“I think so too,” said M. Bergeret, “and I believe that they’ll soon be shouting ‘_Conspuez Bergeret!_’ Pecus is fed on ancient ideas, and his aptitude for error is considerable. Feeling himself incapable of bringing reason to bear upon hereditary prejudices, he prudently sticks to the heritage of nursery tales, handed down by his forefathers. This particular kind of wisdom preserves him from errors that would otherwise do him harm. He keeps to the old and tried errors. He is imitative, and would be more so, were it not that he involuntarily deforms everything he imitates, such deformations going by the name of progress. Pecus never thinks, and it is unjust to say that he deceives himself. To his unhappiness, be it said, everything combines to deceive him. He knows not the meaning of doubt, for doubt springs from thought. Yet his ideas are ever changing, and at times his stupidity turns to violence. He excels in nothing, for everything that is in any way excellent flies before him, and ceases to be his. He wanders and languishes and suffers. We must give him deep, sorrowful sympathy; we must even venerate him, for it is from him that all virtue, all beauty, and all human glory spring. Poor Pecus!” As M. Bergeret was pronouncing these words, a stone came hurtling through the window and fell upon the floor. “There is an argument!” said the rector, picking up the stone. “And rhomboid in shape,” said M. Bergeret. “It bears no inscription,” said the rector. “That is a pity!” answered M. Bergeret. “Commander Aspertini found at Modena some sling stones used by the soldiers of Hirtius and of Pansa against the followers of Octavius, in the year 43 B.C. These stones bore inscriptions, indicating whom they were intended to strike. M. Aspertini showed me one destined for Livy. I leave you to guess in what form the soldier’s humour couched the terms of the inscription.” His voice was drowned at this point by cries of “_Conspuez Bergeret! Mort aux juifs!_” which rose from the square. Taking the stone from the hands of the rector, M. Bergeret placed it upon his table to serve as a letter-weight, and as soon as he could hear himself speak, went on with his remarks: “Horrible cruelties were committed after the defeat of the two consuls at Modena. It cannot be denied that society has improved since then.” The crowd went on yelling, however, and Riquet replied to it with heroic barks. CHAPTER XIII