you have given riding lessons to men of the world or to their sons,
they will no longer consider you their equal."

He paused, reflected several seconds and then asked:

"Are you a bachelor?"

"Yes, though I have been smitten several times."

"That makes no difference. If Cicero and Tiberius were mentioned
would you know who they were?"

"Yes."

"Good, no one knows any more except about a score of fools. It is
not difficult to pass for being learned. The secret is not to betray
your ignorance. Just maneuver, avoid the quicksands and obstacles,
and the rest can be found in a dictionary."

He spoke like one who understood human nature, and he smiled as the
crowd passed them by. Suddenly he began to cough and stopped to
allow the paroxysm to spend itself; then he said in a discouraged
tone:

"Isn't it tiresome not to be able to get rid of this bronchitis? And
here is midsummer! This winter I shall go to Mentone. Health before
everything."

They reached the Boulevarde Poissoniere; behind a large glass door
an open paper was affixed; three people were reading it. Above the