Paris

Unde eodem anno mcccxlviii in mense augusti, visa fuit quaedam stella supra Parisius, versus partem occidentalem, magna et clara valde, post horam vesperam, adhuc lucente sole et tendente ad occasum; et haec erat non multum longe, sicut sunt caeterae, a nostro hemisphaerio elevata, imo videbatur propinqua satis. Et factum est ut, sole occidente et nocte appropinquante, dicta stella, me et multis aliis fratribus eam aspicientibus, non videbatur de uno loco se movere. Tandem nocte jam veniente, nobis videntibus et multum admirantibus, dicta stella valde grossa in plures et diversos radios est dispersa; quae radios fere Parisius et versus orientem projiciens, totaliter disparuit, et ex integro annullata fuit. Unde an fuerit una cometa, vel alia, aut ex aliquibus exhalationibus formata, et tandem in vaporibus resoluta, astronomorum judicio derelinquo. Possibile tamen est quod ipsa fuit praesagium pestilentiae futurae admirandae, quae satis cito, ut dicam, Parisius et per totam Franciam sicut alibi secuta est.

In August of that same year, 1348, a star was seen over Paris, toward the west. It was very large and bright. It appeared after vespers, while the sun was still shining and going down. It did not seem set high above our part of the sky, as the other stars are, but seemed quite close. As the sun set and night came on, I and many other friars watched it, and it did not seem to move from its place. At last, when night had come, while we watched in great wonder, this very large star broke up into many separate rays. It cast its rays out over Paris and toward the east, then vanished completely and was gone. Was it a comet, or something else? Was it formed from exhalations and finally dissolved into vapors? I leave that to the judgment of astronomers. Still, it may have been a sign of the astonishing pestilence that soon followed, as I will tell, in Paris and all over France, as it did elsewhere.

Multi etiam mali christiani fuerunt reperti, ut dicitur, qui similiter venena per puteos imponebant; sed revera tales intoxicationes, posito quod factae fuissent, non potuissent tantam plagam et tantum populum infecisse. Alia igitur fuit causa, ut puta, Dei voluntas, ut humores corrupti et aeris malitia seu terrarum; et forte tales potiones, si factae fuerunt in aliquibus locis, ad hoc potuerunt adjuvare. Duravit autem dicta mortalitas in istis partibus gallicanis per magnam partem anni xlviii et xlix; et tunc cessavit, multis villis campestribus et domibus in bonis villis quasi vacuis remanentibus et orbatis. Et tunc ceciderunt domus multae satis cito, et tales et ita solemnes; et plures ceciderunt Parisius, de quarum ruina minus quam de multis aliis apparebat.

Many bad Christians were also found, people say, who put poisons in wells in the same way. But in truth such poisonings, even if they were done, could not have caused so great a plague or infected so many people. So there was another cause, such as the will of God, or corrupted humors and the evil of the air or of the earth. Perhaps such potions, where they were made, may have added to it. This mortality lasted in these parts of France for a great part of the years [13]48 and [13]49. Then it stopped, leaving many country villages, and many houses in good towns, almost empty and bereft. Soon after, many houses fell down, even fine and grand ones. Many fell in Paris, though the ruin there showed less than in many other places.

Voicy la disposition de cette place, elle estoit enuiron de la grandeur de la place Royale à Paris. Il y auoit au milieu vne grande fosse d'enuiron dix pieds de profondeur, & cinq brasses de diametre; tout autour vn échaffaut & vne espece de theatre, assez bien fait de neuf à dix brasses de diamettre, & de dix à neuf pieds de hauteur; au dessus du theatre il y auoit quantité de perches dressées, & bien arrangées, & d'autres en trauers pour y pendre, & attacher tous ces pacquets d'ames. Les corps entiers comme ils deuoient estre mis au fond de la fosse estoiét dés le iour precedent souz l'échaffaut, étendus sur des écorces, ou des nattes dressées sur des pieux de la hauteur d'vn homme aux enuirons de la fosse.

