WHAT PICTURE OF JEAN-BAPTISTE'S LIFE AND CHARACTER BEFORE "THE FALL" HAVE YOU FORMED?

(John the Baptist is not, of course, his real name as he tells us –Page 10 book-, but as the book progresses it appears appropriate for the role he is playing in Amsterdam)

In the account which he gives to the French stranger, Jean-Baptiste is consciously denouncing his own character and life style in the years when he was a successful barrister in Paris. He does this because in order to unload his sense of guilt by judging and condemning others, he must firstly judge and condemn himself. His account is therefore totally uncharitable (See page 24 summary – page 72 the book).
Pas d’excuses, jamais, pour personne, voilà mon principe, au départ.  Je nie la bonne intention, l’erreur estimable le faux pas, la circonstance atténuante.

Here Jean-Baptiste explains that he does not allow any excuses for an action, any good intentions, any praiseworthy errors, any accidental slips, and any attenuating circumstances.

In deciding what Jean-Baptiste was before the fall, we should therefore make an attempt to extricate the objective facts from under the oppressive moral indignation directed against himself. If afterwards, we are to make a moral judgement of Jean-Baptiste, we should not necessarily expect it to conform with Jean-Baptiste’s self condemnation.

If we had seen Jean-Baptiste through other eyes than his own, what would we have seen?

(1) His physical appearance

  1. The physique of a rugby player (page 3) (Page 6 book)  Par la taille, les épaules, et ce visage dont on m’a souvent dit qu’il était farouche, j’aurais plutôt l’air d’un joueur de rugby, n’est-ce pas?
  2. He was not a bad looking man (Page 5)  (Page 16 book) Je n’étais pas mal fait de ma personne.
  3. He had a natural dignity which helped him in his pleas as a barrister (Page 4) Page 10 summary notes- La nature m'a bien servi quant au physique, l'attitude noble me vient sans effort.

 

  1. He was well groomed even in his years of decline in Amsterdam - in spite of his shabby clothes. . (Page 6 book): Le chameau qui a fourni le poil de mon pardessus soufrait sans doute de la gale : en revanche, j’ai les ongles faits.

 

(2) His background

His success in life was all the more commendable as he had no advantages of family. He came from a modest background, his father being an officer. (page 6 summary notes -page 17 book)  J’étais d’une naissance honnête, mais obscure (mon père était officier)…

 

(3) He was a unostentatious man of learning
His education reveals itself immediately when he speaks to the Frenchman. He uses the imperfect subjunctive. (page 2 summary page 11 book)
Ah ! je vois que vous bronchez sur cet imparfait du subjonctif. J'avoue ma faiblesse pour ce mode, et pour le beau langage, en général.

His gift of words added eloquence to his pleas in court. He is sure that the other man would have admired his pleading in court - controlled indignation - warmth and persuasion –Page 10 book -

(4) He was a liberal in his views

  1. He disliked authority in the form of judges. (Page 11 book)- …il faille des juges, n’est-ce pas ?  Pourtant, je ne pouvais pas comprendre qu’un homme se désignât lui-même pour exercer cette surprenante fonction.

 

  1. He criticised the ruling classes. On the afternoon preceding the incident on the bridge over the Seine, he had made an eloquent declaration of his liberal views:  Page 22 book- dans l'après-midi, une brillante improvisation, devant quelques amis, sur la dureté do cœur de notre classe dirigeante et l'hypocrisie de nos élites,

 

 (4) He was a generous man

  1. Did not charge his poor clients (page 4)

 

  1. He had no instinct of greed.  Page 12 l’avidité qui, dans notre société, tient lieu d’ambition, m’a toujours fait rire.
  2. Hid from others his generosity to his clients.

 

  1. He gave generously to charity (page 5 -Page 13 Book)  Je passais aussi pour généreux et je l’étais.  J’ai beaucoup donné, en public et dans le privé
  2. He was embarrassed at his wealth and property and he left it unlocked and open to burglars. Page 70  Ne m’arrivait-il pas, dans mes discours mondains, de m’écrier avec conviction ; « La propriété, messieurs, c’est le meurtre ! ».  N’ayant pas le cœur assez grand pour partager mes richesses avec un pauvre bien méritant, je les laissais à la disposition des voleurs éventuels, espérant ainsi corriger l’injustice par le hasard.

 

  1. He was unselfish he did not worry apparently if people forgot his birthday and even contrived to make this happen.

( 5) He had a passion for  helping others

(a) His professional life reflected his desire to serve the public. 
He specialised in defending the weak, the poor and the victimised (page 4 summary-.
Page 10 book) - Il me suffisait cependant de renifler sur un accusé la plus légère odeur de victime pour que mes manches entrassent en action. Et quelles actions Une tempête;

His valuable services are shown by the touching expressions of gratitude which he received from his clients.
(Page 5 summary- Page 14 book)– Etre arrêté, par exemple, dans les couloirs du palais par la femme d’un accusé qu’on a défendu pour la seule justice ou pitié, je veux dire gratuitement, entendre cette femme dire que rien, non rien ne pourra reconnaître ce qu’on a fait pour eux……c’est atteindre plus haut que l'ambitieux vulgaire et se hisser à ce point culminant où la vertu ne se nourrit plus que d'elle-­même

(b)His passion for helping others is shown in his everyday life. (for example page 5 summary notes – page 13 book).

      1. Helping the blind man to cross the road.
      2. Pushing broken down cars. 
      3. Giving up his taxi to someone in a greater hurry.
      4. Giving up his seat in the metro. 

He describes these as ( Page 13 book) - exploits que j'accomplissais plus souvent que d'autres parce que j'étais plus attentif aux occasions de le faire et que j'en retirais des plaisirs mieux savourés.

