The opinions of Jérôme Coignard . en a woman has shown her legs to somefellows in a dancing-saloon—just the most ordinarysight in the world for them. Thus spoke my good master from the top of hisladder. But Monsieur Nicodfeme stopped his earsin order not to hear him, and cried out on hiscynicism. Heavens! he sighed, what can be moredisgusting than a naked woman, and how shamefulto compromise, as does this Abbe, with an immoralitywhich is the ruin of a country, for people can onlyexist by purity of morals. It is true, Monsieur, said my good master, that peoples are strong only so long as they
The opinions of Jérôme Coignard . en a woman has shown her legs to somefellows in a dancing-saloon—just the most ordinarysight in the world for them. Thus spoke my good master from the top of hisladder. But Monsieur Nicodfeme stopped his earsin order not to hear him, and cried out on hiscynicism. Heavens! he sighed, what can be moredisgusting than a naked woman, and how shamefulto compromise, as does this Abbe, with an immoralitywhich is the ruin of a country, for people can onlyexist by purity of morals. It is true, Monsieur, said my good master, that peoples are strong only so long as they pre-serve their morals; but by that is understood acommunity of rules, opinions, and interests, and agenerous-minded obedience to law ; not trifles suchas occupy you. Beware, moreover, lest shamefaced-ness, failing as a charm, become but a piece of 182 jer6me coignard stupidity, and less the Artless dullness of your fearspresent a ridiculous spectacle and one not a littleindecent. But Monsieur Nicodeme had already left XVIIIJUSTICE ONSIEUR LABBE COIGNARD, who should rather have been nour-ished at the Prytaneum by a gratefulrepublic, gained his bread by writingletters for servant-girls in a stall nearthe cemetery of the Innocents. There he happenedto serve in the office of secretary to a Portuguese ladywho was crossing France, with her nigger-boy. Shegave him a Hard for a letter written to her husband,and an ecu of six livres for another to her lover. Itwas the first ecu my good master had handled sincethe feast of St. John; and since he was open-handed, even to magnificence, he straightway tookme to the Tomme dOr, on the Quai de Greve, closeto the Town-hall, where the wine is not doctored,and the sausages are of the best. And the big dealers,who buy apples on the Mall, go there ordinarilytowards midday to try to best one another. It was 183 184 THE OPINIONS OF spring-time, and sweet to be alive on such a good master had our table spread on theembankment,
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