Edmond sprang into the thick wood, enraged, ashamed and vexed: he ran without stopping, and was soon in the most lonely part, and when at last he fell exhausted and breathless in the cleft of a rock, he found the stout robber reposing there, whose life he had, through pity, generously solicited, as he in return had been obliged to accept his own from the hands of a former friend, who now despised him.
CHAPTER III.
"Are you satiated with the buffoonery?" asked the fierce man of the youth after some time. "I should have thought that you 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 loved passionately?"