"
"The festal time of life!" said Sigmund; and after a pause, raising the
glass to his lips, he added:
"Gone, gone!"
"You have no cause to complain," said Wolf consolingly; "youth is past,
but you have used it well. A great name in science, an honourable
position, comfortable circumstances----"
Sigmund smiled sorrowfully and pointed to his bald head.
"Yes, my friend," cried Wolf, "we must make no unreasonable demands on
life. Luxuriant locks, and a well-paid professorship, teeth and
celebrity, youth and orders, prosperity, successes of all kinds, these
we cannot have unless we are born to royal rank."
"When we consider how much we strive and how little we attain! What we
dream, and to what realities we waken."
"Sigmund, you are unjust. Thirteen years ago did you imagine, in your
boldest expectations, more than you have now attained?"
"Perhaps not. But, to have it afford me pleasure, I ought to have
attained it immediately after that time."
"Of course we are more weary when we reach the goal than at the start."
"But this weariness very materially diminishes our pleasure in having
reached it.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219