had served your
apprenticeship, and were now looking about for some more profitable
business."

"Wretched man!" exclaimed Edmond, "thou, who neither believest in God,
nor man, begone from my presence, for thy thoughts poison my mind."

"Not so haughty, young gentleman," cried the former in a bantering
tone! "today my fist, in spite of my poisonous thoughts, has rendered
you good service, that is, if you do not estimate life as cheaply as I
do; but, as yet, your milky face has not the appearance of that. Why
then are you of a disposition so inhumanly virtuous? Let me still
continue to enjoy your gracious society, for I am indeed yours; early
to-day, you begged me off indeed almost like a dog, therefore, you must
allow me to bark and to remain near you, so that no other may bite
you."

"How couldst thou then have sunk so low?" asked Edmond with some little
sympathy. "I have merely remained stationary," said the former
composedly, "I have only not been enabled to raise myself, and as I
have perceived no wings on my shoulders, I had no wish to put any on,
and still less to address myself on the subject to the first best goose
I met, who, moreover, could not have assisted me."

"Thou meanest," said Edmond, "that thou hast formerly been a man like
others?"

"Very probably," replied the robber: "now perhaps there is not so great
a gulf between you and me. If one man rates himself so highly, then
certainly to the mind the distance appears immeasureable as between the
king and the beggar; but place both naked on a desert island together,
then are they brothers and boon companions, provided the one does not
devour the other. Thus is it also with the so called souls: when they
compose verses, or are in love, then indeed they think themselves
miracles enshrined, but let them but fall into despair, become utterly
wild and untractable, then all affectation disappears like the rouge
from the cheeks of the harlot when she is compelled to wander about in
a shower of rain."

"Have you never heard my name perchance? I am called Lacoste, I should
be surprised if you had not." Edmond became thoughtful. "It occurs to
me," said he after a while, "that this name is not totally unknown to
me; but I cannot revive my memory."

"Aye, good, young soul," continued Lacoste in his peculiar way. "In
your green age, I was a gallant spendthrift, a sweet rabbit, that with
rosy smiling lips, flattered every one, only tell me, have you ever yet
lo