our present
〃indifference in matters of religion。〃
May the double signification of your names be for my book a
prophecy！ Deign to find here the respectful gratitude of him who
ventures to call himself the most devoted of your servants。
De Balzac。
THE LESSER BOURGEOISIE
（The Middle Classes）
PART I
THE LESSER BOURGEOIS OF PARIS
CHAPTER I
DEPARTING PARIS
The tourniquet Saint…Jean； the narrow passage entered through a
turnstile； a description of which was said to be so wearisome in the
study entitled 〃A Double Life〃 （Scenes from Private Life）； that naive
relic of old Paris； has at the present moment no existence except in
our said typography。 The building of the Hotel…de…Ville； such as we
now see it； swept away a whole section of the city。
In 1830； passers along the street could still see the turnstile
painted on the sign of a wine…merchant； but even that house； its last
asylum； has been demolished。 Alas！ old Paris is disappearing with
frightful rapidity。 Here and there； in the course of this history of
Parisian life； will be found preserved； sometimes the type of the
dwellings of the middle ages； like that described in 〃Fame and Sorrow〃
（Scenes from Private Life）； one or two specimens of which exist to the
present day； sometimes a house like that of Judge Popinot； rue du
Fouarre； a specimen of the former bourgeoisie； here； the remains of
Fulbert's house； there； the old dock of the Seine as it was under
Charles IX。 Why should not the historian of French society； a new Old
Mortality； endeavor to save these curious expressions of the past； as
Walter Scott's old man rubbed up the tombstones？ Certainly； for the
last ten years the outcries of literature in this direction have not
been superfluous； art is beginning to disguise beneath its floriated
ornaments those ignoble facades of what are called in Paris 〃houses of
product；〃 which one of our poets has jocosely compared to chests of
drawers。
Let us remark here； that the creation of the municipal commission 〃del
ornamento〃 which superintends at Milan the architecture of street
facades； and to which every house owner is compelled to subject his
plan； dates from the seventeenth century。 Consequently； we see in that
charming capital the effects of this public spirit on the part of
nobles and burghers； while we admire their buildings so full of
character and originality。 Hideous； unrestrained speculation which；
year after year； changes the uniform level of storeys； compresses a
whole apartment into the space of what used to be a salon； and wages
war upon gardens； will infallibly react on Parisian manners and
morals。 We shall soon be forced to live more without than within。 Our
sacred private life； the freedom and liberty of home； where will they
be？reserved for those who can muster fifty thousand francs a year！
In fact； few millionaires now allow themselves the luxury of a house
to themselves； guarded by a courtyard on a street and protected from
public curiosity by a shady garden at the back。
By levelling fortunes； that section of the Code which regulates
testamentary bequests； has produced these huge stone phalansteries； in
which thirty families are often lodged； returning a rental of a
hundred thousand francs a year。 Fifty years hence we shall be able to
count on our fingers the few remaining houses which resemble that
occupied； at the moment our narrative begins； by the Thuillier family；
a really curious house which deserves the honor of an exact
description； if only to compare the life of the bourgeoisie of former
times with that of to…day。
The situation and the aspect of this house； the frame of our present
Scene of manners and morals； has； moreover； a flavor； a perfume of the
lesser bourgeoisie； which may attract or repel attention according to
the taste of each reader。
In the first place； the Thuillier house did not belong to either
Monsieur or Madame Thuillier； but to Mademoiselle Thuillier； the
sister of Monsieur Thuillier。
This house； bought during the first six months which followed the
revolution of July by Mademoiselle Marie…Jeanne…Brigitte Thuillier； a
spinster of full age； stands about the middle of the rue Saint…
Dominique d'Enfer； to the right as you enter by the rue d'Enfer； so
that the main building occupied by Monsieur Thuillier faces south。
The progressive movement which is carrying the Parisian population to
the heights along the right bank of the Seine had long injured the
sale of property in what is called the 〃Latin quarter；〃 when reasons；
which will be given when we come to treat of the character and habits
of Monsieur Thuillier； determined his sister to the purchase of real
estate。 She obtained this property for the small sum of forty…six
thousand francs； certain extras amounted to six thousand more； in all；
the price paid was fifty…two thousand francs。 A description of the
property given in the style of an advertisement； and the results
obtained by Monsieur Thuillier's exertions； will explain by what means
so many fortunes increased enormously after July； 1830； while so many
others sank。
Toward the street the house presents a facade of rough stone covered
with plaster； cracked by weather and lined by the mason's instrument
into a semblance of blocks of cut stone。 This frontage is so common in
Paris and so ugly that the city ought to offer premiums to house…
owners who would build their facades of cut…stone blocks。 Seven
windows lighted the gray front of this house which was raised three
storeys； ending in a mansard roof covered with slate。 The porte…
cochere； heavy and solid； showed by its workmanship and style that the
front building on the street had been erected in the days of the
Empire； to utilize a part of the courtyard of the vast old mansion；
built at an epoch when the quarter d'Enfer enjoyed a certain vogue。
On one side was the porter's lodge； on the other the staircase of the
front building。 Two wings； built against the adjoining houses； had
formerly served as stables； coach…house； kitchen and offices to the
rear dwelling； but since 1830； they had been converted into warerooms。
The one on the right was let to a certain M。 Metivier； jr。； wholesale
dealer in paper； that on the left to a bookseller named Barbet。 The
offices of each were above the warerooms； the bookseller occupying the
first storey； and the paper…dealer the second storey of the house on
the street。 Metivier； jr。； who was more of a commission merchant in
paper than a regular dealer； and Barbet； much more of a money lender
and discounter than a bookseller； kept these vast warerooms for the
purpose of storing；one； his stacks of paper； bought of needy
manufacturers； the other； editions of books given as security for
loans。
The shark of bookselling and the pike of paper…dealing lived on the
best of terms； and their mutual operations； exempt from the turmoil of
retail business； brought so few carriages into that tranquil courtyard
that the concierge was obliged to pull up the grass between the paving
stones。 Messrs。 Barbet and Metivier paid a few rare visits to their
landlords； and the punctuality with which they paid their rent classed
them as good tenants； in fact； they were looked upon as very honest
men by the Thuillier circle。
As for the third floor on the street； it was made into two apartments；
one of which was occupied by M。 Dutocq； clerk of the justice of peace；
a retired government employee； and a frequenter of the Thuillier
salon； the other by the hero of this Scene； about whom we must content
ourselves at the present moment by fixing the amount of his rent；
namely； seven hundred francs a year；and the location he had chosen
in the heart of this well…filled building； exactly three years before
the curtain rises on the present domestic drama。
The clerk； a bachelor of fifty； occupied the larger of the two
apartments on the third floor。 He kept a cook； and the rent of the
rooms was a thousand francs a year。