s, we can observe, walk stately, apart from the numerous
Undignified,--who, indeed, are properly little other than Commons
disguised in Curate-frocks. Here, however, though by strange ways,
shall the Precept be fulfilled, and they that are greatest (much to
their astonishment) become least. For one example out of many, mark
that plausible Gregoire: one day Cure Gregoire shall be a Bishop, when
the now stately are wandering distracted, as Bishops _in partibus_.
With other thought, mark also the Abbe Maury; his broad bold face,
mouth accurately primmed, full eyes, that ray out intelligence,
falsehood,--the sort of sophistry which is astonished you should find
it sophistical. Skillfulest vamper-up of old rotten leather, to make
it look like new; always a rising man; he used to tell Mercier, "You
will see; I shall be in the Academy before you." Likely indeed, thou
skillfulest Maury; nay thou shalt have a Cardinal's hat, and plush and
glory; but alas, also, in the long run--mere oblivion, like the rest
of us, and six feet of earth! What boots it, vamping rotten leather on
these terms? Glorious in comparison is the livelihood thy good old
Father earns by making shoes,--one may hope, in a sufficient manner.
Maury does not want for audacity. He shall wear pistols by-and-by; and
at death-cries of "_La lanterne_, The Lamp-iron!" answer coolly,
"Friends, will you see better there?"

But yonder, halting lamely along, thou noticest next Bishop
Talleyrand-Perigord, his Reverence of Autun. A sardonic grimness lies
in that irreverend Reverence of Autun. He will do and suffer strange
things; and will _become_ surely one of the strangest things ever
seen, or like to be seen. A man living in falsehood and on falsehood;
yet not what you can call a false man: there is the specialty! It will
be an enigma for future ages, one may hope; hitherto such a product of
Nature and Art was possible only for this age of ours--Age of Paper,
and of the Burning of Paper. Consider Bishop Talleyrand and Marquis
Lafayette as the topmost of their two kinds; and say once more,
looking at what they did and what they were. _O tempus ferax rerum_!

On the whole, however, has not this unfortunate clergy also drifted in
the Time-stream, far from its native latitude? An anomalous mass of
men; of whom the whole world has already a dim understanding that it
can understand nothing. They were once a Priesthood, interpreters of
Wisdom, revealers of the Holy that is in M