This is how the place was laid out. It was about the size of the Place Royale in Paris. In the middle was a great pit about ten feet deep and five fathoms across. All around it stood a scaffold, a kind of stage, quite well built, nine or ten fathoms across and nine or ten feet high. Above the stage stood many poles, set up in good order, with others laid across them, for hanging and tying all the bundles of souls. The whole bodies were to be placed at the bottom of the pit. Since the day before, they had been lying under the scaffold around the pit, stretched out on sheets of bark or on mats set on stakes as high as a man.

138. — Vers 1770, après les jours glorieux de Louis XIV, les roueries de la régence et la longue tranquillité du ministère du cardinal Fleury, les étrangers n'avaient encore à Paris que bien peu de ressources sous le rapport de la bonne chère.

Around 1770, the glorious days of Louis XIV were over, and so were the rakish tricks of the Regency and the long calm of Cardinal Fleury’s ministry. Yet visitors to Paris still had very few places to eat well.

On avait bien la ressource des traiteurs; mais ils ne livraient que des pièces entières, et celui qui voulait régaler quelques amis était forcé de commander à l'avance, de sorte que ceux qui n'avaient pas le bonheur d'être invités dans quelque maison opulente quittaient la grande ville sans connaître les ressources et les délices de la cuisine parisienne.

There were the traiteurs, it is true. But they sold only whole pieces [of meat or fowl], and anyone who wanted to treat a few friends had to order ahead. So visitors who were not lucky enough to be invited to some wealthy house left the great city without knowing the riches and delights of Parisian cooking.

Près de là sont deux époux parisiens : on les distingue par le chapeau et le schall suspendus sur leur tête; on voit que, depuis longtemps, ils n'ont plus rien à se dire : ils ont fait la partie d'aller à quelque petit spectacle, et il y a à parier que l'un des deux y dormira.

Nearby sit a Parisian husband and wife. You can tell them by the hat and the shawl hanging above their heads. Clearly they have had nothing to say to each other for a long time. They have planned an outing to some small theater, and you can bet that one of them will fall asleep there.

On y rencontre aussi des individus dont tout le monde connaît la figure, et dont personne ne sait le nom. Ils sont à l'aise comme chez eux, et cherchent assez souvent à engager la conversation avec leurs voisins. Ils appartiennent à quelques-unes de ces espèces qu'on ne rencontre qu'à Paris, et qui, n'ayant ni propriété, ni capitaux, ni industrie, n'en font pas moins une forte dépense.

You also meet people whose faces everyone knows but whose names no one knows. They are as much at ease as if they were at home, and they often try to start a conversation with their neighbors. They belong to certain species found only in Paris. They have no property, no capital, and no trade, yet they spend a great deal all the same.

The idea of beholding these famous places inflamed Mr. Titmarsh's mind ; and the charms of such a journey were eloquently impressed upon him by Mr. James. "Come," said that kind and hospitable gentleman, " and make one of my family party ; in all your life you will never probably have a chance again to see so much in so short a time. Consider — it is as easy as a journey to Paris or to Baden." Mr. Titmarsh considered all these things ; but also the difficulties of the situation : he had but six-and-thirty hours to get ready for so portentous a journey — he had engagements at home — finally, could he afford it? In spite of these objections, however, with every glass of claret the enthusiasm somehow rose, and the difficulties vanished.

The idea of seeing these famous places set Mr. Titmarsh's mind on fire, and Mr. James eloquently pressed the charms of such a journey on him. “Come,” said that kind and hospitable gentleman, “and make one of my family party. In all your life you will probably never have a chance again to see so much in so short a time. Consider—it is as easy as a journey to Paris or to Baden.” Mr. Titmarsh considered all these things, but also the difficulties of the situation. He had only thirty-six hours to get ready for so weighty a journey. He had engagements at home. Finally, could he afford it? In spite of these objections, however, with every glass of claret the enthusiasm somehow rose, and the difficulties vanished.

