Butitwasinthepassageknownbythepompoustitleofthe\"GlassGallery\"thattheoddesttradeswerecarriedon.Herewereventriloquistsandcharlatansofeverysort,andsightsofeverydescription,fromthekindwherethereisnothingtoseetopanoramasoftheglobe.Onemanwhohassincemadesevenoreighthundredthousandfrancsbytravelingfromfairtofairbeganherebyhangingoutasignboard,arevolvingsuninablackboard,andtheinscriptioninredletters:\"HereManmayseewhatGodcanneversee.Admittance,twosous.\"Theshowmanatthedoorneveradmittedonepersonalone,normorethantwoatatime.Onceinside,youconfrontedagreatlooking-glass;andavoice,whichmighthaveterrifiedHoffmannofBerlin,suddenlyspokeasifsomespringhadbeentouched,\"Youseehere,gentlemen,somethingthatGodcanneverseethroughalleternity,thatistosay,yourlike.GodhasnotHislike.\"Andoutyouwent,tooshamefacedtoconfesstoyourstupidity.
Voicesissuedfromeverynarrowdoorway,cryingupthemeritsofCosmoramas,viewsofConstantinople,marionettes,automaticchess-
players,andperformingdogswhowouldpickyououttheprettiestwomaninthecompany.TheventriloquistFritz-JamesflourishedhereintheCafeBorelbeforehewenttofightandfallatMontmartrewiththeyoungladsfromtheEcolepolytechnique.Here,too,therewerefruitandflowershops,andafamoustailorwhosegold-laceduniformsshonelikethesunwhentheshopswerelightedatnight.
Ofamorningthegallerieswereempty,dark,anddeserted;theshopkeeperschattedamongthemselves.Towardstwoo\'clockintheafternoonthePalaisbegantofill;atthree,mencameinfromtheBourse,andParis,generallyspeaking,crowdedtheplace.Impecuniousyouth,hungeringafterliterature,tooktheopportunityofturningoverthepagesofthebooksexposedforsaleonthestallsoutsidethebooksellers\'shops;themeninchargecharitablyallowedapoorstudenttopursuehiscourseoffreestudies;andinthiswayaduodecimovolumeofsometwohundredpages,suchasSmarraorPierreSchlemihl,orJeanSbogarorJocko,mightbedevouredinacoupleofafternoons.TherewassomethingveryFrenchinthisalmsgiventotheyoung,hungry,starvedintellect.Circulatinglibrarieswerenotasyet;ifyouwishedtoreadabook,youwereobligedtobuyit,forwhichreasonnovelsoftheearlypartofthecenturyweresoldinnumberswhichnowseemwell-nighfabuloustous.
Butthepoetryofthisterriblemartappearedinallitssplendoratthecloseoftheday.Womenofthetown,flockinginandoutfromtheneighboringstreets,wereallowedtomakeapromenadeoftheWoodenGalleries.ThithercameprostitutesfromeveryquarterofParisto\"dothePalais.\"TheStoneGalleriesbelongedtoprivilegedhouses,whichpaidfortherightofexposingwomendressedlikeprincessesundersuchandsuchanarch,orinthecorrespondingspaceofgarden;buttheWoodenGallerieswerethecommongroundofwomenofthestreets.