For government by any one class is fatal to the
welfare of the whole. Two years ago our ideal seemed to have been
realized. The monopoly of power had been taken from the class that
had held it too long and too unjustly by the hollow right of
heredity. It had been distributed as evenly as might be throughout
the State, and if men had only paused there, all would have been
well. But our impetus carried us too far, the privileged orders
goaded us on by their very opposition, and the result is the horror
of which yesterday you saw no more than the beginnings. No, no,"
he ended. "Careers there may be for venal place-seekers, for
opportunists; but none for a man who desires to respect himself.
It is time to go. I make no sacrifice in going."
"But where will you go? What will you do?"
"Oh, something. Consider that in four years I have been lawyer,
politician, swordsman, and buffoon - especially the latter. There
is always a place in the world for Scaramouche. Besides, do you
know that unlike Scaramouche I have been oddly provident? I am
the owner of a little farm in Saxony.
Pages:
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660