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Then came M. de Montrond, and he again was premier gentilhomme de France while he lived and le dernier des gentilhommes Français when he died. M. de Montrond belonged to two generations, two strongly-contrasted epochs. At his first ball at court he wore a powdered cadogan and danced in talons rouges: at his last he lolled with bald head against a doorway, in varnished boots and starched cravat.
By name, this youth is Guillaume Mallet, sometimes styled De Graville, because our Norman gentilhommes, forsooth, must always now have a 'de' tacked to their names; nevertheless he hath no other right to the seigneurie of Graville, which appertains to the head of his house, than may be conferred by an old tower on one corner of the demesnes so designated, with lands that would feed one horse and two villeins if they were not in pawn to a Jew for moneys to buy velvet mantelines and a chain of gold.
Many of Nostromo's speeches I have heard first in Dominic's voice. His hand on the tiller and his fearless eyes roaming the horizon from within the monkish hood shadowing his face, he would utter the usual exordium of his remorseless wisdom: "Vous autres gentilhommes!" in a caustic tone that hangs on my ear yet. Like Nostromo! "You hombres finos!" Very much like Nostromo.
Then M. de Montrond rose covered with glory and with honor, for in such adventures lay the fame of the gentilhommes of that time. It would be impossible to recount the long catalogue of M. de Montrond's triumphs after this.
You, so well descended yourself so superior as man amongst men that you would have won name and position had you been born the son of a shoeblack, you would eternally despise the noble who, in days when all that we Bretons deem holy in noblesse are subjected to ridicule and contempt, should so vilely forget the only motto which the scutcheons of all gentilhommes have in common, 'Noblesse oblige. War, with all its perils and all its grandeur, war lifts on high the banners of France, war, in which every ancestor of mine whom I care to recall aggrandised the name that descends to me.
By name, this youth is Guillaume Mallet, sometimes styled De Graville, because our Norman gentilhommes, forsooth, must always now have a 'de' tacked to their names; nevertheless he hath no other right to the seigneurie of Graville, which appertains to the head of his house, than may be conferred by an old tower on one corner of the demesnes so designated, with lands that would feed one horse and two villeins if they were not in pawn to a Jew for moneys to buy velvet mantelines and a chain of gold.
You, so well descended yourself so superior as man amongst men that you would have won name and position had you been born the son of a shoeblack, you would eternally despise the noble who, in days when all that we Bretons deem holy in noblesse are subjected to ridicule and contempt, should so vilely forget the only motto which the scutcheons of all gentilhommes have in common, 'Noblesse oblige. War, with all its perils and all its grandeur, war lifts on high the banners of France, war, in which every ancestor of mine whom I care to recall aggrandised the name that descends to me.
'Polyte, the pilot, stood, cap in hand, and asked me to one side. "Pardon, Monsieur," said he, "but those gentilhommes those fat one ees eet she'll was Monsieur Davelson who'll H'I'll got letter on heem from those lighthouse, heem?" "Why, yes, 'Polyte the letter you said would take four days to get to New Orleans." 'Polyte smiled sheepishly. "He'll wouldn't took four days now, Monsieur!
He does not speak t'ree, four word to you the whole time on the boat. You, who have been the idol of the young gentilhommes of New Orleans you, who have been worship'! Now, it is not one man, and it is not another, although ma 'tite fille, she is alone, here in this desert execrable. Bah! It is for you to disspise that M'sieu Eddrang. He is not grand homme. Come. I take you back to New Orleans."
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