It is not so easy to see, with regard to the interest of workers, what becomes of the income of Aristus.  If we were to trace it carefully, however, we should see that the whole of it, down to the last farthing, affords work to the labourers, as certainly as the fortune of Mondor.  Only there is this difference:  the wanton extravagance of Mondor is doomed to be constantly decreasing, and to come to an end without fail; whilst the wise expenditure of Aristus will go on increasing from year to year.  And if this is the case, then, most assuredly, the public interest will be in unison with morality.

Aristus spends upon himself and his household 20,000 francs a year.  If that is not sufficient to content him, he does not deserve to be called a wise man.  He is touched by the miseries which oppress the poorer classes; he thinks he is bound in conscience to afford them some relief, and therefore he devotes 10,000 francs to acts of benevolence.  Amongst the merchants, the manufacturers, and the agriculturists, he has friends who are suffering under temporary difficulties; he makes himself acquainted with their situation, that he may assist them with prudence and efficiency, and to this work he devotes 10,000 francs more.  Then he does not forget that he has daughters to portion, and sons for whose prospects it is his duty to provide, and therefore he considers it a duty to lay by and put out to interest 10,000 francs every year.

The following is a list of his expenses:—­

1st, Personal expenses 20,000 fr. 2nd, Benevolent objects 10,000 3rd, Offices of friendship 10,000 4th, Saving 10,000

Let us examine each of these items, and we shall see that not a single farthing escapes the national labour.

1st.  Personal expenses.—­These, as far as workpeople and tradesmen are concerned, have precisely the same effect as an equal sum spent by Mondor.  This is self-evident, therefore we shall say no more about it.

2nd.  Benevolent objects.—­The 10,000 francs devoted to this purpose benefit trade in an equal degree; they reach the butcher, the baker, the tailor, and the carpenter.  The only thing is, that the bread, the meat, and the clothing are not used by Aristus, but by those whom he has made his substitutes.  Now, this simple substitution of one consumer for another in no way affects trade in general.  It is all one, whether Aristus spends a crown or desires some unfortunate person to spend it instead.

3rd.  Offices of friendship.—­The friend to whom Aristus lends or gives 10,000 francs does not receive them to bury them; that would be against the hypothesis.  He uses them to pay for goods, or to discharge debts.  In the first case, trade is encouraged.  Will any one pretend to say that it gains more by Mondor’s purchase of a thoroughbred horse for 10,000 francs than by the purchase of 10,000 francs’ worth of stuffs by Aristus or his friend?  For if this sum serves to pay a debt, a third person appears, viz., the creditor, who will certainly employ them upon something in his trade, his household, or his farm.  He forms another medium between Aristus and the workmen.  The names only are changed, the expense remains, and also the encouragement to trade.