And yet he could not make up his mind to move, or to acknowledge that he had laboured in vain.

It was in vain, though, he said, as he looked out at the flowing river.

Had he gained a single advantage either for his thoughts or his deeds by all his study of philosophy?
In his weariness he said to himself that he had not; that he had been far better able to deal with questions of life, so long as he had only handled the exact sciences, than he was now, through all this uncertain saturation of foggy visions and contradictory speculations.

Questions of life--but did questions of life ever arise for him?
He had reduced it all to its simplest expression.

His little store of money was safely invested, and he drew the income four times a year.