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maintained in its place； without the help of his hands； by the
contraction of his cheek； and eye…socket； the chief towns of some
departments had their sub…lions； who protested by the smartness of
their trouser…straps against the untidiness of their fellow…townsmen。
Thus； in 1834； Besancon could boast of a /lion/； in the person of
Monsieur Amedee…Sylvain de Soulas； spelt Souleyas at the time of the
Spanish occupation。 Amedee de Soulas is perhaps the only man in
Besancon descended from a Spanish family。 Spain sent men to manage her
business in the Comte； but very few Spaniards settled there。 The
Soulas remained in consequence of their connection with Cardinal
Granvelle。 Young Monsieur de Soulas was always talking of leaving
Besancon； a dull town； church…going； and not literary； a military
centre and garrison town； of which the manners and customs and
physiognomy are worth describing。 This opinion allowed of his lodging；
like a man uncertain of the future； in three very scantily furnished
rooms at the end of the Rue Neuve； just where it opens into the Rue de
la Prefecture。
Young Monsieur de Soulas could not possibly live without a tiger。 This
tiger was the son of one of his farmers； a small servant aged
fourteen； thick…set； and named Babylas。 The lion dressed his tiger
very smartlya short tunic…coat of iron…gray cloth； belted with
patent leather； bright blue plush breeches； a red waistcoat； polished
leather top…boots； a shiny hat with black lacing； and brass buttons
with the arms of Soulas。 Amedee gave this boy white cotton gloves and
his washing； and thirty…six francs a month to keep himselfa sum that
seemed enormous to the grisettes of Besancon： four hundred and twenty
francs a year to a child of fifteen； without counting extras！ The
extras consisted in the price for which he could sell his turned
clothes； a present when Soulas exchanged one of his horses； and the
perquisite of the manure。 The two horses； treated with sordid economy；
cost； one with another； eight hundred francs a year。 His bills for
articles received from Paris； such as perfumery； cravats； jewelry；
patent blacking； and clothes； ran to another twelve hundred francs。
Add to this the groom； or tiger； the horses； a very superior style of
dress； and six hundred francs a year for rent； and you will see a
grand total of three thousand francs。
Now； Monsieur de Soulas' father had left him only four thousand francs
a year； the income from some cottage farms which lent painful
uncertainty to the rents。 The lion had hardly three francs a day left
for food； amusements； and gambling。 He very often dined out； and
breakfasted with remarkable frugality。 When he was positively obliged
to dine at his own cost； he sent his tiger to fetch a couple of dishes
from a cookshop； never spending more than twenty…five sous。
Young Monsieur de Soulas was supposed to be a spendthrift； recklessly
extravagant； whereas the poor man made the two ends meet in the year
with a keenness and skill which would have done honor to a thrifty
housewife。 At Besancon in those days no one knew how great a tax on a
man's capital were six francs spent in polish to spread on his boots
or shoes； yellow gloves at fifty sous a pair； cleaned in the deepest
secrecy to make them three times renewed； cravats costing ten francs；
and lasting three months； four waistcoats at twenty…five francs； and
trousers fitting close to the boots。 How could he do otherwise； since
we see women in Paris bestowing their special attention on simpletons
who visit them； and cut out the most remarkable men by means of these
frivolous advantages； which a man can buy for fifteen louis； and get
his hair curled and a fine linen shirt into the bargain？
If this unhappy youth should seem to you to have become a /lion/ on
very cheap terms； you must know that Amedee de Soulas had been three
times to Switzerland； by coach and in short stages； twice to Paris；
and once from Paris to England。 He passed as a well…informed traveler；
and could say； 〃In England； where I went 。 。 。〃 The dowagers of the
town would say to him； 〃You； who have been in England 。 。 。〃 He had
been as far as Lombardy； and seen the shores of the Italian lakes。 He
read new books。 Finally； when he was cleaning his gloves； the tiger
Babylas replied to callers； 〃Monsieur is very busy。〃 An attempt had
been made to withdraw Monsieur Amedee de Soulas from circulation by
pronouncing him 〃A man of advanced ideas。〃 Amedee had the gift of
uttering with the gravity of a native the commonplaces that were in
fashion； which gave him the credit of being one of the most
