Man is the eel。 Then what is the good of the Eternal Father？
The Jehovah hypothesis tires me； Bishop。
It is good for nothing but to produce shallow people； whose reasoning is hollow。
Down with that great All； which torments me！ Hurrah for Zero which leaves me in peace！
Between you and me； and in order to empty my sack； and make confession to my pastor； as it behooves me to do； I will admit to you that I have good sense。 I am not enthusiastic over your Jesus； who preaches renunciation and sacrifice to the last extremity。
'Tis the counsel of an avaricious man to beggars。
Renunciation； why？
Sacrifice； to what end？ I do not see one wolf immolating himself for the happiness of another wolf。
Let us stick to nature； then。
We are at the top； let us have a superior philosophy。
What is the advantage of being at the top； if one sees no further than the end of other people's noses？
Let us live merrily。
Life is all。
That man has another future elsewhere； on high； below； anywhere； I don't believe； not one single word of it。
Ah！ sacrifice and renunciation are remended to me； I must take heed to everything I do； I must cudgel my brains over good and evil； over the just and the unjust； over the fas and the nefas。
Why？
Because I shall have to render an account of my actions。
When？
After death。
What a fine dream！ After my death it will be a very clever person who can catch me。 Have a handful of dust seized by a shadow…hand； if you can。 Let us tell the truth； we who are initiated； and who have raised the veil of Isis：
there is no such thing as either good or evil； there is vegetation。
Let us seek the real。
Let us get to the bottom of it。
Let us go into it thoroughly。
What the deuce！ let us go to the bottom of it！
We must scent out the truth； dig in the earth for it； and seize it。
Then it gives you exquisite joys。 Then you grow strong； and you laugh。
I am square on the bottom； I am。
Immortality； Bishop； is a chance； a waiting for dead men's shoes。
Ah！ what a charming promise！ trust to it； if you like！ What a fine lot Adam has！
We are souls； and we shall be angels； with blue wings on our shoulder…blades。 Do e to my assistance： is it not Tertullian who says that the blessed shall travel from star to star？
Very well。
We shall be the grasshoppers of the stars。 And then； besides； we shall see God。
Ta； ta； ta！
What twaddle all these paradises are！
God is a nonsensical monster。
I would not say that in the Moniteur； egad！ but I may whisper it among friends。 Inter pocula。
To sacrifice the world to paradise is to let slip the prey for the shadow。
Be the dupe of the infinite！ I'm not such a fool。
I am a nought。
I call myself Monsieur le te Nought； senator。
Did I exist before my birth？
No。 Shall I exist after death？
No。 What am I？
A little dust collected in an organism。 What am I to do on this earth？
The choice rests with me： suffer or enjoy。
Whither will suffering lead me？
To nothingness； but I shall have suffered。
Whither will enjoyment lead me？ To nothingness； but I shall have enjoyed myself。
My choice is made。 One must eat or be eaten。
I shall eat。
It is better to be the tooth than the grass。
Such is my wisdom。
After which； go whither I push thee； the grave…digger is there； the Pantheon for some of us： all falls into the great hole。
End。
Finis。
Total liquidation。 This is the vanishing…point。 Death is death； believe me。 I laugh at the idea of there being any one who has anything to tell me on that subject。
Fables of nurses； bugaboo for children； Jehovah for men。
No； our to…morrow is the night。
Beyond the tomb there is nothing but equal nothingness。
You have been Sardanapalus； you have been Vincent de Paulit makes no difference。
That is the truth。
Then live your life； above all things。
Make use of your _I_ while you have it。
In truth； Bishop； I tell you that I have a philosophy of my own； and I have my philosophers。
I don't let myself be taken in with that nonsense。
Of course； there must be something for those who are down；for the barefooted beggars； knife…grinders； and miserable wretches。
Legends； chimeras； the soul； immortality； paradise； the stars； are provided for them to swallow。 They gobble it down。
They spread it on their dry bread。 He who has nothing else has the good。
God。
That is the least he can have。
I oppose no objection to that； but I reserve Monsieur Naigeon for myself。
The good God is good for the populace。〃
The Bishop clapped his hands。
〃That's talking！〃 he exclaimed。
〃What an excellent and really marvellous thing is this materialism！
Not every one who wants it can have it。
Ah！ when one does have it； one is no longer a dupe； one does not stupidly allow one's self to be exiled like Cato； nor stoned like Stephen； nor burned alive like Jeanne d'Arc。 Those who have succeeded in procuring this admirable materialism have the joy of feeling themselves irresponsible； and of thinking that they can devour everything without uneasiness；places； sinecures； dignities； power； whether well or ill acquired； lucrative recantations； useful treacheries； savory capitulations of conscience；and that they shall enter the tomb with their digestion acplished。
How agreeable that is！ I do not say that with reference to you； senator。
Nevertheless； it is impossible for me to refrain from congratulating you。
