"'I have indeed the power to hear and to see that which you do not
perceive; but sorcery has no relation to the power which is
attributed to me.

"If you wish, you will be able to possess it in your turn, for my means
are not a secret.

"'I keep my eyes and ears open.'

"And as every one burst out laughing, believing it a joke, the sage
began again:

"'But this is not all; after having seen and heard, I call to my aid all
the qualities which constitute common sense and, thanks to this faculty,
I draw my conclusions from my experience, from which enthusiasm, fancy,
as well as personal interest are totally excluded.

"'This done, and my judgment being formulated in my thought, I adapt it
to the circumstances, and especially to the material situation and to the
mentality of those who consult me.'

"From these counsels," thinks the Shogun, "we must draw a precious
lesson.

"It is true that an exigency, physical or moral, can determine, in
different individuals, a very different resolution.

"According to the manner of life adopted, or the direction given to one's
duties, different resolutions can be made without lacking common sense.