broils. And so the senseless despoiler found the inward struggle between himself and Ursule aggravated through his blunder, and complicated by the addition of a fresh and terrible adversary. The next day, when he went out in search of Goupil, thinking to appease him by means of money, he read on the walls: Minoret is a thief! Everybody whom he met pitied him whilst asking him who was the author of this anonymous publication, and each one forgave the equivocation of his answers in recollecting his incapacity. Fools reap greater advantages from their weakness than sensible people obtain through their strength. We look on at a great man struggling against fate without helping him, and we assist a bankrupt grocer. Do you know why? Because we feel ourselves to be superior while protecting an imbecile, and we are annoyed at being merely the equal of a genius. A man of intellect would have been ruined had he, like Minoret, stammered out absurd answers in a scared manner. Zélie and her servants rubbed out the avenging inscription wherever it was to be found; but it remained upon Minoret’s conscience. Although Goupil had given his word the day before to the attorney, he very impudently refused to carry out his agreement.
“You see, my dear Lecœur, I have been able to buy the practice of Monsieur Dionis, and I am in a position to recommend you to others. Withdraw your agreement, it is only waste of two pieces of stamped paper. Here are seventy centimes.”
