Epicureans.
As Fouquet was giving, or appearing to give, all his attention to the brilliant illuminations, the languishing music of the violins and hautboys, the sparkling sheaves of the artificial fires, which, inflaming the heavens with glowing reflections, marked behind the trees the dark profile of the donjon of Vincennes; as, we say, the superintendent was smiling on the ladies and the poets, the _fete_ was every whit as gay as usual; and Vatel, whose restless, even jealous look, earnestly consulted the aspect of Fouquet, did not appear dissatisfied with the welcome given to the ordering of the evening's entertainment. The fireworks over, the company dispersed about the gardens and beneath the marble porticoes with the delightful liberty which reveals in the master of the house so much forgetfulness of greatness, so much courteous hospitality, so much magnificent carelessness. The poets wandered about, arm in arm, through the groves; some reclined upon beds of moss, to the great damage of velvet clothes and curled heads, into which little dried leaves and blades of grass insinuated themselves. The ladies, in small numbers, listened to the songs of the singers and the verses of the poets; others listened to the prose, spoken with much art, by men who were neither actors nor poets, but to whom youth and solitude gave an unaccustomed eloquence, which appeared to them better than everything else in the world. "Why," said La Fontaine, "does not our master Epicurus descend into the garden? Epicurus never abandoned his pupils; the master is wrong."
"Monsieur," said Conrart, "you yourself are in the wrong persisting in decorating yourself with the name of an Epicurean; indeed, nothing here reminds me of the doctrine of the philosopher of Gargetta."
"Bah!" said La Fontaine, "is it not written that Epicurus purchased a large garden and lived in it tranquilly with his friends?"
"That is true."
"Well, has not M. Fouquet purchased a large garden at Saint-Mande, and do we not live here very tranquilly with him and his friends?"
"Yes, without doubt; unfortunately it is neither the garden nor the friends which constitute the resemblance. Now, what likeness is there between the doctrine of Epicurus and that of M. Fouquet?"
"This - pleasure gives happiness."
"Next?"
"Well, I do not think we ought to consider ourselves unfortunate, for my part, at least. A good repast - _vin de Joigny_, which they have the delicacy to go and fetch for me from my favorite _cabaret_ - not one impertinence heard during a supper an hour long, in spite of the presence of ten millionaires and twenty poets."
"I stop you there. You mentioned _vin de Joigny_, and a good repast; do you persist in that?"
"I persist, - _anteco_, as they say at Port Royal."
"Then please to recollect that the great Epicurus lived, and made his pupils live, upon bread, vegetables, and water."
"That is not certain," said La Fontaine; "and you appear to me to be confounding Epicurus with Pythagoras, my dear Conrart."
"Remember, likewise, that the ancient philosopher was rather a bad friend of the gods and the magistrates."
"Oh! that is what I will not admit," replied La Fontaine. "Epicurus was like M. Fouquet."
"Do not compare him to monsieur le surintendant," said Conrart, in an agitated voice, "or you would accredit the reports which are circulating concerning him and us."
"What reports?"
"That we are bad Frenchmen, lukewarm with regard to the king, deaf to the law."
"I return, then, to my text," said La Fontaine. "Listen, Conrart, this is the morality of Epicurus, whom, besides, I consider, if I must tell you so, as a myth. Antiquity is mostly mythical. Jupiter, if we give a little attention to it, is life. Alcides is strength. The words are there to bear me out; Zeus, that is, _zen_, to live. Alcides, that is, _alce_, vigor. Well, Epicurus, that is mild watchfulness, that is protection; now who watches better over the state, or who protects individuals better than M. Fouquet does?"
"You talk etymology and not morality; I say that we modern Epicureans are indifferent citizens."
"Oh!" cried La Fontaine," if we become bad citizens, it is not through following the maxims of our master. Listen to one of his principal aphorisms."
"I - will."
"Pray for good leaders."
"Well?"
"Well! what does M. Fouquet say to us every day? 'When shall we be governed?' Does he say so? Come, Conrart, be frank."
"He says so, that is true."
"Well, that is a doctrine of Epicurus."
"Yes; but that is a little seditious, observe."