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Lyceums called themselves colleges。The collegians； decorated on the collar with a golden fleur…de…lys； fought each other apropos of the King of Rome。
The counter…police of the chateau had denounced to her Royal Highness Madame； the portrait； everywhere exhibited； of M。 the Duc d'Orleans； who made a better appearance in his uniform of a colonel…general of hussars than M。 the Duc de Berri； in his uniform of colonel…general of dragoons a serious inconvenience。
The city of Paris was having the dome of the Invalides regilded at its own expense。
Serious men asked themselves what M。 de Trinquelague would do on such or such an occasion； M。 Clausel de Montals differed on divers points from M。 Clausel de Coussergues； M。 de Salaberry was not satisfied。
The edian Picard； who belonged to the Academy； which the edian Moliere had not been able to do； had The Two Philiberts played at the Odeon； upon whose pediment the removal of the letters still allowed THEATRE OF THE EMPRESS to be plainly read。
People took part for or against Cugnet de Montarlot。
Fabvier was factious； Bavoux was revolutionary。The Liberal； Pelicier； published an edition of Voltaire； with the following title：
Works of Voltaire； of the French Academy。〃That will attract purchasers；〃 said the ingenious editor。
The general opinion was that M。 Charles Loyson would be the genius of the century； envy was beginning to gnaw at hima sign of glory； and this verse was posed on him：
〃Even when Loyson steals； one feels that he has paws。〃
As Cardinal Fesch refused to resign； M。 de Pins； Archbishop of Amasie； administered the diocese of Lyons。
The quarrel over the valley of Dappes was begun between Switzerland and France by a memoir from Captain； afterwards General Dufour。
Saint…Simon； ignored； was erecting his sublime dream。
There was a celebrated Fourier at the Academy of Science； whom posterity has forgotten； and in some garret an obscure Fourier； whom the future will recall。Lord Byron was beginning to make his mark； a note to a poem by Millevoye introduced him to France in these terms：
a certain Lord Baron。
David d'Angers was trying to work in marble。
The Abbe Caron was speaking； in terms of praise； to a private gathering of seminarists in the blind alley of Feuillantines； of an unknown priest； named Felicite…Robert； who； at a latter date； became Lamennais。A thing which smoked and clattered on the Seine with the noise of a swimming dog went and came beneath the windows of the Tuileries； from the Pont Royal to the Pont Louis XV。； it was a piece of mechanism which was not good for much； a sort of plaything； the idle dream of a dream…ridden inventor； an utopiaa steamboat。
The Parisians stared indifferently at this useless thing。
M。 de Vaublanc； the reformer of the Institute by a coup d'etat； the distinguished author of numerous academicians； ordinances； and batches of members； after having created them； could not succeed in being one himself。The Faubourg Saint…Germain and the pavilion de Marsan wished to have M。 Delaveau for prefect of police； on account of his piety。Dupuytren and Recamier entered into a quarrel in the amphitheatre of the School of Medicine； and threatened each other with their fists on the subject of the divinity of Jesus Christ。
Cuvier； with one eye on Genesis and the other on nature； tried to please bigoted reaction by reconciling fossils with texts and by making mastodons flatter Moses。
M。 Francois de Neufchateau； the praiseworthy cultivator of the memory of Parmentier； made a thousand efforts to have pomme de terre ＇potato＇ pronounced parmentiere； and succeeded therein not at all。The Abbe Gregoire； ex…bishop； ex…conventionary； ex…senator； had passed； in the royalist polemics； to the state of 〃Infamous Gregoire。〃The locution of which we have made usepassed to the state ofhas been condemned as a neologism by M。 Royer Collard。
Under the third arch of the Pont de Jena； the new stone with which； the two years previously； the mining aperture made by Blucher to blow up the bridge had been stopped up； was still recognizable on account of its whiteness。Justice summoned to its bar a man who； on seeing the te d'Artois enter Notre Dame； had said aloud：
〃Sapristi！
I regret the time when I saw Bonaparte and Talma enter the Bel Sauvage； arm in arm。〃A seditious utterance。
Six months in prison。
Traitors showed themselves unbuttoned； men who had gone over to the enemy on the eve of battle made no secret of their repense； and strutted immodestly in the light of day； in the cynicism of riches and dignities； deserters from Ligny and Quatre…Bras； in the brazenness of their well…paid turpitude； exhibited their devotion to the monarchy in the most barefaced manner。
This is what floats up confusedly； pell…mell； for the year 1817； and is now forgotten。
History neglects nearly all these particulars； and cannot do otherwise； the infinity would overwhelm it。Nevertheless； these details； which are wrongly called trivial； there are no trivial facts in humanity； nor little leaves in vegetation；are useful。
It is of the physiognomy of the years that the physiognomy of the centuries is posed。In this year of 1817 four young Parisians arranged 〃a fine farce。〃
BOOK THIRD。IN THE YEAR 1817
CHAPTER II
A DOUBLE QUARTETTE
These Parisians came； one from Toulouse； another from Limoges； the third from Cahors； and the fourth from Montauban； but they were students； and when one says student； one says Parisian：to study in Paris is to be born in Paris。
These young men were insignificant； every one has seen such faces； four specimens of humanity taken at random； neither good nor bad； neither wise nor ignorant； neither geniuses nor fools； handsome； with that charming April which is called twenty years。
They were four Oscars； for； at that epoch； Arthurs did not yet exist。Burn for him the perfumes of Araby！ exclaimed romance。Oscar advances。
Oscar； I shall behold him！
People had just emerged from Ossian； elegance was Scandinavian and Caledonian； the pure English style was only to prevail later； and the first of the Arthurs； Wellington； had but j