the ways of men-第16章

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Business　men　transact　their　affairs　as　much　over　their　coffee　　as　in　their　offices。　　The　reading　man　finds　at　his　CAFE　the　　daily　and　weekly　papers；　a　writer　is　sure　of　the　undisturbed　　possession　of　pen；　ink；　and　paper。　　Henri　Murger；　the　author；　　when　asked　once　why　he　continued　to　patronize　a　certain　　establishment　notorious　for　the　inferior　quality　of　its　beer；　　answered；　〃Yes；　the　beer　is　poor；　but　they　keep　such　good　　INK！〃

The　use　of　a　CAFE　does　not　imply　any　great　expenditure；　a　　CONSUMMATION　costing　but　little。　　With　it　is　acquired　the　　right　to　use　the　establishment　for　an　indefinite　number　of　　hours；　the　client　being　warmed；　lighted；　and　served。　　From　　five　to　seven；　and　again　after　dinner；　the　HABITUES　stroll　in；　　grouping　themselves　about　the　small　tables；　each　new…comer　　joining　a　congenial　circle；　ordering　his　drink；　and　settling　　himself　for　a　long　sitting。　　The　last　editorial；　the　newest　　picture；　or　the　fall　of　a　ministry　is　discussed　with　a　　vehemence　and　an　interest　unknown　to　Anglo…Saxon　natures。　　　Suddenly；　in　the　excitement　of　the　discussion；　some　one　will　　rise　in　his　place　and　begin　speaking。　　If　you　happen　to　drop　　in　at　that　moment；　the　lady　at　the　desk　will　welcome　you　with；　　〃You　are　just　in　time！　　Monsieur　So…and…So　is　speaking；　the　　evening　promises　to　be　interesting。〃　　She　is　charmed；　her　　establishment　will　shine　with　a　reflected　light；　and　new　　patrons　be　drawn　there；　if　the　debates　are　brilliant。　　So　　universal　is　this　custom　that　there　is　hardly　an　orator　to…day　　at　the　French　bar　or　in　the　Senate；　who　has　not　broken　his　　first　lance　in　some　such　obscure　tournament；　under　the　smiling　　glances　of　the　DAME　DU　COMPTOIR。

Opposite　the　Palace　of　the　Luxembourg；　in　the　heart　of　the　old　　Latin　Quarter；　stands　a　quaint　building；　half　hotel；　half　　CAFE；　where　many　years　ago　Joseph　II。　resided　while　visiting　　his　sister；　Marie　Antoinette。　　It　is　known　now　as　Foyot's；　　this　name　must　awaken　many　happy　memories　in　the　hearts　of　　American　students；　for　it　was　long　their　favorite　meeting…　place。　　In　the　early　seventies　a　club；　formed　among　the　　literary　and　poetic　youth　of　Paris；　selected　Foyot's　as　their　　〃home〃　during　the　winter　months。　　Their　summer　vacations　were　　spent　in　visiting　the　university　towns　of　France；　reciting　　verses；　or　acting　in　original　plays　at　Nancy；　Bordeaux；　Lyons；　　or　Caen。　　The　enthusiasm　these　youthful　performances　created　　inspired　one　of　their　number　with　the　idea　of　creating　in　　Paris；　on　a　permanent　footing；　a　centre　where　a　limited　public　　could　meet　the　young　poets　of　the　day　and　hear　them　recite　　their　verses　and　monologues　in　an　informal　way。

The　success　of　the　original　〃Chat　Noir；〃　the　first　CABARET　of　　this　kind；　was　largely　owing　to　the　sympathetic　and　attractive　　nature　of　its　founder；　young　Salis；　who　drew　around　him；　by　　his　sunny　disposition；　shy　personalities　who；　but　for　him；　　would　still　be　〃mute；　inglorious　Miltons。〃　　Under　his　kindly　　and　discriminating　rule　many　a　successful　literary　career　has　　started。　　Salis's　gifted　nature　combined　a　delicate　taste　and　　critical　acumen　with　a　rare　business　ability。　　His　first　　venture；　an　obscure　little　CAFE　on　the　Boulevard　Rochechouart；　　in　the　outlying　quarter　beyond　the　Place　Pigalle；　quickly　　became　famous；　its　ever…increasing　vogue　forcing　its　happy　　proprietor　to　seek　more　commodious　quarters　in　the　rue　Victor　　Masse；　where　the　world…famous　〃Chat　Noir〃　was　installed　with　　much　pomp　and　many　joyous　ceremonies。

