fickle, the German frank, the Jew ignoble, and
the Englishman noble. Reverse these verdicts and you shall arrive within
a reasonable distance of the truth! The Jews have monopolized the
gold of the world; they compose _Robert the Devil_, act _Phedre_, sing
_William Tell_, give commissions for pictures and build palaces, write
_Reisebilder_ and wonderful verse; they are more powerful than ever,
their religion is accepted, they have lent money to the Holy Father
himself! As for Germany, a foreigner is often asked whether he has a
contract in writing, and this is in the smallest matters, so tricky are
they in their dealings. In France the spectacle of national blunders has
never lacked national applause for the past fifty years; we continue to
wear hats which no mortal can explain, and every change of government is
made on the express condition that things shall remain exactly as they
were before. England flaunts her perfidy in the face of the world, and
her abominable treachery is only equaled by her greed. All the gold of
two Indies passed through the hands of Spain, and now she has nothing
left. There is no country in the world where poison is so little in
request as in Italy, no country where manners are easier or more gentle.
As for the Spaniard, he has traded largely on the reputation of the
Moor.

As the Canon of Toledo returned to the caleche, he had spoken a word
to the post-boy. "Drive post-haste," he said, "and there will be three
francs for drink-money for you." Then, seeing that Lucien hesitated,
"Come! come!" he exclaimed, and Lucien took his place again, telling
himself that he meant to try the effect of the _argumentum ad hominem_.

"Father," he began, "after pouring out, with all the coolness in the
world, a series of maxims which the vulgar would consider profoundly
immoral----"

"And so they are," said the priest; "that is why Jesus Christ said that
it must needs be that offences come, my son; and that is why the world
displays such horror of offences."

"A man of your stamp will not be surprised by the question which I am
about to ask?"

"Indeed, my son, you do not know me," said Carlos Herrera. "Do you
suppose that I should engage a secretary unless I knew that I could
depend upon his principles sufficiently to be sure that he would not rob
me? I like you. You are as innocent in every way as a twenty-year-old
suicide. Your question?"

"Why do you take an interest in me? What price do you set on