_Countess_: Apropos, I have forgotten to ask your opinion upon a matter
which I read yesterday in a story by these good Mohammedans, which much
struck me. Hassan, son of Ali, being bathing, one of his slaves threw
over him by accident some boiling water. His servants wished to impale
the culprit. Hassan, instead, gave him twenty pieces of gold. "There
is," said he, "a degree of glory in Paradise for those who repay
services, a greater one for those who forgive evil, and a still greater
one for those who recompense involuntary evil." What think you of his
action and his speech?
_The Count_: I recognise there my good Moslems of the first ages.
_Abbe_: And I, my good Christians.
_M. Freret_: And I am sorry that the scalded Hassan, son of Ali, should
have given twenty pieces of gold in order to have glory in Paradise. I
do not like interested fine actions. I should have wished that Hassan
had been sufficiently virtuous and humane to have consoled the despair
of the slave without even dreaming of being placed in the third rank in
Paradise.--_Le Diner du Comte de Boulainvilliers_.