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- Yes, yes; there is a ruling Fate!
- On that we mortals may rely;
- and 'tis a comfortable knowledge.
MONSIEUR BALLON
- And so the matter ended, eh?
PEER
- Oh no, far otherwise I found it;
- for busy-bodies mixed themselves,
- with furious outcries, in the business.
- The juniors of the clan were worst;
- with seven of them I fought a duel.
- That time I never shall forget,
- though I came through it all in safety.
- It cost me blood; but that same blood
- attests the value of my person,
- and points encouragingly towards
- the wise control of Fate aforesaid.
VON EBERKOPF
- Your outlook on the course of life
- exalts you to the rank of thinker.
- Whilst the mere commonplace empiric
- sees separately the scattered scenes,
- and to the last goes groping on,
- you in one glance can focus all things.
- One norm to all things you apply.
- You point each random rule of life,
- till one and all diverge like rays
- from one full-orbed philosophy.-
- And you have never been to college?
PEER
- I am, as I've already said,
- exclusi