What was there lacking about that programme, to make it perfectly irresistible? Nothing, that any finite mind could discover. Paris, England, Scotland, Switzerland, Italy — Garibaldi! The Grecian archipelago! Vesuvius! Constantinople! Smyrna! The Holy Land! Egypt and “our friends the Bermudians!” People in Europe desiring to join the Excursion — contagious sickness to be avoided — boating at the expense of the ship — physician on board — the circuit of the globe to be made if the passengers unanimously desired it — the company to be rigidly selected by a pitiless “Committee on Applications” — the vessel to be as rigidly selected by as pitiless a “Committee on Selecting Steamer.” Human nature could not withstand these bewildering temptations. I hurried to the Treasurer's office and deposited my ten per cent. I rejoiced to know that a few vacant state-rooms were still left. I did avoid a critical personal examination into my character, by that bowelless committee, but I referred to all the people of high standing I could think of in the community who would be least likely to know any thing about me.

What was there lacking about that program, to make it perfectly irresistible? Nothing that any finite mind could discover. Paris, England, Scotland, Switzerland, Italy—Garibaldi! The Grecian archipelago! Vesuvius! Constantinople! Smyrna! The Holy Land! Egypt and “our friends the Bermudians!” People in Europe wanting to join the excursion. Contagious sickness to be avoided. Boating at the expense of the ship. Physician on board. The circuit of the globe to be made if the passengers unanimously desired it. The company to be rigidly selected by a pitiless “Committee on Applications.” The vessel to be as rigidly selected by as pitiless a “Committee on Selecting Steamer.” Human nature could not withstand these bewildering temptations. I hurried to the treasurer's office and deposited my 10 percent. I rejoiced to know that a few vacant staterooms were still left. I did avoid a critical personal examination into my character by that heartless committee. But I named as references all the people of high standing I could think of in the community who would be least likely to know anything about me.

Ce lundi-là, le dix octobre, un clair soleil de victoire perça les nuées grises, qui depuis une semaine assombrissaient Paris. Toute la nuit encore, il avait bruiné, une poussière d'eau dont l'humidité salissait les rues; mais, au petit jour, sous les haleines vives qui emportaient les nuages, les trottoirs s'étaient essuyés; et le ciel bleu avait une gaieté limpide de printemps.

That Monday, October 10, a bright sun of victory broke through the gray clouds. For a week the clouds had darkened Paris. It had drizzled all night, a fine dust of water whose damp left the streets dirty. But at dawn brisk winds carried the clouds away and the sidewalks dried. The blue sky had the clear cheerfulness of spring.

Ce qui les indignait, c'était, rue de la Michodière, devant le bureau du départ, une des quatre voitures que Mouret venait de lancer dans Paris : des voitures à fond vert, rechampies de jaune et de rouge, et dont les panneaux fortement vernis prenaient au soleil des éclats d'or et de pourpre. Celle-là, avec son bariolage tout neuf, écartelée du nom de la maison sur chacune de ses faces, et surmontée en outre d'une pancarte où la mise en vente du jour était annoncée, finit par s'éloigner au trot d'un cheval superbe, lorsqu'on eut achevé de l'emplir des paquets restés de la veille ; et, jusqu'au boulevard, Baudu, qui blêmissait sur le seuil du Vieil Elbeuf, la regarda rouler, promenant à travers la ville ce nom détesté du Bonheur des Dames, dans un rayonnement d'astre.

What made them angry was one of the four delivery wagons that Mouret had just sent out into Paris. It stood on the Rue de la Michodière, in front of the shipping office. The wagons were green, trimmed with yellow and red, and their glossy varnished panels flashed gold and purple in the sun. This one was brightly painted and brand new. The name of the store was emblazoned on each side like a coat of arms, and on top was a sign announcing the day's sale. When the last parcels from the day before had been loaded, it drove off behind a splendid trotting horse. Baudu stood in the doorway of the Vieil Elbeuf, growing pale. He watched it all the way to the boulevard, as it carried that hated name, the Bonheur des Dames, through the city, shining like a star.

DEVAMBEZ Imp. PARIS

Printed by Devambez, Paris