Good health means the triumph of the physical side of man
over the nervous. The healthy animal sleeps and eats too much. He does
not know the stimulus of pain. His normal condition is unaspiring--not
to say bovine. The first essential, therefore, of life, according to
our tenets, is to get rid of superfluous health."
Guy did not trust himself to speak this time. He only stared at his
companion, who seemed pleased to have evoked his interest.
"Directly the body is weakened," Henri continued, "the brain begins to
act. With the indisposition for physical effort comes activity of the
imagination. Cigarettes, drugs, our friend here," he continued, patting
the carafe, "late nights, _la belle passion_--all these--all these----"
He broke off in the middle of his sentence. Simultaneously he abandoned
his carefully chosen attitude of studied languor. He was leaning forward
in his chair watching a carriage which had just come into sight along
the straight wide road which led from the outside world to the chateau.
"The devil!" he exclaimed. "My respected uncle! Jacques!"
A man-servant stepped out upon the terrace.
"Monsieur!"
"Remove the absinthe, Jacques.
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