Man’s effort can be intensified. Tityrus’ activity seemed to grow with
encouragement; his natural ingenuity caused him to think of other means
of employment. He set to work to furnish and decorate his house. The
suitable character of the hangings and the convenience of each object
were much admired. Industrious, he excelled in empiricism; he even made
a little hook to hang his sponges on the wall, which after four days he
found perfectly useless. Then Tityrus built another room by the side
of his room, where he could arrange the affairs of the nation; the two
rooms had the same entrance, to indicate that their interests were the
same; but because of the one entrance which supplied both rooms with
air, the two chimneys would not draw at the same time, so that when it
was cold and a fire was lighted in one, the other was full of smoke.
The days therefore that he wished for a fire, Tityrus was forced to
open his window.
As Tityrus protected everything and worked for the propagation of the
species, a time came when the slugs crawled on his garden paths in such
abundance that he did not know where to step for fear of crushing them
and finally resigned.
He invited a woman with a circulating library to come to the town, with
whom he opened a subscription. And as she was called Angèle he became
accustomed to go there every three days and pass his evenings with her.
And by this means Tityrus learnt metaphysics, algebra, and theodicy.
Tityrus and Angèle began to practise together successfully various
accomplishments, and Angèle showing particular taste for music, they
hired a grand piano upon which Angèle played the little tunes which
between times he composed for her.
Tityrus said to Angèle: So many occupations will kill me. I am at the
end of my tether; I feel that I am getting used up, these consolidated
interests intensify my scruples, and as my scruples grow greater I grow
less. What is to be done?
--Shall we go away? said Angèle to him.
--I cannot go: I have my oak.
--Suppose you were to leave it, said Angèle.
--Leave my oak! You don’t mean it!
--Is it not large enough now to grow alone?
--But I am attached to it.
--Become unattached, replied Angèle.
And a little while after, having realized strongly that after all,
occupations, responsibilities, and other scruples could hold him no
more than the oak, Tityrus smiled and went off, taking with him the
cash-box and Angèle, and towards the end of the day walked with her
down the boulevard which leads from the Madeleine to the Opéra.