ortune, and good fortune, as you well know,
often gives to the youth rather than to the old man. For Fortune is
blind. Blind, Parmenio! Stone blind to all merit. If it were not so,
would you not have been a general long ago?

PARMENIO.

How you know how to flatter, prince! But in confidence, beloved prince,
do you not wish to bribe me--to bribe me with flatteries?

PHILOTAS.

I flatter? And bribe you? You are the man indeed whom one could bribe!

PARMENIO.

If you continue thus, I may become so. Already I no longer thoroughly
trust myself.

PHILOTAS.

What was it I was saying? One of those good ideas, which fortune often
throws into the silliest brain, I too have seized--merely seized, not
the slightest portion of it is my own. For if my reason,--my invention
had some part in it, should I not wish to consult with you about it?
But this I cannot do; it vanishes, if I impart it; so tender, so
delicate is it, that I do not venture to clothe it in words. I conceive
it only, as the philosopher has taught me to conceive God, and at the
most I could only tell you what it is not. It is possible enough that
it is in reality a childish thought; a thought which I consider happy,
because I have not yet had a happier. But let that be; if it can do no
good, it can at least do no harm. That I know for certain; it is the
most harmless idea in the world; as harmless as--as a prayer! Would you
cease to pray because you are not quite certain whether the prayer
will be of use to you? Do not then spoil my pleasure, Parmenio,
honest Parmenio! I beg you, I embrace you. If you love me but a very
little--will you? Can I rely on you? Will you manage that I am not
exchanged before to-morrow? Will you?

PARMENIO.

Will? Must I not? Must I not? Listen, prince; when you shall one day be
king, do not give commands. To command is an unsure means of being
obeyed. If you have a heavy duty to impose on anyone, do with him
as you have just now done with me; and if he then refuses his
obedience--Impossible! He cannot refuse it to you. I too must know what
a man can refuse.

PHILOTAS.

What obedience? What has the kindness which you show me to do with
obedience? Will you, my friend----

PARMENIO.

Stop! Stop! You have won me q