You great lords have； so you say； a philosophy of your own； and for yourselves； which is exquisite； refined； accessible to the rich alone； good for all sauces； and which seasons the voluptuousness of life admirably。
This philosophy has been extracted from the depths； and unearthed by special seekers。
But you are good…natured princes； and you do not think it a bad thing that belief in the good God should constitute the philosophy of the people； very much as the goose stuffed with chestnuts is the truffled turkey of the poor。〃
BOOK FIRSTA JUST MAN
CHAPTER IX
THE BROTHER AS DEPICTED BY THE SISTER
In order to furnish an idea of the private establishment of the Bishop of D； and of the manner in which those two sainted women subordinated their actions； their thoughts； their feminine instincts even； which are easily alarmed； to the habits and purposes of the Bishop； without his even taking the trouble of speaking in order to explain them； we cannot do better than transcribe in this place a letter from Mademoiselle Baptistine to Madame the Vitess de Boischevron； the friend of her childhood。
This letter is in our possession。
D； Dec。 16； 18。 MY GOOD MADAM：
Not a day passes without our speaking of you。 It is our established custom； but there is another reason besides。 Just imagine； while washing and dusting the ceilings and walls； Madam Magloire has made some discoveries； now our two chambers hung with antique paper whitewashed over； would not discredit a chateau in the style of yours。
Madam Magloire has pulled off all the paper。 There were things beneath。
My drawing…room； which contains no furniture； and which we use for spreading out the linen after washing； is fifteen feet in height； eighteen square； with a ceiling which was formerly painted and gilded； and with beams； as in yours。 This was covered with a cloth while this was the hospital。 And the woodwork was of the era of our grandmothers。
But my room is the one you ought to see。
Madam Magloire has discovered； under at least ten thicknesses of paper pasted on top； some paintings； which without being good are very tolerable。
The subject is Telemachus being knighted by Minerva in some gardens； the name of which escapes me。
In short； where the Roman ladies repaired on one single night。
What shall I say to you？
I have Romans； and Roman ladies ＇here occurs an illegible word＇； and the whole train。 Madam Magloire has cleaned it all off； this summer she is going to have some small injuries repaired； and the whole revarnished； and my chamber will be a regular museum。
She has also found in a corner of the attic two wooden pier…tables of ancient fashion。 They asked us two crowns of six francs each to regild them； but it is much better to give the money to the poor； and they are very ugly besides； and I should much prefer a round table of mahogany。
I am always very happy。
My brother is so good。
He gives all he has to the poor and sick。
We are very much cramped。
The country is trying in the winter； and we really must do something for those who are in need。
We are almost fortably lighted and warmed。 You see that these are great treats。
My brother has ways of his own。
When he talks； he says that a bishop ought to be so。
Just imagine！ the door of our house is never fastened。 Whoever chooses to enter finds himself at once in my brother's room。 He fears nothing； even at night。
That is his sort of bravery； he says。
He does not wish me or Madame Magloire feel any fear for him。 He exposes himself to all sorts of dangers； and he does not like to have us even seem to notice it。
One must know how to understand him。
He goes out in the rain； he walks in the water； he travels in winter。 He fears neither suspicious roads nor dangerous encounters； nor night。
year he went quite alone into a country of robbers。
He would not take us。
He was absent for a fortnight。
On his return nothing had happened to him； he was thought to be dead； but was perfectly well； and said； 〃This is the way I have been robbed！〃
And then he opened a trunk full of jewels； all the jewels of the cathedral of Embrun； which the thieves had given him。
When he returned on that occasion； I could not refrain from scolding him a little； taking care； however； not to speak except when the carriage was making a noise； so that no one might hear me。
At first I used to say to myself； 〃There are no dangers which will stop him； he is terrible。〃
Now I have ended by getting used to it。 I make a sign to Madam Magloire that she is not to oppose him。 He risks himself as he sees fit。
I carry off Madam Magloire； I enter my chamber； I pray for him and fall asleep。
I am at ease； because I know that if anything were to happen to him； it would be the end of me。
I should go to the good God with my brother and my bishop。
It has cost Madam Magloire more trouble than it did me to accustom herself to what she terms his imprudences。
But now the habit has been acquired。
We pray together； we tremble together； and we fall asleep。
If the devil were to enter this house； he would be allowed to do so。
After all； what is there for us to fear in this house？
There is always some one with us who is stronger than we。
The devil may pass through it； but the good God dwells here。
This suffices me。
My brother has no longer any need of saying a word to me。
I understand him without his speaking； and we abandon ourselves to the care of Providence。
That is the way one has to do with a man who poss