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. III