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Updated: June 1, 2025
Besides, did not you say, sir, that painters, painters, sir, painters, even if they were the sons of shoeblacks, were the true gentlemen, the true noblemen?" "I did not say that exactly, to the disparagement of other gentlemen and nobles. But if I did, what then?" "Sir, I agree with you. I despise rank; I despise dukes and earls and aristocrats.
"Ah! it is you, Don Gregorio?" cried the housekeeper, with that superb courtesy so peculiar to the Spaniards that even two shoeblacks on meeting lavish upon each other the epithet Don, as if each were a grand noble. "Yes, it is I, Dona Nicolasa," replied Gregorio. "Santisima Virgen! since it is you, then I must be late, and my master will be waiting for his pantaloons that are not yet aired.
One morning he took the old blacking-brushes which he had used for years for his one boot, and a little pot of blacking, and an old box, and walked far away across the river, to a place where no one could know him, and there tried to earn a little by rivalling with the shoeblacks. It was useless; in three days he had earned but as many pence; he could not waste time thus.
Now let us look about us at more immediate objects; what a noisy bustling scene it is at present, and has been for centuries past, as in the reign of Henry IV it is described as absolutely stunning; now you are assailed by the hissing of fried potatoes, fish, and fritters, which are bought up as fast as they are supplied, women and men are seated with their little apparatus for shearing cats and dogs, and clipping their tails and ears if required, which is a calling that appears to be followed by numbers in Paris who all seem to take their stations on the bridges; situated amongst them are several shoeblacks, who appear to take their posts in uniform array with the trimmers of cats and dogs; they operate upon your boots and shoes as you stand, therefore if you wish to patronise them you may take that opportunity of looking about and getting disburthened of some of the Paris mud, quite certain if it be wet weather that you will soon get more.
They grow smaller and smaller as you come nearer down to them, whereas things become bigger. I remember when I used to think that members of the Cabinet were almost gods, and now they seem to be no bigger than the shoeblacks, only less picturesque. He told me the other day of the time when he gave up going into power for the sake of taking me abroad.
"Nothin' else to do, mother!" exclaimed Willie; with an offended look. "Haven't I got to converse in a friendly way with all the crossin'-sweepers an' shoeblacks an' stall-women as I go along, an' chaff the cabbies, an' look in at all the shop-windows, and insult the bobbies? I always insult the bobbies. It does me good. I hurt 'em, mentally, as much as I can, an' I'd hurt 'em bodily if I could.
He has a very prompt, cheerful way of speaking, and throws himself into every thing he talks about with great interest and zeal. He introduced me to one gentleman, I forget his name now, as the patron of the shoeblacks.
W'y, lawyers, merchants, bankers even doctors needs a 'oliday now an' then; 'ow much more shoeblacks!" "Well," said I, with a laugh, "there is no reason why shoeblacks should not require and desire a holiday as much as other people, only it's unusual because they cannot afford it, I suppose."
Besides, did not you say, sir, that painters, painters, sir, painters, even if they were the sons of shoeblacks, were the true gentlemen, the true noblemen?" "I did not say that exactly, to the disparagement of other gentlemen and nobles. But if I did, what then?" "Sir, I agree with you. I despise rank; I despise dukes and earls and aristocrats.
"It never went off" you will catch the drift. In less than no time, this ditty became popular; and when Tartarin came by, the longshoremen and the little shoeblacks before his door sang in chorus "Muster Jarvey's roifle Allus gittin' chaarged; Muster Jarvey's roifle 'il hev to git enlaarged; Muster Jarvey's roifle's Loaded oft don't scoff; Muster Jarvey's roifle Nivver do go off!"
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