enlightened of the nobility。 His person was garnished with fashionable
trinkets； and his head furnished with ideas hall…marked by the press。
In 1834 Amedee was a young man of five…and…twenty； of medium height；
dark； with a very prominent thorax； well…made shoulders； rather plump
legs； feet already fat； white dimpled hands； a beard under his chin；
moustaches worthy of the garrison； a good…natured； fat； rubicund face；
a flat nose； and brown expressionless eyes； nothing Spanish about him。
He was progressing rapidly in the direction of obesity； which would be
fatal to his pretensions。 His nails were well kept； his beard trimmed；
the smallest details of his dress attended to with English precision。
Hence Amedee de Soulas was looked upon as the finest man in Besancon。
A hairdresser who waited upon him at a fixed houranother luxury；
costing sixty francs a yearheld him up as the sovereign authority in
matters of fashion and elegance。
Amedee slept late； dressed and went out towards noon； to go to one of
his farms and practise pistol…shooting。 He attached as much importance
to this exercise as Lord Byron did in his later days。 Then； at three
o'clock he came home； admired on horseback by the grisettes and the
ladies who happened to be at their windows。 After an affectation of
study or business； which seemed to engage him till four； he dressed to
dine out； spent the evening in the drawing…rooms of the aristocracy of
Besancon playing whist； and went home to bed at eleven。 No life could
be more above board； more prudent； or more irreproachable； for he
punctually attended the services at church on Sundays and holy days。
To enable you to understand how exceptional is such a life； it is
necessary to devote a few words to an account of Besancon。 No town
ever offered more deaf and dumb resistance to progress。 At Besancon
the officials； the employes； the military； in short； every one engaged
in governing it； sent thither from Paris to fill a post of any kind；
are all spoken of by the expressive general name of /the Colony/。 The
colony is neutral ground； the only ground where； as in church； the
upper rank and the townsfolk of the place can meet。 Here； fired by a
word； a look； or gesture； are started those feuds between house and
house； between a woman of rank and a citizen's wife； which endure till
death； and widen the impassable gulf which parts the two classes of
society。 With the exception of the Clermont…Mont…Saint…Jean； the
Beauffremont； the de Scey； and the Gramont families； with a few others
who come only to stay on their estates in the Comte； the aristocracy
of Besancon dates no further back than a couple of centuries； the time
of the conquest by Louis XIV。 This little world is essentially of the
/parlement/； and arrogant； stiff； solemn； uncompromising； haughty
beyond all comparison； even with the Court of Vienna； for in this the
nobility of Besancon would put the Viennese drawing…rooms to shame。 As
to Victor Hugo； Nodier； Fourier； the glories of the town； they are
never mentioned； no one thinks about them。 The marriages in these
families are arranged in the cradle； so rigidly are the greatest
things settled as well as the smallest。 No stranger； no intruder； ever
finds his way into one of these houses； and to obtain an introduction
for the colonels or officers of title belonging to the first families
in France when quartered there； requires efforts of diplomacy which
Prince Talleyrand would gladly have mastered to use at a congress。
In 1834 Amedee was the only man in Besancon who wore trouser…straps；
this will account for the young man's being regarded as a lion。 And a
little anecdote will enable you to understand the city of Besancon。
Some time before the opening of this story； the need arose at the
prefecture for bringing an editor from Paris for the official
newspaper； to enable it to hold its own against the little /Gazette/；
dropped at Besancon by the great /Gazette/； and the /Patriot/； which
frisked in the hands of the Republicans。 Paris sent them a young man；
knowing nothing about la Franche Comte； who began by writing them a
leading article of the school of the /Charivari/。 The chief of the
moderate party； a member of the municipal council； sent for the
journalist and said to him； 〃You must understand； monsieur； that we
are serious； more than serioustiresome； we resent being amused； and
are furious at having been made to laugh。 Be as hard of digestion as
the toughest disquisitions in the Revue des Deux Mondes； and you will
hardly reach the level of Besancon。〃
The editor took the hint； and thencefo