has been in one of its most audacious moments of expansion. The
science of good and evil is acquired forever; faith is
refashioned, respect for sacred things has returned to us, and if
the world has not all at once become good, it has at least become
better. The efforts of every intelligent man tend in the same
direction, and every strong will is harnessed to the same
principle: Be good, be young, be true! Evil is nothing but
vanity, let us have the pride of good, and above all let us never
despair. Do not let us despise the woman who is neither mother,
sister, maid, nor wife. Do not let us limit esteem to the family
nor indulgence to egoism. Since "there is more joy in heaven over
one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just persons
that need no repentance," let us give joy to heaven. Heaven will
render it back to us with usury. Let us leave on our way the alms
of pardon for those whom earthly desires have driven astray, whom
a divine hope shall perhaps save, and, as old women say when they
offer you. some homely remedy of their own, if it does no good it
will do no harm.

Doubtless it must seem a bold thing to attempt to deduce these
grand results out of the meagre subject that I deal with; but I
am one of those who believe that all is in little. The child is
small, and he includes the man; the brain is narrow, and it
harbours thought; the eye is but a point, and it covers leagues.



Chapter 4

Two days after, the sale was ended. It had produced 3.50,000