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Chapter 4

           Wisemeninallageshavedonetheirbesttomakeitlessridiculous—withnoresult,inasmuchasitcontinuestopreferfollytowisdom.Afootball,orletussayashuttlecockamongworlds,readytobetossedupanyhowandanywhere,providedthebattledorebeofgold!"

           "Youspeakatriflebitterly,prince"—Isaid—"Butnodoubtyouhavehadawideexperienceamongmen?"

           "Ihave,"hereturnedwithemphasis—"Mykingdomisavastone."

           "Youarearulingpowerthen?"Iexclaimedwithsomeastonishment—"Yoursisnotatitleofhonouronly?"

           "Oh,asyourrulesofaristocracygo,itisameretitleofhonour"—herepliedquickly—"WhenIsaythatmykingdomisavastone,ImeanthatIrulewherevermenobeytheinfluenceofwealth.Fromthispointofview,amIwrongincallingmykingdomvast?—isitnotalmostboundless?"

           "Iperceiveyouareacynic,"—Isaid—"Yetsurelyyoubelievethattherearesomethingswealthcannotbuy—honourandvirtueforexample?"

           Hesurveyedmewithawhimsicalsmile.

           "Isupposehonourandvirtuedoexist—"heanswered—"Andwhentheyareexistentofcoursetheycannotbebought.ButmyexperiencehastaughtmethatIcanalwaysbuyeverything.Thesentimentscalledhonourandvirtuebythemajorityofmenarethemostshiftythingsimaginable—setsufficientcashdown,andtheybecomebriberyandcorruptioninthetwinklingofaneye!Curious—verycurious.IconfessIfoundacaseofunpurchaseableintegrityonce,butonlyonce.

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