Chapter 154 six o'clock history

The era when the story in this book moves forward—almost contemporary, in fact—was not the same as it is today, when there was not a policeman on every street corner in Paris (a form of good government that is now Not the time for discussion), at the time, there were waifs everywhere.According to statistics, police patrols take an average of 260 children a year from open spaces without walls, houses under construction and under bridge arches.Among those children's nests, there is one that has always been famous, known as "The Swallows under the Bridge of Arcola."That's the worst kind of social pathology.All the evils of human beings start from the wandering life of children.

Paris is another matter.Although we have just mentioned a past incident, it is correct to a certain extent to exclude Paris.In any other large city, a street child, that is, a hopeless grown-up, and almost anywhere an unattended child would fall into the vices, sink himself, lose his conscience and integrity, and fall into the Irreparable; the Wild Boy of Paris was not, and we must stress that, despite his outward appearance, bruised and bruised, his heart was almost intact.It is a spectacle to be reckoned with, and stands out in the splendor of our popular revolutions, and there is a belief in the air of Paris as there is salt in the waves of the sea. As salt preserves, there arose a certain incorruptibility of character in that conviction which was brought over from the Parisian air.To breathe the air of Paris is to preserve the health of the soul.

What we have said above makes it impossible for us to be indifferent when we meet such a child, and we always feel that the gossamer that those children brought from their separated families is still floating.Modern civilization is far from perfect, and broken families throw their children into darkness, their own flesh and blood on the public road, and never quite know what has become of them.It's called ... because there's an idiom for that worrying thing: "being thrown on the cobblestones of Paris." Incidentally, that kind of abandonment of children was not discriminated against under the ancient monarchy.The lower class has a little bit of Egyptian and Bohemian style, which is welcomed by the upper class, which can solve some problems for those in power.Hateful upbringing of civilian children was originally a belief.What's the use of those "hundreds"?That was the word of mouth of the day.Therefore, the ending of ignorant children must be street children.

Besides, the monarchy needed children at a time when the streets were full of children. Without going too far, let's just talk about Louis XIV, when the king needed to build a fleet.Motivation is good.But let's see how.A sailboat is a toy of the wind, and must be towed when necessary, and there would be no fleet without a ship at its command by means of oars or steam, and the galleys of the navy were just like the steamboats of today.Therefore, there must be a galley, and the galley cannot move without a handle, so it must have a handle.Colbert instructed the provincial governors and courts to produce convicts as much as possible.The government at that time was ordered to be cautious in this regard.A man who wears a hat on his head as he walks through a church procession is a Protestant attitude and should be sent to pawn.I met a child on the street, and as long as he was fifteen years old and had no place to live, he was sent to be a gangster.Great dynasty, great century.

Under Louis XV, there were no children in Paris, and the police often abducted them for some mysterious purpose.Horrible speculations about the king's red baths were murmured with utter horror.Barbier spoke frankly of those matters.Sometimes the supply of children exceeds the demand, and the police officers arrest those who have fathers.The father was distraught and ran to question the police officers.In that case, the courts intervene and impose a sentence of hanging. Hang whom?Hang those officers?no.Hang those fathers.