self-control, amenity,
deference, gentleness, politeness, sobriety, chastity, completed and
finished Barkilphedro. He culumniated those virtues by their possession.

In a short time Barkilphedro took a foothold at court.

CHAPTER VIII.

INFERI.

There are two ways of making a footing at court. In the clouds, and you
are august; in the mud, and you are powerful.

In the first case, you belong to Olympus.

In the second case, you belong to the private closet.

He who belongs to Olympus has but the thunderbolt, he who is of the
private closet has the police.

The private closet contains all the instruments of government, and
sometimes, for it is a traitor, its chastisement. Heliogabalus goes
there to die. Then it is called the latrines.

Generally it is less tragic. It is there that Alberoni admires Vendome.
Royal personages willingly make it their place of audience. It takes the
place of the throne. Louis XIV. receives the Duchess of Burgundy there.
Philip V. is shoulder to shoulder there with the queen. The priest
penetrates into it. The private closet is sometimes a branch of the
confessional. Therefore it is that at court there are underground
fortunes--not always the least. If, under Louis XI., you would be great,
be Pierre de Rohan, Marshal of France; if you would be influential, be
Olivier le Daim, the barber; if you would, under Mary de Medicis, be
glorious, be Sillery, the Chancellor; if you would be a person of
consideration, be La Hannon, the maid; if you would, under Louis XV., be
illustrious, be Choiseul, the minister; if you would be formidable, be
Lebel, the valet. Given, Louis XIV., Bontemps, who makes his bed, is
more powerful than Louvois, who raises his armies, and Turenne, who
gains his victories. From Richelieu, take Pere Joseph, and you have
Richelieu nearly empty. There is the mystery the less. His Eminence in
scarlet is magnificent; his Eminence in gray is terrible. What power in
being a worm! All the Narvaez amalgamated with all the O'Donnells do
less work than one Sor Patrocinio.

Of course the condition of this power is littleness. If you would remain
powerful, remain petty. Be Nothingness. The serpent in repose, twisted
into a circle, is a figure at the same time of the infinite and of
naught.

One of these viper-like fortunes had fallen to Barkilphedro.

He had crawled where he wanted.

Flat beasts can get in everywhere. Louis XIV. had bugs in his bed and
Jesuits in his