Part 5 (1/2)
”That's a lie!” said the metaphysician, for the wine had gotten a little into his head.
”Very well!-very well, sir!-very well, indeed, sir!” said his Majesty, apparently much flattered.
”That's a lie!” repeated the restaurateur, restaurateur, dogmatically; ”that's a-hiccup!-a lie!” dogmatically; ”that's a-hiccup!-a lie!”
”Well, well, have it your own way!” said the Devil, pacifically, and Bon-Bon, having beaten his Majesty at an argument, thought it his duty to conclude a second bottle of Chambertin.
”As I was saying,” resumed the visitor-”as I was observing a little while ago, there are some very outre outre notions in that book of yours, Monsieur Bon-Bon. What, for instance, do you mean by all that humbug about the soul? Pray, sir, what is the soul?” notions in that book of yours, Monsieur Bon-Bon. What, for instance, do you mean by all that humbug about the soul? Pray, sir, what is the soul?”
”The-hiccup!-soul,” replied the metaphysician, referring to his MS., ”is undoubtedly--”
”No, sir!”
”Indubitably--”
”No, sir!”
”Indisputably--”
”No, sir!”
”Evidently--”
”No, sir!”
”Incontrovertibly--”
”No, sir!”
”Hiccup!--”
”No, sir!”
”And beyond all question, a--”
”No, sir, the soul is no such thing!” (Here the philosopher, looking daggers, took occasion to make an end, upon the spot, of his third bottle of Chambertin.) ”Then-hiccup!-pray, sir-what-what is it?”
”That is neither here nor there, Monsieur Bon-Bon,” replied his Majesty, musingly. ”I have tasted-that is to say, I have known some very bad souls, and some too-pretty good ones.” Here he smacked his lips, and, having unconsciously let fall his hand upon the volume in his pocket, was seized with a violent fit of sneezing.
He continued: ”There was the soul of Cratinus-pa.s.sable: Aristophanes-racy: Plato-exquisite-not your Plato, but Plato the comic poet; your Plato would have turned the stomach of Cerberus-faugh! Then let me see! there were Naevius, and Andronicus, and Plautus, and Terentius. Then there were Lucilius, and Catullus, and Naso, and Quintius Flaccus,-dear Quinty! as I called him when he sung a seculare seculare for my amus.e.m.e.nt, while I toasted him, in pure good humor, on a fork. But they want for my amus.e.m.e.nt, while I toasted him, in pure good humor, on a fork. But they want flavor, flavor, these Romans. One fat Greek is worth a dozen of them, and besides will these Romans. One fat Greek is worth a dozen of them, and besides will keep, keep, which cannot be said of a Quirite. Let us taste your Sauterne.” which cannot be said of a Quirite. Let us taste your Sauterne.”ax Bon-Bon had by this time made up his mind to the nil admirari, nil admirari, ay ay and endeavored to hand down the bottles in question. He was, however, conscious of a strange sound in the room like the wagging of a tail. Of this, although extremely indecent in his Majesty, the philosopher took no notice:-simply kicking the dog, and requesting him to be quiet. The visitor continued: and endeavored to hand down the bottles in question. He was, however, conscious of a strange sound in the room like the wagging of a tail. Of this, although extremely indecent in his Majesty, the philosopher took no notice:-simply kicking the dog, and requesting him to be quiet. The visitor continued: ”I found that Horace tasted very much like Aristotle;-you know I am fond of variety. Terentius I could not have told from Menander. Naso, to my astonishment, was Nicander in disguise. Virgilius had a strong tw.a.n.g of Theocritus. Martial put me much in mind of Archilochus-and t.i.tus Livius was positively Polybius and none other.”
”Hiccup!” here replied Bon-Bon, and his Majesty proceeded: ”But if I have have a a penchant, penchant, Monsieur Bon-Bon-if I Monsieur Bon-Bon-if I have have a a penchant, penchant, it is for a philosopher. Yet, let me tell you, sir, it is not every dev-I mean it is not every gentleman who knows how to it is for a philosopher. Yet, let me tell you, sir, it is not every dev-I mean it is not every gentleman who knows how to choose choose a philosopher. Long ones are a philosopher. Long ones are not good; not good; and the best, if not carefully sh.e.l.led, are apt to be a little rancid on account of the gall.” and the best, if not carefully sh.e.l.led, are apt to be a little rancid on account of the gall.”
”Sh.e.l.led!!”
”I mean taken out of the carca.s.s.”
”What do you think of a-hiccup!-physician?”
”Don't mention them!-ugh! ugh!” (Here his Majesty retched violently.) ”I never tasted but one-that rascal Hippocrates!-smelt of asaftida-ugh! ugh! ugh!-caught a wretched cold was.h.i.+ng him in the Styx-and after all he gave me the cholera-morbus.” mention them!-ugh! ugh!” (Here his Majesty retched violently.) ”I never tasted but one-that rascal Hippocrates!-smelt of asaftida-ugh! ugh! ugh!-caught a wretched cold was.h.i.+ng him in the Styx-and after all he gave me the cholera-morbus.”
