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there was nothing except a strange； evidently Florentine； ivory
statuette attributed to Michael Angelo； representing Pan discovering a
woman under the skin of a young shepherd； the original of which is in
the royal palace of Vienna。 On either side were candelabra of
Renaissance design。 A clock； by Boule； on a tortoise…shell stand；
inlaid with brass； sparkled in the centre of one panel between two
statuettes； undoubtedly obtained from the demolition of some abbey。 In
the corners of the room； on pedestals； were lamps of royal
magnificence； as to which a manufacturer had made strong remonstrance
against adapting his lamps to Japanese vases。 On a marvellous
sideboard was displayed a service of silver plate； the gift of an
English lord； also porcelains in high relief； in short； the luxury of
an actress who has no other property than her furniture。
The bedroom； all in violet； was a dream that Florine had indulged from
her debut； the chief features of which were curtains of violet velvet
lined with white silk； and looped over tulle； a ceiling of white
cashmere with violet satin rays； an ermine carpet beside the bed； in
the bed； the curtains of which resembled a lily turned upside down was
a lantern by which to read the newspaper plaudits or criticisms before
they appeared in the morning。 A yellow salon； its effect heightened by
trimmings of the color of Florentine bronze； was in harmony with the
rest of these magnificences； a further description of which would make
our pages resemble the posters of an auction sale。 To find comparisons
for all these fine things； it would be necessary to go to a certain
house that was almost next door； belonging to a Rothschild。
Sophie Grignault； surnamed Florine by a form of baptism common in
theatres； had made her first appearances； in spite of her beauty； on
very inferior boards。 Her success and her money she owed to Raoul
Nathan。 This association of their two fates； usual enough in the
dramatic and literary world； did no harm to Raoul； who kept up the
outward conventions of a man of the world。 Moreover； Florine's actual
means were precarious； her revenues came from her salary and her
leaves of absence； and barely sufficed for her dress and her household
expenses。 Nathan gave her certain perquisites which he managed to levy
as critic on several of the new enterprises of industrial art。 But
although he was always gallant and protecting towards her； that
protection had nothing regular or solid about it。
This uncertainty； and this life on a bough； as it were； did not alarm
Florine； she believed in her talent； and she believed in her beauty。
Her robust faith was somewhat comical to those who heard her staking
her future upon it； when remonstrances were made to her。
〃I can have income enough when I please；〃 she was wont to say； 〃I have
invested fifty francs on the Grand…livre。〃
No one could ever understand how it happened that Florine； handsome as
she was； had remained in obscurity for seven years； but the fact is；
Florine was enrolled as a supernumerary at thirteen years of age； and
made her debut two years later at an obscure boulevard theatre。 At
fifteen； neither beauty nor talent exist； a woman is simply all
promise。
She was now twenty…eight；the age at which the beauties of a French
woman are in their glory。 Painters particularly admired the lustre of
her white shoulders； tinted with olive tones about the nape of the
neck； and wonderfully firm and polished； so that the light shimmered
over them as it does on watered silk。 When she turned her head； superb
folds formed about her neck； the admiration of sculptors。 She carried
on this triumphant neck the small head of a Roman empress； the
delicate； round； and self…willed head of Pompeia； with features of
elegant correctness； and the smooth forehead of a woman who drives all
care away and all reflection； who yields easily； but is capable of
balking like a mule； and incapable at such times of listening to
reason。 That forehead； turned； as it were； with one cut of the chisel；
brought out the beauty of the golden hair； which was raised in front；
after the Roman fashion； in two equal masses； and twisted up behind
the head to prolong the line of the neck； and enhance that whiteness
by its beautiful color。 Black and delicate eyebrows； drawn by a
Chinese brush； encircled the soft eyelids； which were threaded with
rosy fibres。 The pupils of the eyes； extremely bright； though striped
