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What ill…luck I do have！ to think that I have never yet seen anybody tumble from a fifth…story window！ （I have pronounced I'ave and fifth pronounced fift'。）
Surely； this saying of a peasant is a fine one：
〃Father So…and…So； your wife has died of her malady； why did you not send for the doctor？〃 〃What would you have； sir； we poor folks die of ourselves。〃 But if the peasant's whole passivity lies in this saying； the whole of the free…thinking anarchy of the brat of the faubourgs is； assuredly； contained in this other saying。
A man condemned to death is listening to his confessor in the tumbrel。
The child of Paris exclaims： 〃He is talking to his black cap！
Oh； the sneak！〃
A certain audacity on matters of religion sets off the gamin。 To be strong…minded is an important item。
To be present at executions constitutes a duty。
He shows himself at the guillotine； and he laughs。
He calls it by all sorts of pet names： The End of the Soup； The Growler； The Mother in the Blue （the sky）； The Mouthful； etc。； etc。
In order not to lose anything of the affair； he scales the walls； he hoists himself to balconies； he ascends trees； he suspends himself to gratings； he clings fast to chimneys。
The gamin is born a tiler as he is born a mariner。 A roof inspires him with no more fear than a mast。
There is no festival which es up to an execution on the Place de Greve。 Samson and the Abbe Montes are the truly popular names。
They hoot at the victim in order to encourage him。
They sometimes admire him。 Lacenaire； when a gamin； on seeing the hideous Dautin die bravely； uttered these words which contain a future：
〃I was jealous of him。〃 In the brotherhood of gamins Voltaire is not known； but Papavoine is。 〃Politicians〃 are confused with assassins in the same legend。 They have a tradition as to everybody's last garment。
It is known that Tolleron had a fireman's cap； Avril an otter cap； Losvel a round hat； that old Delaporte was bald and bare…headed； that Castaing was all ruddy and very handsome； that Bories had a romantic small beard； that Jean Martin kept on his suspenders； that Lecouffe and his mother quarrelled。
〃Don't reproach each other for your basket；〃 shouted a gamin to them。
Another； in order to get a look at Debacker as he passed； and being too small in the crowd； caught sight of the lantern on the quay and climbed it。
A gendarme stationed opposite frowned。
〃Let me climb up； m'sieu le gendarme；〃 said the gamin。
And； to soften the heart of the authorities he added： 〃I will not fall。〃
〃I don't care if you do；〃 retorted the gendarme。
In the brotherhood of gamins； a memorable accident counts for a great deal。
One reaches the height of consideration if one chances to cut one's self very deeply； 〃to the very bone。〃
The fist is no mediocre element of respect。
One of the things that the gamin is fondest of saying is：
〃I am fine and strong； e now！〃
To be left…handed renders you very enviable。
A squint is highly esteemed。
BOOK FIRST。PARIS STUDIED IN ITS ATOM
CHAPTER VIII
IN WHICH THE READER WILL FIND A CHARMING SAYING OF THE LAST KING
In summer； he metamorphoses himself into a frog； and in the evening； when night is falling； in front of the bridges of Austerlitz and Jena； from the tops of coal wagons； and the washerwomen's boats； he hurls himself headlong into the Seine； and into all possible infractions of the laws of modesty and of the police。
Nevertheless the police keep an eye on him； and the result is a highly dramatic situation which once gave rise to a fraternal and memorable cry； that cry which was celebrated about 1830； is a strategic warning from gamin to gamin； it scans like a verse from Homer； with a notation as inexpressible as the eleusiac chant of the Panathenaea； and in it one encounters again the ancient Evohe。
Here it is： 〃Ohe； Titi； oheee！
Here es the bobby； here es the p'lice； pick up your duds and be off； through the sewer with you！〃
Sometimes this gnatthat is what he calls himselfknows how to read； sometimes he knows how to write； he always knows how to daub。 He does not hesitate to acquire； by no one knows what mysterious mutual instruction； all the talents which can be of use to the public； from 1815 to 1830； he imitated the cry of the turkey； from 1830 to 1848； he scrawled pears on the walls。
One summer evening； when Louis Philippe was returning home on foot； he saw a little fellow； no higher than his knee； perspiring and climbing up to draw a gigantic pear in charcoal on one of the pillars of the gate of Neuilly； the King； with that good…nature which came to him from Henry IV。； helped the gamin； finished the pear； and gave the child a louis； saying：
〃The pear is on that also。〃＇19＇ The gamin loves uproar。 A certain state of violence pleases him。
He execrates 〃the cures。〃 One day； in the Rue de l'Universite； one of these scamps was putting his thumb to his nose at the carriage gate of No。 69。
〃Why are you doing that at the gate？〃 a passer…by asked。
The boy replied： 〃There is a cure there。〃
It was there； in fact； that the Papal Nuncio lived。
＇19＇ Louis XVIII。
is represented in ic pictures of that day as having a pear…shaped head。
Nevertheless； whatever may be the Voltairianism of the small gamin； if the occasion to bee a chorister presents itself； it is quite possible that he will accept； and in that case he serves the mass civilly。
There are two things to which he plays Tantalus； and which he always desires without ever attaining them： to overthrow the government； and to get his trousers sewed up again。
The gamin in his perfect state possesses all the policemen of Paris； and can always put the name to the face of any one which he chances to meet。
He can tell them off on the tips of his fingers。 He studies their habits； and he has special notes on each one of them。
He reads the souls of the police like an open book。 He will tell you fluently and without flinching：
〃Such an one is a traitor； such another is very malicious； such another is great； such another is ridiculous。〃
（All these words： traitor； malicious； great； ridiculous； have a particular meaning in his mouth。） That one imagines that he owns the Pont…Neuf； and he prevents people from walking on the cornice outside the parapet； that other has a mania for pulling person's ears； etc。； etc。
BOOK FIRST。PARIS STUDIED IN ITS ATOM
CHAPTER IX
THE OLD SOUL OF GAUL
There was something of that boy in Poquelin； the son of the fish…market； Beaumarchais had something of it。
Gaminerie is a shade of the Gallic spirit。
Mingled with good sense； it sometimes adds force to the latter； as alcohol does to wine。
Sometimes it is a defect。 Homer repeats himself eternally； granted； one may say that Voltaire plays the gamin。
Camille Desmoulins was a native of the faubourgs。
Championnet； who treated miracles brutally； rose from the pavements of Paris； he had； when a small lad； inundated the porticos of Saint…Jean de Beauvais； and of Saint…Etienne du Mont； he had addressed the shrine of Sainte…Genevieve famil