”The-hiccup!-wretch!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Bon-Bon, ”the-hiccup!-abortion of a pill-box!”-and the philosopher dropped a tear.
”After all,” continued the visitor, ”after all, if a dev-if a gentleman wishes to wishes to live, live, he must have more talents than one or two; and with us a fat face is an evidence of diplomacy.” he must have more talents than one or two; and with us a fat face is an evidence of diplomacy.”
”How so?”
”Why we are sometimes exceedingly pushed for provisions. You must know that, in a climate so sultry as mine, it is frequently impossible to keep a spirit alive for more than two or three hours; and after death, unless pickled immediately (and a pickled spirit is not not good), they will-smell-you understand, eh? Putrefaction is always to be apprehended when the souls are consigned to us in the usual way.” good), they will-smell-you understand, eh? Putrefaction is always to be apprehended when the souls are consigned to us in the usual way.”
”Hiccup!-hiccup!-good G.o.d! how do do you manage?” you manage?”
Here the iron lamp commenced swinging with redoubled violence, and the Devil half started from his seat;-however, with a slight sigh, he recovered his composure, merely saying to our hero in a low tone: ”I tell you what, Pierre Bon-Bon, we must must have no more swearing.” have no more swearing.”
The host swallowed another b.u.mper, by way of denoting thorough comprehension and acquiescence, and the visitor continued: ”Why, there are several several ways of managing. The most of us starve: some put up with the pickle: for my part I purchase my spirits ways of managing. The most of us starve: some put up with the pickle: for my part I purchase my spirits vivent corpore, vivent corpore,az in which case I find they keep very well.” in which case I find they keep very well.”
”But the body!-hiccup!-the body!!”
”The body; the body-well, what of the body?-oh! ah! I perceive. Why, sir, the body is not at all at all affected by the transaction. I have made innumerable purchases of the kind in my day, and the parties never experienced any inconvenience. There were Cain and Nimrod, and Nero, and Caligula, and Dionysius, and Pisistratus, and-and a thousand others, who never knew what it was to have a soul during the latter part of their lives; yet, sir, these men adorned society. Why isn't there A--, now, whom you know as well as I? Is affected by the transaction. I have made innumerable purchases of the kind in my day, and the parties never experienced any inconvenience. There were Cain and Nimrod, and Nero, and Caligula, and Dionysius, and Pisistratus, and-and a thousand others, who never knew what it was to have a soul during the latter part of their lives; yet, sir, these men adorned society. Why isn't there A--, now, whom you know as well as I? Is he he not in possession of all his faculties, mental and corporeal? Who writes a keener epigram? Who reasons more wittily? Who-but, stay! I have his agreement in my pocket-book.” not in possession of all his faculties, mental and corporeal? Who writes a keener epigram? Who reasons more wittily? Who-but, stay! I have his agreement in my pocket-book.”
Thus saying, he produced a red leather wallet, and took from it a number of papers. Upon some of these Bon-Bon caught a glimpse of the letters Machi Machi-Maza-Robesp-with the words Caligula, George, Elizabeth. Caligula, George, Elizabeth.ba His Majesty selected a narrow slip of parchment, and from it read aloud the following words: His Majesty selected a narrow slip of parchment, and from it read aloud the following words: ”In consideration of certain mental endowments which it is unnecessary to specify, and in further consideration of one thousand louis d'or, I being aged one year and one month, do hereby make over to the bearer of this agreement all my right, t.i.tle, and appurtenance in the shadow called my soul. (Signed) A .....”bb (Here his Majesty repeated a name which I do not feel myself justified in indicating more unequivocally.) (Here his Majesty repeated a name which I do not feel myself justified in indicating more unequivocally.) ”A clever fellow that,” resumed he; ”but, like you, Monsieur Bon-Bon, he was mistaken about the soul. The soul a shadow, truly! The soul a shadow! Ha! ha! hal-he! he! he!-hu! hu! hu! Only think of a frica.s.seed shadow!”
”Only think-hiccup!-of a frica.s.seed shadow!” exclaimed our hero, whose faculties were becoming much illuminated by the profundity of his Majesty's discourse. think-hiccup!-of a frica.s.seed shadow!” exclaimed our hero, whose faculties were becoming much illuminated by the profundity of his Majesty's discourse.
”Only think of a-hiccup!-frica.s.seed shadow!! Now, damme!-hiccup!-humph! If I would have been such a-hiccup!-nincom p.o.o.p! My soul, My soul, Mr.-humph!” Mr.-humph!”
”Your soul, Monsieur Bon-Bon?” soul, Monsieur Bon-Bon?”
”Yes, sir-hiccup!-my soul is-” soul is-”
”What, sir?”
”No shadow, damme!”
”Did you mean to say--”
”Yes, sir, my my soul is-hiccup!-humph!-yes, sir.” soul is-hiccup!-humph!-yes, sir.”
”Did you not intend to a.s.sert--”
”My soul is-hiccup!-peculiarly qualified for-hiccup!-a--” soul is-hiccup!-peculiarly qualified for-hiccup!-a--”
”What, sir?”