the altar and the other on his eyes. Virginity
does not hinder maternity. Honest people, lay these truths to heart.
Above all, you can believe in Providence in either of two ways, either
as thirst believes in the orange, or as the ass believes in the whip.
Now I am going to introduce you to my family."

Here a violent gust of wind shook the window-frames and shutters of the
inn, which stood detached. It was like a prolonged murmur of the sky.
The orator paused a moment, and then resumed.

"An interruption; very good. Speak, north wind. Gentlemen, I am not
angry. The wind is loquacious, like all solitary creatures. There is no
one to keep him company up there, so he jabbers. I resume the thread of
my discourse. Here you see associated artists. We are four--_a lupo
principium_. I begin by my friend, who is a wolf. He does not conceal
it. See him! He is educated, grave, and sagacious. Providence, perhaps,
entertained for a moment the idea of making him a doctor of the
university; but for that one must be rather stupid, and that he is not.
I may add that he has no prejudices, and is not aristocratic. He chats
sometimes with bitches; he who, by right, should consort only with
she-wolves. His heirs, if he have any, will no doubt gracefully combine
the yap of their mother with the howl of their father. Because he does
howl. He howls in sympathy with men. He barks as well, in condescension
to civilization--a magnanimous concession. Homo is a dog made perfect.
Let us venerate the dog. The dog--curious animal! sweats with its tongue
and smiles with its tail. Gentlemen, Homo equals in wisdom, and
surpasses in cordiality, the hairless wolf of Mexico, the wonderful
xoloitzeniski. I may add that he is humble. He has the modesty of a wolf
who is useful to men. He is helpful and charitable, and says nothing
about it. His left paw knows not the good which his right paw does.
These are his merits. Of the other, my second friend, I have but one
word to say. He is a monster. You will admire him. He was formerly
abandoned by pirates on the shores of the wild ocean. This third one is
blind. Is she an exception? No, we are all blind. The miser is blind; he
sees gold, and he does not see riches. The prodigal is blind; he sees
the beginning, and does not see the end. The coquette is blind; she does
not see her wrinkles. The learned man is blind; he does not see his own
ignorance. The honest man is blind; he does not see the thief. The thief
i