Prometheus appeared a little tired. The waiter continued: A gratuitous act! Does this convey nothing to you?--To me it seems extraordinary. I thought for a long time that this was the one thing that distinguished man from the animals--a gratuitous act. I called man an animal capable of a gratuitous act;--and then afterwards I thought the contrary; that man is the only being incapable of acting gratuitously;--gratuitously! just think; without reason--yes, I hear--shall we say without motive; incapable! then this idea began to fidget me. I said to myself: why does he do this? why does he do that? ... and yet I am not a determinist ... but that reminds me of an anecdote: --I have a friend, my lord, you will hardly believe me, who he is a miglionaire. He is also intelligent. He said to himself: A gratuitous act? how to do it? And understand this does not only mean an act that brings no return.... No, but gratuitous: an act that has no motive. Do you understand? no interest, no passion, nothing. The act disinterested; born of itself; the act without aim, thus without master; the free act; the act Autochthon! --Hey? said Prometheus. --Listen well, said the waiter. My friend went out one morning, taking with him a bank-note of £20 in an envelope and a blow prepared in his hand. The point was to find somebody without choosing him. So he drops his handkerchief in the street, and, to the man who picks it up (evidently kindly since he picked it up), the miglionaire: --Pardon, sir, do you not know some one? The other:--Yes, several. The miglionaire: Then, sir, will you have the kindness to write his name on this envelope; here is a table, pens, and a pencil.... The other, good-naturedly, writes, then:--Now, sir, will you explain yourself...? The miglionaire replies: It is on principle; then (I forgot to tell you he is very strong) he strikes him with the blow he had in his hand; then calls a cab and disappears. Do you understand?--two gratuitous acts in one go! The bank-note of £20 sent to an address which he had not selected, and the blow given to a person who selected himself to pick up the handkerchief. No! but is it gratuitous enough? And the relation? I bet you have not seriously scrutinized the relationship; for, as the act is gratuitous, it is what we call here reversible: One receives £20 for a blow, and the other a blow for £20 ... then.... No one knows ... one is lost--think of it! A gratuitous act! There is nothing more demoralizing.--But my lord is beginning to be hungry; I beg his lordship’s pardon; I forget myself, I talk too much.... Will his lordship kindly give me his name,--so that I can introduce him.... --Prometheus, said Prometheus simply. --Prometheus! I was right, his lordship is a stranger here ... and his lordship’s occupation is...? --I do nothing, said Prometheus. --Oh! no. No, said the waiter with an ingratiating smile.--Only to see his lordship, one knows at once that he is a man with an occupation.