“One night we stopped in Paris to sleep, as it had now indeed become our constant habit.  The servant-maid who on such occasions remained alone at Chaillot, came early the next morning to inform me that our house had taken fire in the night, and that the flames had been extinguished with great difficulty.  I asked whether the furniture had suffered.  She answered, that there had been such confusion, owing to the multitude of strangers who came to offer assistance, that she could hardly ascertain what damage had been done.  I was principally uneasy about our money, which had been locked up in a little box.  I went off in haste to Chaillot.  Vain hope! the box had disappeared!

“I discovered that one could love money without being a miser.  This loss afflicted me to such a degree that I was almost out of my mind.  I saw at one glance to what new calamities I should be exposed:  poverty was the least of them.  I knew Manon thoroughly; I had already had abundant proof that, although faithful and attached to me under happier circumstances, she could not be depended upon in want:  pleasure and plenty she loved too well to sacrifice them for my sake. `I shall lose her!’ I cried; `miserable chevalier! you are about then to lose all that you love on earth!’ This thought agitated me to such a degree that I actually for some moments considered whether it would not be best for me to end at once all my miseries by death.  I however preserved presence of mind enough to reflect whether I was entirely without resource, and an idea occurred to me which quieted my despair.  It would not be impossible, I thought, to conceal our loss from Manon; and I might perhaps discover some ways and means of supplying her, so as to ward off the inconveniences of poverty.

“I had calculated in endeavouring to comfort myself, that twenty thousand crowns would support us for ten years.  Suppose that these ten years had now elapsed, and that none of the events which I had looked for in my family had occurred.  What then would have been my course?  I hardly know; but whatever I should then have done, why may I not do now?  How many are there in Paris, who have neither my talents, nor the natural advantages I possess, and who, notwithstanding, owe their support to the exercise of their talents, such as they are?

“`Has not Providence,’ I added, while reflecting on the different conditions of life, `arranged things wisely?’ The greater number of the powerful and the rich are fools.  No one who knows anything of the world can doubt that.  How admirable is the compensating justice thereof!  If wealth brought with it talent also, the rich would be too happy, and other men too wretched.  To these latter are given personal advantages and genius, to help them out of misery and want.  Some of them share the riches of the wealthy by administering to their pleasures, or by making them their dupes; others afford them instruction, and endeavour to make them decent members of society; to be sure, they do not always succeed; but that was probably not the intention of the divine wisdom.  In every case they derive a benefit from their labours by living at the expense of their pupils; and, in whatever point of view it is considered, the follies of the rich are a bountiful source of revenue to the humbler classes.