and he took from metal cases, inlaid with too
precious stones, cigarettes sumptuously rolled in
gilt paper. But, heavy of limb and awkward of
movement, he retained, in spite of everything, the
unwieldy gait of the Auvergne peasants, his compatriots. Too new in a too sudden elegance in
which he did not feel at home, in vain did he
study himself and the most perfect models of
Parisian style; he could not acquire that ease, that
supple, delicate, and upright line which he saw in
the young swells at the clubs, at the race-courses,
at the theatres, and at the restaurants, and which
he envied them with a most violent hatred. It
astonished him, for, after all, he patronized only
the most select furnishing houses, the most famous
tailors, memorable shirt-makers, and what shoe-
makers! what shoemakers! Examining himself in
the glass, he threw insults at himself, in his
despair.
"In vain do I cover myself with velvets, silks, and satin; I always look like a boor. There is always something that is not natural."
As for Madame Charrigaud, who previously had dressed very simply and with discreet taste, she, too, sported showy and stunning costumes, with hair too red, jewels too big, silks too rich, giving her the air of a laundry queen, the majesty of a Mardi-Gras empress. They made a great deal of sport of her, sometimes cruelly. Old comrades, at
