_November 1, 1860_, _at night_.
I have received yours, No. 7, dear friend, and it is evident that the
country and the climate still please you. I dread the time when the
sight of a man in a burnoose will seem to you such a matter of course
that you will pay no attention to it. The French colony, of which you
make mention, must be as interesting as that one which went out from
France during the first Under-Prefecture. Do they wear much crinoline at
the Government Palace? or is it going out of fashion, as in Paris? It
seems to me that I can foretell your reply.
You have given me only sketches of Algerian customs, when I desire the
most exact details. I can not conceive why you will not enter into all
the explanations for which I ask. There is nothing you need hesitate to
tell me, and, besides, you are justly celebrated for your use of
euphemism. Your style is truly academic. I shall understand your
allusions, only I should like to have details; otherwise I shall be no
wiser than the rest of the world. I wish to know all that you have
acquired, for this, I am sure, is well worth the trouble of telling. If
you really learn Arabic, I congratulate you on your courage; it requires
a vast amount of it. I stuck my nose once in M. de Sacy’s Grammar, and
withdrew in dismay. There were, I recollect, lunar letters and solar
letters, and verbs of I know not how many conjugations. Besides, it is a
dull language, which one can pronounce just as well gagged. My cousin,
who is one of the most learned of Arabists, and who has spent
twenty-five years in Egypt, told me that he never opened a book without
learning a new word, and that there were, for instance, five hundred
words signifying _lion_.
A week ago I sent you a lengthy dissertation on the political situation.
It seems that no change in conditions has occurred. To date, the facts
in the case are: First, that the conference at Warsaw was a complete
fiasco; second, that Austria feels herself in no condition to assume the
offensive, in spite of the fact that her enemy is making fine sport of
her.
Everything is complicated by the situation in the East. It is so bad
that our ambassador at Constantinople believes the old machine may crack
any day at all from top to bottom. The Sultan is selling his valuables;
he does not know whether he shall be able to buy his dinner next month.
Have you heard what were the first words of emperor Francis Joseph to
the emperor Alexander? “I bring you my sinful head!” This is the formula
used by the Russian serf who approaches his master expecting and
dreading a beating. He said the words in good Russian, for he speaks all
the European languages. His humility was not eminently successful; he
received from Alexander only the most unpromising coldness, and,
following the latter’s example, the Prince Regent of Prussia also
carried his head high. After the departure of the emperor Alexander, the
Austrian emperor remained in Warsaw alone for four hours, and not a
single great Russian or Polish lord came to pay their respects to him.
The conservative Russians are immensely pleased at all this, for they
detest the Austrians even more than they do the English or ourselves.
You will hear of our victory over those poor Chinese. How ridiculous it
seems to go so far away to kill people who have done nothing to us!
‘Tis true, however, that the Chinese, being a variety of the
orang-outang, there is none but the Grammont law which may be invoked in
their favour.
I am preparing for our conquests in China by reading a new novel, which
has just been translated by Stanislas Julien, the Chinese patentee of
our government. It is the story of two young ladies, _Mademoiselle Cân_
and _Mademoiselle Ting_, who are very clever, for they make verses and
rhymes about everything. They meet two students who write with the same
facility, and there follows an endless combat of quatrains. In all these
quatrains there is nothing but white swallows and blue lotus flowers. It
is impossible to find anything more whimsical and more destitute of
passion. Evidently people who enjoy that style of literature are
abominable pedants, who deserve to be thoroughly conquered and whipped
by us, who take precedence over the beautiful Greek literature.
We had several summer days--Saint Martin’s summer, I think they call
it--then cold weather set in. I am beginning to dream of Provence,
where, according to the local astrologers, we are promised a beautiful
winter. I shall soon inform you of my change of residence. For three
days I have been unable to breathe.
You have told me nothing of the cooking of the country. How do you like
_couscousson_? Do you find in the bazaars any unusual curiosities, and
are the prices reasonable? I dined yesterday at Prince Napoleon’s.
Princess Clotilde admired my cuff-buttons, and asked the jeweller’s
address. I told her “rue d’Alger, No. 10.” Is that right? Good-bye, dear
friend.