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tapping； sculpting； rounding； distilling； modeling； and finishing；
with his apprentices； his door closed and his ears open。 Poverty
engendered hard work； hard work engendered his wonderful virtue； and
his virtue engendered his great wealth。 Take this to heart； ye
children of Cain who eat doubloons and micturate water。 If the good
silversmith felt himself possessed with wild desires； which now in one
way； now another； seize upon an unhappy bachelor when the devil tries
to get hold of him； making the sign of the cross； the Touranian
hammered away at his metal； drove out the rebellious spirits from his
brain by bending down over the exquisite works of art； little
engravings； figures of gold and silver forms； with which he appeased
the anger of his Venus。 Add to this that this Touranian was an artless
man； of simple understanding； fearing God above all things； then
robbers； next to that of nobles； and more than all； a disturbance。
Although if he had two hands； he never did more than one thing at a
time。 His voice was as gentle as that of a bridegroom before marriage。
Although the clergy； the military； and others gave him no reputation
for knowledge； he knew well his mother's Latin； and spoke it correctly
without waiting to be asked。 Latterly the Parisians had taught him to
walk uprightly； not to beat the bush for others； to measure his
passions by the rule of his revenues； not to let them take his leather
to make other's shoes； to trust no one farther then he could see them；
never to say what he did； and always to do what he said； never to
spill anything but water； to have a better memory than flies usually
have； to keep his hands to himself； to do the same with his purse； to
avoid a crowd at the corner of a street； and sell his jewels for more
than they cost him； all things； the sage observance of which gave him
as much wisdom as he had need of to do business comfortably and
pleasantly。 And so he did； without troubling anyone else。 And watching
this good little man unobserved； many said；
〃By my faith； I should like to be this jeweller； even were I obliged
to splash myself up to the eyes with the mud of Paris during a hundred
years for it。〃
They might just as well have wished to be king of France； seeing that
the silversmith had great powerful nervous arms； so wonderfully strong
that when he closed his fist the cleverest trick of the roughest
fellow could not open it； from which you may be sure that whatever he
got hold of he stuck to。 More than this； he had teeth fit to masticate
iron； a stomach to dissolve it； a duodenum to digest it； a sphincter
to let it out again without tearing； and shoulders that would bear a
universe upon them； like that pagan gentleman to whom the job was
confided； and whom the timely arrival of Jesus Christ discharged from
the duty。 He was； in fact； a man made with one stroke； and they are
the best； for those who have to be touched are worth nothing； being
patched up and finished at odd times。 In short； Master Anseau was a
thorough man； with a lion's face； and under his eyebrows a glance that
would melt his gold if the fire of his forge had gone out； but a
limpid water placed in his eyes by the great Moderator of all things
tempered this great ardour； without which he would have burnt up
everything。 Was he not a splendid specimen of a man？
With such a sample of his cardinal virtues； some persist in asking why
the good silversmith remained as unmarried as an oyster； seeing that
these properties of nature are of good use in all places。 But these
opinionated critics； do they know what it is to love？ Ho！ Ho！ Easy！
The vocation of a lover is to go； to come； to listen； to watch； to
hold his tongue； to talk； to stick in a corner； to make himself big；
to make himself little； to agree； to play music； to drudge； to go to
the devil wherever he may be； to count the gray peas in the dovecote；
to find flowers under the snow； to say paternosters to the moon； to
pat the cat and pat the dog； to salute the friends； to flatter the
gout； or the cold of the aunt； to say to her at opportune moments 〃You
have good looks； and will yet write the epitaph of the human race。〃 To
please all the relations； to tread on no one's corns； to break no
glasses； to waste no breath； to talk nonsense； to hold ice in his
hand； to say； 〃This is good！〃 or； 〃Really； madam； you are very
beautiful so。〃 And to vary that in a hundred different ways。 To keep
himself cool； to bear himself like a nobleman； to have a free tongue
and a modest one； to endure with a smile all the evils the devil may
invent on his behalf； to smother his anger； to hold nature in control；
to have the finger of God； and the tail of the devil； to reward the
mother； the cousin； the servant； in fact； to put a good face on
everything。 In default of which the female escapes and leaves you in a
fix； without giving a single Christian reason。 In fact； the lover of
the most gentle maid that God ever created in a good…tempered moment；
had he talked like a book； jumped like a flea； turned about like dice；
played like King David； and built for the aforesaid woman the
Corinthian order of the columns of the devil； if he failed in the
essential and hidden thing which pleases his lady above all others；
which often she does not know herself and which he has need to know；
the lass leaves him like a red leper。 She is quite right。 No one can
blame her for so doing。 When this happens some men become ill…
tempered； cross； and more wretched than you can possibly imagine。 Have
not many of them killed themselves through this petticoat tyranny？ In
this matter the man distinguishes himself from the beast； seeing that
no animal ever yet lost his senses through blighted love； which proves
abundantly that animals have no souls。 The employment of a lover is
that of a mountebank； of a soldier； of a quack； of a buffoon； of a
prince； of a ninny； of a king； of an idler； of a monk； of a dupe； of a
blackguard； of a liar； of a braggart； of a sycophant； of a numskull；
of a frivolous fool； of a blockhead； of a know…nothing； of a knave。 An
employment from which Jesus abstained； in imitation of whom folks of
great understanding likewise disdain it； it is a vocation in which a
man of worth is required to spend above all things； his time； his
life； his blood； his best words； besides his heart； his soul； and his
brain； things to which the women are cruelly partial； because directly
their tongues begin to go； they say among themselves that if they have
not the whole of a man they have none of him。 Be sure； also； that
there are cats； who； knitting their eyebrows； complain that a man does
but a hundred things for them； for the purpose of finding out if there
be a hundred； at first seeing that in everything they desire the most
thorough spirit of conquest and tyranny。 And this high jurisprudence
has always flourished among the customs of Paris； where the women
receive more wit at their baptism than in any other pla