Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-06-22

the one ne was leading at the time But it is
easy to convince a boy, whom you supply
with all the facts for the discussion And
besides there was one thing admirable IN the
philosophy, and that was the enthusiasm of
the philosopher. There was never any one
more vigorously determined TO be pleased:
and if he was not great lOgician, and so
had no right to convince the intellect, he
was certainly something of n poet and had
a fascination to seduce the heart. What he
could not achieve in his customary humor of
a radiant admiration of himself and his cir
cumstances, he sometimes effected in his fits
of gloom.
"Boy" he would say. "avod me today II
| were superStitious, | should even beg for an
interest in your prayers | am i'm the black
fit: the evil spirit of King Saul, the bag of
the merchant Ahudah. the personal devil of
the medieval monk, is with me-s in me,n
tapping ON his breast "The vices of my ma
ture are now uppermost: innocent pleasures
WOO me in VAN; | long for Paris, for my
wallowing in the mire. See he continued,
producing "A handful of silver II denude
myself. am not to he trusted with the price
of fare. Take it, keep it for me, squander
it on deleterious candy, throw it in the deep
est river-l will homologate your action.
Save me from that part of myself which
CiSOwn. If you see me falter, do not hest
tate; if necessary, wreck the train speak,
of course. 10y parable. Any extremity were
better than for me to reach Paris alive"
Doubtless the doctor enjoyed these little
scenes as Il variation in his part. they repre-
scented the Byronic element in the somewhat
artificial poetry of his existence: but to the
lao, Ia Il
theatricality, they represented more The
doctor made perhaps too little, the boy pos
,ibly too much, of the reality and gravity of
these temptations.
One day great light shone for Jean Marie
could not riches he used we'll he asked
ain theory. YES. replied the doctor. But
it is found in experience that no one does So
| All the world imagine they will he excep-
tional when they grow wealthy: but possess
sion is debasng, new desires spring up; neil
the silly taste for ostentation eats out the
heart of pleasure
Then YOU might be better if you had less, -
said the boy.
Certainly not replied the doctor; but
his voice quavered as he spoke.
"WhyI' demanded pitiless innocence.
Dr. Desprez saw all the colors of the rain
! bow in a moment: the stable universe APP
peared to be about capsiaing with him. "lh-
! cause, said he-aFecting deliberation after
an obvious pause-"bccause | have formed
my life for my present income. 1t i, not
| good for men of my years to he Violently
discovered from their habits
That was a sharp brush. The doctor
breathed hard, and fell into tacturniy tnl
the afternoon. As for the boy. he was d"
| lighted with the resolution OF his doubts
even wondered that he had not fur,'>cen &c
| obvious and conclusive answer. His faith
in the doctor was stout piece Of goudS
! DcSprez was inclined to Toe IA sheet in til,
winds eye after dinner, especially after
Rhine wine, his favOrite weakness ii,
would then remark on the warmth Of Iii.
feeling for Anastasie, and with iuilarc;
cheeks and loose, lustered smile, Il bat,
upon all sorts of topics, and be teehly an,
indiscreetly witty. But the adopted otatl,
| boy would not permit himself to entertain
doubt that savored of ingratitude, 1t il
quite true that a man may he q second fathe
to you, and yet take too much to drink; bu
nie oc.s natures ass ever slcw ,c a.cert rItl
truths
The doctor thoroughly possessed his heart
but perhaps lie exaggerated his influence
over his mind. Certainly Jean Mari
adopted some OF his masters opinions, but
have yet to learn that he ever SURRENDERED
one Of mis- own. Convictions existed in hin
by divine right; they We're virgin, un
wrought, the brute metal of decision. II
could add others indeed, but he could not pu
away; neither did he care if they were per
fectly agreed among themselves; and hi
spiritual pleasures had nothing to do wit
turning them over or justifymg them il
words Words were with him a mere accom-
pishment, like dancing. When he was b.
himself, his pleasures We're almost vegetable
He would slip into the woods toward Achere
and sit in the mouth Of a cave among gra
bircnes His soul stared straight out Of hi
eyes; he did not move or think, sunlight
thin shadows moving in the wind the edg
of frs against the sky, occupied and boun
his faculties. He was pure unity, spiri
wholly distracted. A single mood filled him
to which all the objects of sense contributed
as the colors of the spectrum merge and dis
appear in white light.
So while the doctor made himself drum
with words, the adopted stable boy bemuse
himself with silence.