Victor Hugo - The Man Who Laughs - Cosmopolitan University 2

tossed by the wind of the shadow, silent, pensive, solitary, who could
forbear to smile?
It was the sketch of a madman.
Thinking of Lord Clancharlie, of what he might have been and what he
was, a smile was indulgent; some laughed out aloud, others could not
restrain their anger. It is easy to understand that men of sense were
much shocked by the insolence implied by his isolation.
One extenuating circumstance: Lord Clancharlie had never had any brains.
Every one agreed on that point.
II.
It is disagreeable to see one's fellows practise obstinacy. Imitations
of Regulus are not popular, and public opinion holds them in some
derision. Stubborn people are like reproaches, and we have a right to
laugh at them.
Besides, to sum up, are these perversities, these rugged notches,
virtues? Is there not in these excessive advertisements of
self-abnegation and of honour a good deal of ostentation? It is all
parade more than anything else. Why such exaggeration of solitude and
exile? to carry nothing to extremes is the wise man's maxim. Be in
opposition if you choose, blame if you will, but decently, and crying
out all the while "Long live the King." The true virtue is common
sense--what falls ought to fall, what succeeds ought to succeed.
Providence acts advisedly, it crowns him who deserves the crown; do you
pretend to know better than Providence? When matters are settled--when
one rule has replaced another--when success is the scale in which truth
and falsehood are weighed, in one side the catastrophe, in the other
the triumph; then doubt is no longer possible, the honest man rallies to
the winning side, and although it may happen to serve his fortune and
his family, he does not allow himself to be influenced by that
consideration, but thinking only of the public weal, holds out his hand
heartily to the conqueror.
What would become of the state if no one consented to serve it? Would
not everything come to a standstill? To keep his place is the duty of a
good citizen. Learn to sacrifice your secret preferences. Appointments
must be filled, and some one must necessarily sacrifice himself. To be
faithful to public functions is true fidelity. The retirement of public
officials would paralyse the state. What! banish yourself!--how weak! As
an example?--what vanity! As a defiance?--what audacity! What do you set
yourself up to be, I wonder? Learn that we are just as good as you. If
we chose we too could be intractable and untameable and do worse things
than you; but we prefer to be sensible people. Because I am a
Trimalcion, you think that I could not be a Cato! What nonsense!