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of heaven。 I thought it singular that a beggar should fix the
quota of an alms； and that the sum should be twelve times as much
as what is usually given in the dark。 They both seemed astonished
at it as much as myself。 〃Twelve sous；〃 said one。 〃A twelve…sous
piece；〃 said the other； and made no reply。
The poor man said he knew not how to ask less of ladies of their
rank； and bowed down his head to the ground。
〃Pooh！〃 said they； 〃we have no money。〃
The beggar remained silent for a moment or two； and renewed his
supplication。
〃Do not； my fair young ladies；〃 said he； 〃stop your good ears
against me。〃
〃Upon my word； honest man；〃 said the younger； 〃we have no change。〃
〃Then God bless you；〃 said the poor man； 〃and multiply those joys
which you can give to others without change。〃
I observed the older sister put her hand into her pocket。 〃I will
see；〃 said she； 〃if I have a sous。〃
〃A sous！ Give twelve；〃 said the suppliant。 〃Nature has been
bountiful to you； be bountiful to a poor man。〃
〃I would； friend； with all my heart；〃 said the younger； 〃if I had
it。〃
〃My fair charitable；〃 said he； addressing himself to the elder；
〃what is it but your goodness and humanity which make your bright
eyes so sweet that they outshine the morning even in this dark
passage？ And what was it which made the Marquis de Santerre and
his brother say so much of you both； as they just passed by？〃
The two ladies seemed much affected； and impulsively at the same
time they put their hands into their pockets and each took out a
twelve…sous piece。
The contest between them and the poor suppliant was no more。 It
was continued between themselves which of the two should give the
twelve…sous piece in charity； and； to end the dispute； they both
gave it together； and the man went away。
SOLUTION
I stepped hastily after him； it was the very man whose success in
asking charity of the woman before the door of the hotel had so
puzzled me； and I found at once his secret； or at least the basis
of it： it was flattery。
Delicious essence！ how refreshing art thou to Nature！ How strongly
are all its powers and all its weaknesses on thy side！ How sweetly
dost thou mix with the blood； and help it through the most
difficult and tortuous passages to the heart！
The poor man； as he was not straitened for time； had given it here
in a larger dose。 It is certain he had a way of bringing it into
less form for the many sudden causes he had to do with in the
streets； but how he contrived to correct； sweeten； concenter； and
qualify itI vex not my spirit with the inquiry。 It is enough；
the beggar gained two twelve…sous pieces； and they can best tell
the rest who have gained much greater matters by it。
APPLICATION
We get forward in the world not so much by doing services as
receiving them。 You take a withering twig and put it in the
ground； and then you water it because you have planted it。
Monsieur le Comte de B； merely because he had done me one
kindness in the affair of my passport； would go on and do me
another the few days he was at Paris； in making me known to a few
people of rank； and they were to present me to others； and so on。
I had got master of my SECRET just in time to turn these honors to
some little account； otherwise； as is commonly the case； I should
have dined or supped a single time or two round； and then by
TRANSLATING French looks and attitudes into plain English； I should
presently have seen that I had got hold of the couvert* of some
more entertaining guest； and in course of time should have resigned
all my places one after another； merely upon the principle that I
could not keep them。 As it was； things did not go much amiss。
* Plate； napkin； knife； fork； and spoon。
I had the honor of being introduced to the old Marquis de B。
In days of yore he had signalized himself by some small feats of
chivalry in the Cour d'Amour； and had dressed himself out to the
idea of tilts and tournaments ever since。 The Marquis de B
wished to have it thought the affair was somewhere else than in his
brain。 〃He could like to take a trip to England；〃 and asked much
of the English ladies。 〃Stay where you are； I beseech you；
Monsieur le Marquis；〃 said I。 〃Les Messieurs Anglais can scarce
get a kind look from them as it is。〃 The marquis invited me to
supper。
M。 P； the farmer…general； was just as inquisitive about our
taxes。 They were very considerable； he heard。 〃If we knew but how
to collect them；〃 said I； making him a low bow。
I could never have been invited to M。 P's concerts upon any
