Page:Novels of Honoré de Balzac Volume 23.djvu/115

 with the surprises of Comus, Comte, and De Bosco, and as jugglery, conjuring and what is known as entertaining physics. This talk in no way deterred old Minoret from keeping the appointment made by old Bouvard. After forty-four years of enmity, the two opponents met again under a gateway in the Rue Saint-Honoré. Frenchmen are too continually distracted to hate each other long. In Paris particularly, events enlarge space too much and by politics, literature and science make life too vast for men not to be able to find countries to conquer where their pretensions may reign at ease. Hatred requires so many forces ready armed, that one has to keep in touch with them when one tries to hate very long. Moreover the body only can have any recollection of it. After forty-four years, Robespierre and Danton would embrace each other. And yet, neither of the doctors offered his hand. Bouvard was the first to say to Minoret:

“You look wonderfully well.”

“Yes, not bad, and you?” replied Minoret once the ice was broken.

“I? Just as you see.”

“Has magnetism prevented you from dying?” asked Minoret in a pleasant tone, but without bitterness.

“No, but it nearly prevented my living.”

“Then you are not rich?” said Minoret.

“Bah!” said Bouvard.

“Well, I am rich,” cried Minoret.