On my word of honour, they seem to have lost their senses! They talk of lifting the world, only they want a lever and something to rest it on.

It makes me die with laughter!" For ten minutes the count continued to discharge a volley of abuse and sarcasm against his best friends, without seeming to see that a great many of their foibles which he ridiculed were also a little his own.
"If," continued he more seriously,--"if they only possessed a little confidence in themselves, if they showed the least audacity! But no! they count upon others to do for them what they ought to do for themselves.

In short, their proceedings are a series of confessions of helplessness, of premature declarations of failure." The coffee having been served, the count made a sign, and the servants left the room.
"No," continued he, "I see but one hope for the French aristocracy, but one plank of salvation, one good little law, establishing the right of primogeniture." "You will never obtain it." "You think not?
Would you then oppose such a measure, viscount ?" Albert knew by experience what dangerous ground his father was approaching, and remained silent.
"Let us put it, then, that I dream of the impossible!" resumed the count.

"Then let the nobles do their duty.

Let all the younger sons and the daughters of our great families forego their rights, by giving up the entire patrimony to the first-born for five generations, contenting themselves each with a couple of thousand francs a year.