The elder answered, "Again, those who are enamoured of the
pleasures of life, and glamoured by the sweetness thereof, who
prefer fleeting and paltry objects to those which are future and
stable, are like a certain man who had three friends. On the
first two of these he was extravagantly lavish of his honours,
and clave passionately to their love, fighting to the death and
deliberately hazarding his life for their sakes. But to the
third he bore himself right arrogantly, never once granting him
the honour nor the love that was his due, but only making show of
some slight and inconsiderable regard for him. Now one day he
was apprehended by certain dread and strange soldiers, that made
speed to hale him to the king, there to render account for a debt
of ten thousand talents. Being in a great strait, this debtor
sought for a helper, able to take his part in this terrible
reckoning with the king. So he ran to his first and truest
friend of all, and said, `Thou wottest, friend, that I ever
jeopardied my life for thy sake. Now to-day I require help in a
necessity that presseth me sore. In how many talents wilt thou
undertake to assist me now? What is the hope that I may count
upon at thy hands, O my dearest friend?' The other answered and
said unto him, `Man, I am not thy friend: I know not who thou
art. Other friends I have, with whom I must needs make merry
to-day, and so win their friendship for the time to come. But,
see, I present thee with two ragged garments, that thou mayest
have them on the way whereon thou goest, though they will do thee
no manner of good. Further help from me thou mayest expect
none.' The other, hearing this, despaired of the succour whereon
he had reckoned, and went to his second friend, saying, `Friend,
thou rememberest how much honour and kindness thou hast enjoyed
at my hands. To-day I have fallen into tribulation and sorrow,