The salutary effects of living in New York or Texas:
....New York,--a place where speculation and
individualism are carried to the highest pitch, where the brutality of
self-interest attains to cynicism, where man, essentially isolated, is
compelled to push his way for himself and by himself, where politeness
does not exist,--in fact, even the minor events of Philippe's journey
had developed in him the worst traits of an old campaigner: he had
grown brutal, selfish, rude; he drank and smoked to excess; physical
hardships and poverty had depraved him. Moreover, he considered
himself persecuted; and the effect of that idea is to make persons who
are unintelligent persecutors and bigots themselves. To Philippe's
conception of life, the universe began at his head and ended at his
feet, and the sun shone for him alone. The things he had seen in New
York, interpreted by his practical nature, carried away his last
scruples on the score of morality. For such beings, there are but two
ways of existence. Either they believe, or they do not believe; they
have the virtues of honest men, or they give themselves up to the
demands of necessity; in which case they proceed to turn their
slightest interests and each passing impulse of their passions into
necessities.
Such a system of life carries a man a long way. It was only in
appearance that Colonel Philippe retained the frankness, plain-
dealing, and easy-going freedom of a soldier. This made him, in
reality, very dangerous; he seemed as guileless as a child, but,
thinking only of himself, he never did anything without reflecting
what he had better do,--like a wily lawyer planning some trick "a la
Maitre Gonin"; words cost him nothing, and he said as many as he could
to get people to believe. If, unfortunately, some one refused to
accept the explanations with which he justified the contradictions
between his conduct and his professions, the colonel, who was a good
shot and could defy the most adroit fencing-master, and possessed the
coolness of one to whom life is indifferent, was quite ready to demand
satisfaction for the first sharp word; and when a man shows himself
prepared for violence there is little more to be said. His imposing
stature had taken on a certain rotundity, his face was bronzed from
exposure in Texas, he was still succinct in speech, and had acquired
the decisive tone of a man obliged to make himself feared among the
populations of a new world. Thus developed, plainly dressed, his body
trained to endurance by his recent hardships, Philippe in the eyes of
his mother was a hero; in point of fact, he had simply become what
people (not to mince matters) call a blackguard.
Shocked at the destitution of her cherished son, Madame Bridau bought
him a complete outfit of clothes at Havre. After listening to the tale
of his woes, she had not the heart to stop his drinking and eating and
amusing himself as a man just returned from the Champ d'Asile was
likely to eat and drink and divert himself. It was certainly a fine
conception,--that of conquering Texas with the remains of the imperial
army. The failure was less in the idea than in the men who conceived
it; for Texas is to-day a republic, with a future full of promise.
This scheme of Liberalism under the Restoration distinctly proves that
the interests of the party were purely selfish and not national,
seeking power and nothing else.
(
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