"Horribly."

"Do you never love?"

"Never."

"Have you no passions?"

"One alone, jealousy; but that includes all others to a frightful
degree. I adore a woman, as soon as she loves another; I love gold, when
another possesses it;--yes, you are right, I am unhappy."

"Have you never tried to become good?"

"Yes, and failed. What does the venomous plant? What do the bear and
bird of prey? They destroy, but certain people use them for the chase.
So shall I be in the hands of MM. d'Epernon and Loignac, till the day
when they shall say, 'This plant is hurtful, let us tear it up; this
beast is furious, let us kill him.'"

Ernanton was calmed; St. Maline was no longer an object of anger but of
pity.

"Good fortune should cure you," said he; "when you succeed, you should
hate less."

"However high I should rise, others would be higher."

They rode on silently for some time. At last Ernanton held out his hand