Forestier stopped him: "Don't do it, for you can earn ten thousandfrancs. You will ruin your prospects at once. In your office atleast no one knows you; you can leave it if you wish to at any time.But when you are once a riding-master all will be over. You might aswell be a butler in a home to which all Paris comes to dine. Whenyou have given riding lessons to men of the world or to their sons,they will no longer consider you their equal."

He paused, reflected several seconds and then asked:

"Are you a bachelor?"

"Yes, though I have been smitten several times."

"That makes no difference. If Cicero and Tiberius were mentionedwould you know who they were?"

"Yes."

"Good, no one knows any more except about a score of fools. It isnot difficult to pass for being learned. The secret is not to betrayyour ignorance. Just maneuver, avoid the quicksands and obstacles,and the rest can be found in a dictionary."

He spoke like one who comprehended human nature, and he smiled as thecrowd passed them by. Suddenly he began to cough and stopped toallow the paroxysm to spend itself; then he exclaimed in a discouragedtone:

"Isn't it tiresome not to be able to get rid of this bronchitis? Andhere is midsummer! This winter I shall go to Mentone. Health beforeeverything."