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
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