 

(6) Socially, he was very popular.

  1. His self content made him a popular companion (page 5 page 20 book) (page 16) De là cette harmonie en moi, cette maîtrise détendue que les gens sentaient et dont ils m’avouaient parfois qu’elle les aidait à vivre.  On recherchait donc ma compagnie.

 

  1. His friends flattered him with praise.  On the eve of his downfall these praises redoubled: page 49: Comme par un fait exprès, les louanges redoublaient autour de moi
  2. He was at the centre of a comfortable circle of friends. He knew true and lasting friendship: Page 18 L’amitié, c’est moins simple.  Elle est longue et dure à obtenir, mais quand on l’a plus moyen de s’en débarrasser

 

(7) There was no snobbery in his conduct.

  1. He shook hands with everyone, greeting the most humble.  Page 20 Là où je travaillais, je serrais toutes les mains d’ailleurs, et plutôt deux fois qu’une.  Cette cordiale simplicité me valait, à peu de frais, la sympathie de tous, nécessaire à mon épanouissement 
  2. He went to the funeral of a simple clerk (page 7)  He went to his landlord’s funeral.

 

(8) He led a hectic social life.-

He was very popular with women. 

  1. He was a tireless dancing partner.

 

  1. He was a man of charm (page 11).  He admits that seeing him in Amsterdam that is hard to believe and sardonically dismisses the whole idea of charm.  Page 32 - On me trouvait du charme, imaginez cela! Vous savez ce qu'est le charme: une manière de s'entendre répondre oui sans avoir posé aucune question claire.
  2. His relationships with women were easy : Page 32 Mon rapport avec les femmes était naturel, aisé, facile comme on dit. Il n’y entrait pas de ruse ou seulement celle, ostensible,qu’elles considèrent comme un hommage.

 

  1. He felt respect for women.

 

  1. He had a great sexual appetite (page 11. Page 33 book)Dans tous les cas, ma sensualité, pour ne parler que d’elle était si réelle que, même pour une aventure de dix minutes, j’aurais renié père et mère, quitte à le regretter amèrement.
  2. He did not confine himself to one woman but formed strong attachments to several women towards whom he felt very possessive (page 12).

 

  1. Women also satisfied another need - his love of play and recreation. He hates being bored and with women he liked he was never bored. Regretfully, he admits that he would have preferred a date with a ballerina to ten conversations with Einstein.  His mind would wander from the most heated discussion if a devastating woman walked past.  Thus he went along with the game- the conversation and the tenderness, as they call it, which precedes sex

(9) He was sensitive
Jean-Baptiste tells us he is sentimental and easily moved (page 11) Page 32 - Je n'ai pas le cœur sec, il s'en faut, plein d'attendrissement au contraire, et la larme facile avec ça.

(8) He was honest and incorruptible (page 4).  He was took no bribes, honours, nor solicited any favours; Je n’ai jamais accepté de pot-de-vin, cela va sans dire, mais je ne me suis jamais abaissé non plus à aucune démarche.  Chose plus rare, je n’ai jamais consenti à flatter aucun journaliste, pour me le rendre favorable, ni aucun fonctionnaire dont l’amitié pût être utile.

 

(9) He had a profound sense of personal success, self satisfaction and well being.

  1. He always felt picked out for success.  Page 17 book - Non, à force d'être comblé, je me sentais, j’hésite à l'avouer, désigné. Désigné personnellement, entre tous, pour cette longue et constante réussite.  -He thinks that there is some modesty in this from the fact that he did not attribute his success to his merits alone.

 

  1. He felt himself superior in every compartment of life, more intelligent, more sensitive, and more skilful.  He was a leading marksman, an incomparable driver, a better lover. If he wasn't in the top class at tennis, he blamed it on lack of practice. Page 9-Page 27 book 
  2. This sense of superiority gave him his benevolence and serenity: (page 9 - Je ne me reconnaissais que des supériorités, ce qui expliquait ma bienveillance et ma sérénité
  3. Life was easy just a game. (page 16 Page 48 book)- Je n'ai jamais pu croire profondément que les affaires humaines fussent choses sérieuses.  Life to him always seemed a game - either tiresome or amusing. He was astounded that others could take things so seriously that they could die for money, be driven to desperation on losing a position, sacrifice themselves for the prosperity of the family.

 

 

(10) His own character seemed simple and straight forward (page 16).
He was disabused of this idea after the fall when he saw into himself, to discover that he wasn't simple and understood the complications of his character.
Pge 46 Il a fallu d’abord que ce rire perpétuel, et les rieurs, m’apprissent à voir plus clair en moi, à découvrir enfin que je n’étais pas simple.

 

Jean-Baptiste tries to destroy this picture by questioning his motives. He claims that all his actions had previously been fatally self centred. (page 9)  Jean-Baptiste says he has had to admit that he was always bursting with vanity.
Page 27 - Moi, moi, moi, voilà le refrain de ma chère vie, et qui s'entendait dans tout ce que je disais.

 

Conclusion

We can contrast:
Jean-Baptiste in Paris - a happy man, an active life, a successful man, a man with many friends with
Jean-Baptiste in Amsterdam - alone friendless, a negative life - no books, a room like a coffin.
If we accept that Jean-Baptiste’s criticism of himself is justified, then the book is merely a sardonic account of the downfall of a conceited egoist.
If we recognise the quality of Jean-Baptiste the barrister, then we see the real tragedy of the book - the tragedy of the man who loses his self love and the book assumes a true poignancy.
This is the meaning suggested in the final page of the book. (page 27 page 79 book) :  He pities without absolving and the piteous victims adore him.
Page 79 - Je plains sans absoudre, je comprends sans pardonner et surtout, ah, je sens enfin que l'on m'adore.