A Start in Life quotes

By degrees, however, the hungry Exchequer grew strict: it allowed no vehicle to take the road without displaying the two plates which now certify that their capacity is registered and the tax paid.

Everything, even a tax, has its age of innocence, and towards the end of 1822 that age was not yet over.

Very often, in summer, the four-wheeled coach and the covered chaise made the journey in company, carrying in all thirty passengers, while Pierrotin paid only for six.

Madame Husson, only two-and-twenty, in her utter poverty, married an official named Clapart, a young man of twenty-seven—a man of promise, it was said.

Heaven preserve women from handsome men of promise!

In those days officials rose rapidly from humble beginnings, for the Emperor had an eye for capable men. But Clapart, vulgarly handsome indeed, had no brains. Believing Madame Husson to be very rich, he had affected a great passion;

“What is the matter?” said Madame Clapart.

Oscar pretended not to hear, the wretch! And perhaps, under the circumstances, Madame Clapart showed want of tact; but an absorbing passion is so selfish!

“Georges, do you like traveling with children?” asked one of the young men of his friend.

“A Cross given by the present set? Thank you for nothing. Besides, who that is anybody wears his decorations when traveling? Look at monsieur,” he went on, indicating the Comte de Sérizy, “I will bet you anything you please—”

“Betting anything you please is the same thing in France as not betting at all,” said Mistigris’ master.

“I will bet you anything you please,” Georges repeated pompously, “that he is covered with stars.”

“Besides, our friend here is not speaking to you,” added Georges to the Count.

“It is not good manners to interrupt,” said Mistigris sententiously.

“However, we did the same; and we should all be the losers if we didn’t diversify the conversation by an exchange of reflections.

“By the Mass! A man does not say such things about his friends in a public conveyance,” added Mistigris.

“Discretion, my young friend, is the mother of inattention. I simply don’t hear you.”

“It is certainly a case of tell me whom you know, and I will tell you whom you hate,” exclaimed Schinner.

… it and discovered my plans.—You also will give me the pleasure of your company at dinner, but on condition of telling us the history of the Muslim’s execution at Smyrna, and of finishing the memoirs of some client which you read, no doubt, before publication.”

“A trouncing for bouncing,” said Léon de Lora, in a low voice to Joseph Bridau.

“Gentlemen,” said the Count to the notary from Beaumont, to Crottat, Margueron, and Reybert, “come into the other room. We will not sit down to dinner till we have concluded our bargain; for, as my friend Mistigris says, we must know when to creep silent.”

“And vulgar too,” said Mistigris.

“Keep your tongue to clean your teeth.”

While the business of the farm was being discussed between Monsieur Margueron and the Comte de Sérizy, with the assistance of three notaries, and in the presence of Monsieur de Reybert, Moreau was slowly making his way home.

Oscar did not hear his mother’s remark; he had made for bed the instant he was told.

Those who have any recollection of their own boyhood will not be surprised to hear that, after a day so full of events and agitations, Oscar slept the sleep of the just in spite of the enormity of his sins.

Nay, next day he did not find the whole face of nature so much changed as he expected, and was astonished to find that he was hungry, after regarding himself the day before as unworthy to live.

Nay, next day he did not find the whole face of nature so much changed as he expected, and was astonished to find that he was hungry, after regarding himself the day before as unworthy to live.

He had suffered only in mind, and at that age mental impressions succeed each other so rapidly that each wipes out the last, however deep it may have seemed.

Hence corporal punishment, though philanthropists have made a strong stand against it of late years, is in some cases necessary for children;

They had hardly anything to do beyond providing him with breakfast. The old man breakfasted at eleven o’clock, then he dressed and scented himself and went to Paris.

A man usually gives notice when he means to dine out; Monsieur Cardot gave notice when he was to dine at home.

This little old gentleman, plump, rosy, square, and hearty, was always as neat as a pin, as the saying goes, that is to say, always in black silk stockings, corded silk knee-breeches, a white marcella waistcoat, dazzlingly white linen, and a dark blue coat;

he will know some hard times, no doubt, but he will learn what life is. Why, why! I set out from Lyons with two double louis given me by my grandmother; I came to Paris on foot—and here I am!

Short commons are good for the health.

—Young man, with discretion, honesty, and hard work success is certain. It is a great pleasure to make your own fortune;

But Godeschal, who had learned his fence under Derville, was not the man to allow the precious tradition of the Bienvenue to be lost.

The Bienvenue, or welcome, is the breakfast which every new pupil must give to the “old boys” of the office to which he is articled.

Now, just at the time when Oscar joined the office, in the first six months of Desroches’ career, one winter afternoon when work was got through earlier than usual, and the clerks were warming themselves before going home, Godeschal hit upon the notion of concocting …

And it must be admitted that to a lawyer’s clerk starved of pleasure, who had for long been craving for a debauch, the sudden play of the senses was enough to obliterate the wise counsels of Godeschal and his mother.

To the shame of the young be it said, good advice and warnings are never to seek.

Apart from the morning’s lecture, Oscar felt an instinctive dislike of Georges; he was humiliated in the presence of a man who had witnessed the scene in the drawing-room at Presles, when Moreau had dragged him to the Count’s feet.

“You are,” said he, “following a diplomatic career, but in private concerns; for what is the difference between an ambassador and an attorney? Merely that which divides a nation from an individual.

Ambassadors are the attorneys of a people.

—If I can ever be of any use to you, depend on me.”

“And if you do?—Your mother has been a very good mother to you. She gave you an education, she started you in a good way; you have lost it; what could you do now?

Without money, a man is helpless, as you now know

, and you are not the man to begin all over again by pulling off your coat and putting on a workman’s or artisan’s blouse. And then your mother worships you.—Do you want to kill her?

“

Penniless folks ought to be perfect!

” said Moreau to himself, not appreciating how deeply true this cruel verdict was.