other terms。
I had been misrepresented to Mme。 de Q as an espritMme。 de Q
was an esprit herself； she burned with impatience to see me and
hear me talk。 I had not taken my seat before I saw she did not
care a sou whether I had any wit or no。 I was let in to be
convinced she had。 I call Heaven to witness I never once opened
the door of my lips。
Mme。 de V vowed to every creature she met； 〃She had never had a
more improving conversation with a man in her life。〃
There are three epochs in the empire of a Frenchwomanshe is
coquette； then deist； then devote。 The empire during these is
never lostshe only changes her subjects。 When thirty…five years
and more have unpeopled her dominion of the slaves of love she
repeoples it with slaves of infidelity； and； then with the slaves
of the church。
Mme。 de V was vibrating between the first of these epochs； the
color of the rose was fading fast away； she ought to have been a
deist five years before the time I had the honor to pay my first
visit。
She placed me upon the same sofa with her for the sake of disputing
the point of religion more closely。 In short； Mme。 de V told
me she believed nothing。
I told Mme。 de V it might be her principle； but I was sure it
could not be her interest； to level the outworks； without which I
could not conceive how such a citadel as hers could be defended；
that there was not a more dangerous thing in the world than for a
beauty to be a deist； that it was a debt I owed my creed not to
conceal it from her； that I had not been five minutes upon the sofa
beside her before I had begun to form designs； and what is it but
the sentiments of religion； and the persuasion they had existed in
her breast； which could have checked them as they rose up？
〃We are not adamant；〃 said I； taking hold of her hand； 〃and there
is need of all restraints till age in her own time steals in and
lays them on us； but； my dear lady；〃 said I； kissing her hand； 〃it
is tootoo soon。〃
I declare I had the credit all over Paris of unperverting Mme。 de
V。 She affirmed to M。 D and the Abbe M that in one
half hour I had said more for revealed religion than all their
encyclopaedia had said against it。 I was listed directly into Mme。
de Vo's coterie； and she put off the epoch of deism for two
years。
I remember it was in this coterie； in the middle of a discourse； in
which I was showing the necessity of a first cause； that the young
Count de Faineant took me by the hand to the farthest corner of the
room； to tell me that my solitaire was pinned too strait about my
neck。 〃It should be plus badinant；〃 said the count； looking down
upon his own； 〃but a word； M。 Yorick； to the wise〃
〃And from the wise； M。 le Comte；〃 replied I； making him a bow； 〃is
enough。〃
The Count de Faineant embraced me with more ardor than ever I was
embraced by mortal man。
For three weeks together I was of every man's opinion I met。
〃Pardi！ ce M。 Yorick a autant d'esprit que nous autres。〃
〃Il raisonne bien；〃 said another。
〃C'est un bon enfant；〃 said a third。
And at this price I could have eaten and drunk and been merry all
the days of my life at Paris； but it was a dishonest reckoning。 I
grew ashamed of it； it was the gain of a slave； every sentiment of
honor revolted against it； the higher I got； the more was I forced
upon my beggarly system； the better the coterie； the more children
of Art； I languished for those of Nature。 And one night； after a
most vile prostitution of myself to half a dozen different people；
I grew sick； went to bed； and ordered horses in the morning to set
out for Italy。
CONTRAST
A shoe coming loose from the forefoot of the thill horse at the
beginning of the ascent of Mount Taurira； the postilion dismounted；
twisted the shoe off； and put it in his pocket； as the ascent was
of five or six miles； and that horse our main dependence I made a
point of having the shoe fastened on again as well as we could； but
the postilion had thrown away the nails； and the hammer in the
chaise box being of no great use without them； I submitted to go
on。
He had not mounted half a mile higher when； coming to a flinty
piece of road； the poor devil lost a second shoe； and from off his
other forefoot。 I then got out of the chaise in good earnest； and
seeing a house about a quarter of a mile to the left hand； with a
great deal to do I prevailed upon the postilion to turn up to it。
The look of the house； and of everything about it； as we drew
nearer； soon reconciled me to the disaster。 It was a little
farmhouse surrounded with about twenty acres of vineyard； abo