ere deserted pathways between enclosed
gardens. He walked along, his head bent down, by the hedges and ditches.
All at once he halted, and drawing himself up, exclaimed, "So much the
better!"

At the same time he struck his fist twice on his head and twice on his
thigh, thus proving himself to be a sensible fellow, who saw things in
their right light; and then he began to growl inwardly, yet now and then
raising his voice.

"It is all right! Oh, the scoundrel! the thief! the vagabond! the
worthless fellow! the seditious scamp! It is his speeches about the
government that have sent him there. He is a rebel. I was harbouring a
rebel. I am free of him, and lucky for me; he was compromising us.
Thrust into prison! Oh, so much the better! What excellent laws!
Ungrateful boy! I who brought him up! To give oneself so much trouble
for this! Why should he want to speak and to reason? He mixed himself up
in politics. The ass! As he handled pennies he babbled about the taxes,
about the poor, about the people, about what was no business of his. He
permitted himself to make reflections on pennies. He commented wickedly
and maliciously on the copper money of the kingdom. He insulted the
farthings of her Majesty. A farthing! Why, 'tis the same as the queen. A
sacred effigy! Devil take it! a sacred effigy! Have we a queen--yes or
no? Then respect her verdigris! Everything depends on the government;
one ought to know that. I have experience, I have. I know something.
They may say to me, 'But you give up politics, then?' Politics, my
friends! I care as much for them as for the rough hide of an ass. I
received, one day, a blow from a baronet's cane. I said to myself, That
is enough: I understand politics. The people have but a farthing, they
give it; the queen takes it, the people thank her. Nothing can be more
natural. It is for the peers to arrange the rest; their lordships, the
lords spiritual and temporal. Oh! so Gwynplaine is locked up! So he is
in prison. That is just as it should be. It is equitable, excellent,
well-merited, and legitimate. It is his own fault. To criticize is
forbidden. Are you a lord, you idiot? The constable has seized him, the
justice of the quorum has carried him off, the sheriff has him in
custody. At this moment he is probably being examined by a serjeant of
the coif. They pluck out your crimes, those clever fellows! Imprisoned,
my wag! So much the worse for him, so much the better for me! Faith, I
am sati