Fables of nurses; bugaboo for children; Jehovah for men.
No; our to-morrow is the night.
Beyond the tomb there is nothing but equal nothingness.
You have been Sardanapalus, you have been Vincent de Paul--it makes no difference.
That is the truth.
Then live your life, above all things.
Make use of your _I_ while you have it.
In truth, Bishop, I tell you that I have a philosophy of my own, and I have my philosophers.
I don't let myself be taken in with that nonsense.
Of course, there must be something for those who are down,--for the barefooted beggars, knife-grinders, and miserable wretches.
Legends, chimeras, the soul, immortality, paradise, the stars, are provided for them to swallow. They gobble it down.
They spread it on their dry bread. He who has nothing else has the good.
God.
That is the least he can have.
I oppose no objection to that; but I reserve Monsieur Naigeon for myself.
The good God is good for the populace."
The Bishop clapped his hands.
"That's talking!" he exclaimed.
"What an excellent and really marvellous thing is this materialism!
Not every one who wants it can have it.