Having registered this vow against Fortune the wanderer came to the door of his friend, and lo! there sat Fortune, waiting on the threshold, whilst his friend slumbered within.

XIII

AN ANIMAL IN THE MOON

(Book VII.—­No. 18)

Whilst one philosopher tells us that men are constantly the dupes of their own senses, another will swear that the senses never deceive.  Both are right.  Philosophy truly affirms that the senses will deceive so long as men are content to take upon trust the evidence the senses bring.  But if this evidence is weighed, measured, and tested by every available resource of science the senses can deceive no one.

* * * * *

In England, not long ago, when a large telescope was levelled to observe the moon, the observer was astounded to see what he took to be some new animal in this lovely planet.  Everybody was excited about the marvellous appearance.  Something had occurred up above there which, without doubt, must betoken great changes of some sort.  Who could tell but that all the dreadful wars that were then convulsing Europe had not been caused by it?  The king, who patronised the sciences, hastened to the observatory to see the sight, and see it he did.  There was the monster right enough!

And what was it after all?—­Nothing but a poor little mouse that had by some unlucky chance got in between the lenses of the telescope.  Here was the cause of all the devastating wars!  Everybody laughed....

XIV

THE FORTUNE-TELLERS

(Book VII.—­No. 15)

Reputations may be made by the merest chances, and yet reputations control the fashions.  That is a little prologue that would fit the case of all sorts of people.  Everywhere around one sees prejudices, scheming, and obtuseness; but little or no justice.  Nothing can be done to stem this torrent of evil.  It must run its course.  It always has been and always will be.

A woman in Paris once made it her profession to tell fortunes.  She became very popular and had great success.  Did anybody lose a bit of finery; had any one a sweetheart; had any wife a husband she was tired of; any husband a jealous wife, to the prophetess such would run simply to be told the thing that it was comforting to hear.

The stock-in-trade of this fortune-teller consisted merely of a convincing manner, a few words of scientific jargon, a great deal of impudence, and much good luck.  All these things together so impressed the people that as often as not they would cry, “Miraculous!” In short, although the woman’s ignorance was quite twenty-three carat she passed for a veritable oracle.

Notwithstanding the fact that this oracle only lived in a garret, she found so many ready to pay her well for her shams that she soon grew rich enough to improve the position of her husband, to rent an office, and buy a house.