with brown rays； gave to her glance the cruel fixity of a beast of
prey； and betrayed the cold maliciousness of the courtesan。 The eyes
were gray； fringed with black lashes；a charming contrast； which made
their expression of calm and contemplative voluptuousness the more
observable； the circle round the eyes showed marks of fatigue； but the
artistic manner in which she could turn her eyeballs； right and left；
or up and down； to observe； or seem to mediate； the way in which she
could hold them fixed； casting out their vivid fire without moving her
head； without taking from her face its absolute immovability （a
manoeuvre learned upon the stage）； and the vivacity of their glance；
as she looked about a theatre in search of a friend； made her eyes the
most terrible； also the softest； in short； the most extraordinary eyes
in the world。 Rouge had destroyed by this time the diaphanous tints of
her cheeks； the flesh of which was still delicate； but although she
could no longer blush or turn pale； she had a thin nose with rosy；
passionate nostrils； made to express irony；the mocking irony of
Moliere's women…servants。 Her sensual mouth； expressive of sarcasm and
love of dissipation； was adorned with a deep furrow that united the
upper lip with the nose。 Her chin； white and rather fat； betrayed the
violence of passion。 Her hands and arms were worthy of a sovereign。
But she had one ineradicable sign of low birth；her foot was short
and fat。 No inherited quality ever caused greater distress。 Florine
had tried everything； short of amputation； to get rid of it。 The feet
were obstinate； like the Breton race from which she came； they
resisted all treatment。 Florine now wore long boots stuffed with
cotton； to give length； and the semblance of an instep。 Her figure was
of medium height； threatened with corpulence； but still well…balanced；
and well…made。
Morally； she was an adept in all the attitudinizing； quarrelling；
alluring； and cajoling of her business； and she gave to those actions
a savor of their own by playing childlike innocence； and slipping in
among her artless speeches philosophical malignities。 Apparently
ignorant and giddy； she was very strong on money…matters and
commercial law；for the reason that she had gone through so much
misery before attaining to her present precarious success。 She had
come down； story by story； from the garret to the first floor； through
so many vicissitudes！ She knew life； from that which begins in Brie
cheese and ends at pineapples； from that which cooks and washes in the
corner of a garret on an earthenware stove； to that which convokes the
tribes of pot…bellied chefs and saucemakers。 She had lived on credit
and not killed it； she was ignorant of nothing that honest women
ignore； she spoke all languages： she was one of the populace by
experience； she was noble by beauty and physical distinction。
Suspicious as a spy； or a judge； or an old statesman； she was
difficult to impose upon； and therefore the more able to see clearly
into most matters。 She knew the ways of managing tradespeople； and how
to evade their snares； and she was quite as well versed in the prices
of things as a public appraiser。 To see her lying on her sofa； like a
young bride； fresh and white； holding her part in her hand and
learning it； you would have thought her a child of sixteen； ingenuous；
ignorant； and weak； with no other artifice about her but her
innocence。 Let a creditor contrive to enter； and she was up like a
startled fawn； and swearing a good round oath。
〃Hey！ my good fellow； your insolence is too dear an interest on the
money I owe you；〃 she would say。 〃I am sick of seeing you。 Send the
sheriff here； I'd prefer him to your silly face。〃
Florine gave charming dinners； concerts； and well…attended soirees；
where play ran high。 Her female friends were all handsome； no old
woman had ever appeared within her precincts。 She was not jealous； in
fact； she would have thought jealousy an admission of inferiority。 She
had known Coralie and La Torpille in their lifetimes； and now knew
Tullia； Euphrasie； Aquilina； Madame du Val…Noble； Mariette；those
women who pass through Paris like gossamer through the atmosphere；
without our knowing where they go nor whence they came； to…day queens；
to…morrow slaves。 She also knew the actresses； her rivals； and all the
prima…donnas； in short； that whole exceptional feminine society； so
kindly； so graceful in its easy 〃sans…souci；〃 which absorbs