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Article COVETOUSNESS; A VISION. ← Page 3 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Covetousness; A Vision.
must know it is the custom of the country : every man who give . ? , always indulges instantly his pride , or his inhumanity , at the expence of him that receives ; but it is only , as they say , a thing lent returned . Although I am enraged at the blow , 1 do not seem to take notice of it , because he who gave it me has received many in his time , and I expect one day to bestow them at pleasure : but as yet I have been rather unfortunatehaving onl iven here and there
, y g some fillips on the nose . —What 1 you seem surprised at this!—Poor lad ! your time for astonishment is not yet come . You will see things that will surprise you much more . Come , and follow me . " I followed him . — " Do you see , " said he " those steep mountains at a distance ? Oneof their tops almost reaches the clouds . Observe
, there resides the perpetual object of all men ' s desires . From between the rocks there springs a copious fountain of this subtile silver , of which , alas 1 1 have but a small quantity . —Come alonp- with me ; let us surmount all difficulties ; let us engage . —Bo you support half the chain I am going to take up—the heavier it is , the ' sooner we shall make our fortune . If ever I succeed according
to my wishes at this happy fountain , I swear I will give you a share . " Curiosity , still more than the fatal necessity I was under , drew me after him . Oh , Heavens , what a difficult road 1 what a tumult ! what affronts and distresses did I experience!—I concealed my blushes under the wei ght of my chains . —My leader affected a smiling countenance ; but sometimes I surprised him biting-his lips till the blood issued , and ' quite disappointed , muttering in a low tone , whilst he called on me aloud , crying-, " C . bear up , mv lad . all is
well !"—Eagerness gave him supernatural , strength , and , as' my chain was fastened to his , he dragged me along . —We arrived at the foot of the mountains : but there the crowd was infinitely greater . The vallies were full of a multitude of men , all rattling their chains , who snatched from each other with all the civility imaginable some drops of tie quicksilver which flowed from the fountain .
I thought it almost impossible to get through this impenetrable crowd , when my conductor , with the most daring effrontery , began to break the rules of decency . He knocked clown all on the right and left with ( he greatest violence—he inhumanl y trod under foot those he overset . I felt for this behaviour , ancl shuddered as I walked—1 trod upon the trembling bodies of those unhappy people , whilst wished to
I go back , but could not ; I was dragged forward in spite of rue—we were covered with blood—the horror of their plaintive cries rent my heart . In this manner we having gained a little hill , my companion looked on me with a complacent air . " We go on well , " said he ; " the first difficulty is got over , the rest muse not deter us . Did you observe how we made them roil one over another ? Here it is not so . Wc are near the fountain ; but must ' not proceed so fast any longer . We must know how to elbow at a proper time with artifice and dexterity ; but always without giving
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Covetousness; A Vision.
must know it is the custom of the country : every man who give . ? , always indulges instantly his pride , or his inhumanity , at the expence of him that receives ; but it is only , as they say , a thing lent returned . Although I am enraged at the blow , 1 do not seem to take notice of it , because he who gave it me has received many in his time , and I expect one day to bestow them at pleasure : but as yet I have been rather unfortunatehaving onl iven here and there
, y g some fillips on the nose . —What 1 you seem surprised at this!—Poor lad ! your time for astonishment is not yet come . You will see things that will surprise you much more . Come , and follow me . " I followed him . — " Do you see , " said he " those steep mountains at a distance ? Oneof their tops almost reaches the clouds . Observe
, there resides the perpetual object of all men ' s desires . From between the rocks there springs a copious fountain of this subtile silver , of which , alas 1 1 have but a small quantity . —Come alonp- with me ; let us surmount all difficulties ; let us engage . —Bo you support half the chain I am going to take up—the heavier it is , the ' sooner we shall make our fortune . If ever I succeed according
to my wishes at this happy fountain , I swear I will give you a share . " Curiosity , still more than the fatal necessity I was under , drew me after him . Oh , Heavens , what a difficult road 1 what a tumult ! what affronts and distresses did I experience!—I concealed my blushes under the wei ght of my chains . —My leader affected a smiling countenance ; but sometimes I surprised him biting-his lips till the blood issued , and ' quite disappointed , muttering in a low tone , whilst he called on me aloud , crying-, " C . bear up , mv lad . all is
well !"—Eagerness gave him supernatural , strength , and , as' my chain was fastened to his , he dragged me along . —We arrived at the foot of the mountains : but there the crowd was infinitely greater . The vallies were full of a multitude of men , all rattling their chains , who snatched from each other with all the civility imaginable some drops of tie quicksilver which flowed from the fountain .
I thought it almost impossible to get through this impenetrable crowd , when my conductor , with the most daring effrontery , began to break the rules of decency . He knocked clown all on the right and left with ( he greatest violence—he inhumanl y trod under foot those he overset . I felt for this behaviour , ancl shuddered as I walked—1 trod upon the trembling bodies of those unhappy people , whilst wished to
I go back , but could not ; I was dragged forward in spite of rue—we were covered with blood—the horror of their plaintive cries rent my heart . In this manner we having gained a little hill , my companion looked on me with a complacent air . " We go on well , " said he ; " the first difficulty is got over , the rest muse not deter us . Did you observe how we made them roil one over another ? Here it is not so . Wc are near the fountain ; but must ' not proceed so fast any longer . We must know how to elbow at a proper time with artifice and dexterity ; but always without giving