The Equinox (Volume I, Number IX)

THE EQUINOX an eighth who costs more than the seven others. The seven are the seven deadly sins; the eighth is gambling.” Another dialogue :— “Give me five francs, sir, I am dying of hunger.” “TImbecile! you are dying of hunger, and you want me to encourage you in so evil a course? You are dying of hunger, and you have the impudence to admit it. You wish to make me the accomplice of your incapacity, the abetter of your suicide. You want to put a premium on wretchedness. For whom do you take me? Do you think I am a rascal like yourself? .. .” And yet another :— “By the way, old fellow, could you lend me a thousand pounds? I want to seduce an honest woman.” ‘Ah! that is bad, but I can never refuse anything to a friend. Here they are. When you have succeeded you might give me her address.” That is what is called in England, and elsewhere, the manners of a gentleman. “The man of honour who is out of work steals, and does not beg!” replied, one day, Cartouche to a passer-by who asked alms of him. It is as emphatic as the word which tradition associates with Cambronne, and perhaps the famous thief and the great general both really replied in the same manner. It was that same Cartouche who offered,.on another occasion, of his own accord and without it being asked of him, twenty thousand pounds to a bankrupt. One must act properly to one’s brothers. Mutual assistance is a law of nature. To aid those who are like ourselves is to aid ourselves. But above mutual 248