to
the arbiter of manners and urged the latter instruct him how best he
might learn effectively to pass himself off for a gentleman.

"Practise insulting persons in such wise that they shall not feel
insulted," the arbiter of manners advised him.

XXV

TRANSMIGRATION

A great love faded and died.

Its soul passed into the body of a cobra.

XXVI

THE SAVANT

There lived in Boeotia a lout who was even more empty-headed than his
most empty-headed neighbour and who yet, throughout the domain, was
looked on as a shrewd and wise and sapient fellow.

Whenever any one spoke to him of a thing he did not understand, he
vouchsafed no reply, but merely smiled a bit, and winked.

XXVII

COMPANION

Modesty left his mistress to fare forth into the world alone. But,
turning in his flight, he saw someone at his heels.

In despair, Modesty sought still another mistress and this mistress one
night he likewise left to fare forth into the world alone. But, turning
in his flight, he saw again someone at his heels.

Modesty, sitting sadly on a rock by the wayside, realized then that his
wish for a lonely adventure was never to be fulfilled. For he must
always, when he sallied forth from his mistress, take with him his
mistress' lover.

XXVIII

THE GOOD FAIRY

A fairy, in the form of a beautiful woman, came to a young man and
whispered, "One wish will I grant you."

The young man gazed into the deep eyes of the beautiful woman and, with
thoughts playing upon her rare loveliness, breathed, "I wish for perfect
happiness for all time!"

And the fairy in the form of the beautiful woman granted him his wish.

She left him.

XXIX

THE EXTERNAL FEMININE

As the blonde young woman stepped from the swimming pool of the Turkish
Bath, the attendant thought that never had she seen so fair and golden
and beautiful a creature. Unable to contain her admiration, she spoke
her thought. The beautiful blonde thanked her and said, "But you should
have seen me at the Mi-Careme Ball as an African slave girl!"

XXX

FRATERNITE

A woman, lying in the arms of her lover and who until now had spoken of
many things but never of her husband, presently mentioned his name, and
jested of him, and laughed.

Her lover, who adored her, laughed with her and bending to her, kissed
her passionately--hating her.

XXXI

REPUTATION

The famous comedienne, suffering a sudden cramp, ma