e rest, with delicacy and profusion.
They were then presented with water to wash their hands, in a golden basin
adorned with emeralds and rubies. At last they were conducted to bed in a
beautiful apartment; and in the morning a domestic brought each of them a
piece of gold, after which they took their leave and departed.

"The master of the house," said Zadig, as they were proceeding on the
journey, "appears to be a generous man, though somewhat too proud; he
nobly performs the duties of hospitality." At that instant he observed
that a kind of large pocket, which the hermit had, was filled and
distended; and upon looking more narrowly he found that it contained the
golden basin adorned with precious stones, which the hermit had stolen. He
durst not take any notice of it, but he was filled with a strange
surprise.

About noon, the hermit came to the door of a paltry house inhabited by a
rich miser, and begged the favor of an hospitable reception for a few
hours. An old servant, in a tattered garb, received them with a blunt and
rude air, and led them into the stable, where he gave them some rotten
olives, moldy bread, and sour beer. The hermit ate and drank with as much
seeming satisfaction as he had done the evening before; and then
addressing himself to the old servant, who watched them both, to prevent
their stealing anything, and rudely pressed them to depart, he gave him
the two pieces of gold he had received in the morning, and thanked him for
his great civility.

"Pray," added he, "allow me to speak to thy master." The servant, filled
with astonishment, introduced the two travelers. "Magnificent lord," said
the hermit, "I cannot but return thee my most humble thanks for the noble
manner in which thou hast entertained us. Be pleased to accept this golden
basin as a small mark of my gratitude." The miser started, and was ready
to fall backward; but the hermit, without giving him time to recover from
his surprise, instantly departed with his young fellow traveler.

"Father," said Zadig, "what is the meaning of all this? Thou seemest to me
to be entirely different from other men; thou stealest a golden basin
adorned with precious stones from a lord who received thee magnificently,
and givest it to a miser who treats thee with indignity."

"Son," replied the old man, "this magnificent lord, who receives strangers
only from vanity and ostentation, will hereby be rendered more wise; and
the miser will learn to practi