The　old　word　CABARET；　corresponding　closely　to　our　English　　〃inn；〃　was　chosen；　and　the　establishment　decorated　in　　imitation　of　a　Louis　XIII。　HOTELLERIE。　　Oaken　beams　supported　　the　low…studded　ceilings：　The　plaster　walls　disappeared　behind　　tapestries；　armor；　old　FAIENCE。　　Beer　and　other　liquids　were　　served　in　quaint　porcelain　or　pewter　mugs；　and　the　waiters　　were　dressed　（merry　anachronism）　in　the　costume　of　members　of　　the　Institute　（the　Immortal　Forty）；　who　had　so　long　led　poetry　　in　chains。　　The　success　of　the　〃Black　Cat〃　in　her　new　quarters　　was　immense；　all　Paris　crowding　through　her　modest　doors。　　　Salis　had　founded　Montmartre！　…　the　rugged　old　hill　giving　　birth　to　a　generation　of　writers　and　poets；　and　nourishing　　this　new　school　at　her　granite　breasts。

It　would　be　difficult　to　imagine　a　form　of　entertainment　more　　tempting　than　was　offered　in　this　picturesque　inn。　　In　　addition　to　the　first；　the　entire　second　floor　of　the　building　　had　been　thrown　into　one　large　room；　the　walls　covered　with　a　　thousand　sketches；　caricatures；　and　crayon　drawings　by　hands　　since　celebrated　the　world　over。　　A　piano；　with　many　chairs　　and　tables；　completed　the　unpretending　installation。　　Here；　　during　a　couple　of　hours　each　evening；　either　by　the　piano　or　　simply　standing　in　their　places；　the　young　poets　gave　　utterance　to　the　creations　of　their　imagination；　the　musicians　　played　their　latest　inspirations；　the　RACONTEUR　told　his　　newest　story。　　They　called　each　other　and　the　better　known　　among　the　guests　by　their　names；　and　joked　mutual　weaknesses；　　eliminating　from　these　gatherings　every　shade　of　a　perfunctory　　performance。

It　is　impossible　to　give　an　idea　of　the　delicate　flavor　of　　such　informal　evenings　…　the　sensation　of　being　at　home　that　　the　picturesque　surroundings　produced；　the　low　murmur　of　　conversation；　the　clink　of　glasses；　the　swing　of　the　waltz　　movement　played　by　a　master　hand；　interrupted　only　when　some　　slender　form　would　lean　against　the　piano　and　pour　forth　　burning　words　of　infinite　pathos；　…　the　inspired　young　face　　lighted　up　by　the　passion　and　power　of　the　lines。　　The　burst　　of　applause　that　his　talent　called　forth　would　hardly　have　　died　away　before　another　figure　would　take　the　poet's　place；　a　　wave　of　laughter　welcoming　the　new…comer；　whose　twinkling　eyes　　and　demure　smile　promised　a　treat　of　fun　and　humor。　　So　the　　evening　would　wear　gayly　to　its　end；　the　younger　element　in　　the　audience；　full　of　the　future；　drinking　in　long　draughts　of　　poetry　and　art；　the　elders　charmed　to　live　over　again　the　days　　of　their　youth　and　feel　in　touch　once　more　with　the　present。

In　this　world　of　routine　and　conventions　an　innovation　as　　brilliantly　successful　as　this　could　hardly　be　inaugurated　　without　raising　a　whirlwind　of　jealousy　and　opposition。　　The　　struggle　was　long　and　arduous。　　Directors　of　theatres　and　　concert　halls；　furious　to　see　a　part　of　their　public　tempted　　away；　raised　the　cry　of　immorality　against　the　new…comers；　and　　called　to　their　aid　every　resource　of　law　and　chicanery。　　At　　the　end　of　the　first　year　Salis　found　himself　with　over　eight　　hundred　summonses　and　lawsuits　on　his　hands。　　After　having　　made　every　effort；　knocked　at　every　door；　in　his　struggle　for　　existence；　he　finally　conceived　the　happy　thought　of　appealing　　directly　to　Grevy；　then　President　of　the　Republic；　and　in　his　　audience　with　the　latter　succeeded　in　charming　and　interesting　　him；　as　he　had　so　many　others。　　The　influence　of　the　head　of　　the　state　once　brought　to　bear　on　the　affair；　Salis　had　the　　joy　of　seeing　opposition　crushed　and　the　storm　blow　itself　　out。

From　this　moment；　the　poets；　feeling　themselves　appreciated　　and　their　rights　acknowledged　and　defended；　flocked　to　the　　〃Sacred　Mountain；〃　as　Montmartre　began　to　be　called；　other　　establishments　of　the　same　character　sprang　up　in　the　　neighborhood。　　Most　important　among　these　were　the　〃4　z'Arts；〃　　Boulevard　de　Clichy；　the　〃Tambourin；〃　and　La　Butte。

Trombert；　who；　together　with　Fragerolle；　Goudezki；　and　Marcel　　Lefevre；　had　just　ended　an　artistic　voyage　in　the　south　of　　France；　opened　the　〃4　z'Arts；〃　to　which　the　novelty…loving　　public　quickly　found　its　way；　crowding　to　applaud　Coquelin　　CADET；　Fragson；　and　other　budding　celebrities。　　It　was　here　　that　the　poets　first　had　the　idea　of　producing　a　piece　in　　which　rival　CABARETS　were　reviewed　and　laughingly　criticised。　　　The　success　was　beyond　all　precedent；　in　spite　of　the　　difficulty　of　giving　a　play　without　a　stage；　without　scenery　　or　accessories　of　any　kind；　the　interest　centring　in　the　　talent　with　which　the　lines　were　declaimed　by　their　authors；　　who　next　had　the　pleasant　thought　of　passing　in　review　the　　different　classes　of　popular　songs；　Clovis　Hugues；　at　the　same　　time　poet　and　statesman；　discoursing　on　each　subject；　and　　introducing　the　singer；　Brittany　local　songs；　Provencal　　ballads；　ant　the　half　Spanish；　half　French　CHANSONS　of　the　　Pyrenees　were　sung　or　recited　by　local　poets　with　the　charm　　and　abandon　of　their　distinctive　races。

The　great　critics　did　not　disdain　to　attend　these　informal　　gatherings；　nor　to　write　columns　of　serious　criticism　on　the　　subject　in　their　papers。

At　the　hour　when　all　Paris　takes　its　APERITIF　the　〃4　z'Arts〃　　became　the　meeting…place　of　the　painters；　poets；　and　writers　　of　the　day。　　Montmartre　gradually　replaced　the　old　Latin　　Quarter；　it　is　there　to…day　that　one　must　seek　for　the　gayety　　and　humor；　the　pathos　and　the　makeshifts　of　Bohemia。

The　〃4　z'Arts；〃　next　to　the　〃Chat　Noir；〃　has　had　the　greatest　　influence　on　the　taste　of　our　time；　…　the　pleiad　of　poets　that　　grouped　themselves　around　it　in　the　beginning；　dispersing　　later　to　form　other　centres；　which；　in　their　turn；　were　to　　influence　the　minds　and　moods　of　thousands。

Another　charming　form　of　entertainment　inaugurated　by　this　　group　of　men　is　that　of　〃shadow　pictures；〃　conceived　　originally　by　Caran　d'Ache；　and　carried　by　him　to　a　marvellous　　perfection。　　A　medium…sized　frame　filled　with　ground　glass　is　　suspended　at　one　end　of　a　room　and　surrounded　by　sombre　　draperies。　　The　room　is　darkened；　against　the　luminous　　background　of　the　glass　appear　small　black　groups　（shadows　　cast　by　figures　cut　out　of　cardboard）。　　These　figures　move；　　advancing　and　retreating；　grouping　or　separating　themselves　to　　the　cadence　of　the　poet's　verses；　for　which　they　form　the　most　　original　and　striking　illustrations。　　Entire　poems　are　given　　accompanied　by　these　shadow　pictures。

One　of　Caran　d'Ache's　greatest　successes　in　this　line　was　an　　EPOPEE　DE　NAPOLEON；　…　the　great　Emperor　appearing　on　foot　and　　on　horseback；　the　long　lines　of　his　army　passing　before　him　in　　the　foreground　or　small　in　the　distance。　　They　stormed　　heights；　cheered　on　by　his　presence；　or　formed　hollow　squares　　to　repulse　the　enemy。　　During　their　evolutions；　the　clear　　voice　of　the　poet　rang　out　from　the　darkness　with　thrilling　　effect。

The　nicest　art　is　necessary　to　cut　these　little　figures　to　the　　required　perfection。　　So　great　was　the　talent　of　their　　inventor　that；　when　he　gave　burlesques　of　the　topics　of　the　　day；　or　presented　the　celebrities　of　the　hour　to　his　public；　　each　figure　would　be　recognized　with　a　burst　of　delighted　　applause。　　The　great　Sarah　was　represented　in　poses　of　　infinite　humor；　surrounded　by　her　menagerie　or　receiving　the　　homage　of　the　universe。　　Political　leaders；　foreign　　sovereigns；　social　and　operatic　stars；　were　made　to　pass　　before　a　laughing　public。　　None　were　spared。　　Paris　went　mad　　with　delight　at　this　new　〃art；〃　and　for　months　it　was　　impossible　to　find　a　seat　vacant　in　the　hall。

At　the　Boite　a　Musique；　the　idea　was　further　developed。　　By　an　　ingenious　arrangement　of　lights；　of　which　the　secret　has　been　　carefully　kept；　landscapes　are　represented　in　color；　all　the　　gradations　of　light　are　given；　from