"Rags rather!" And then more quickly, "But that is not all, nor the half.

Do you think Blondel, who is on the point, Blondel, who will and will not and on whom all must turn, Blondel the upright, the impeccable, the patriotic, without whom we can do nothing, and who, I tell you, hangs in the balance--do you think he likes it, blockhead?
Or is the more inclined to trust his life with us when he sees us brawlers, toss-pots, common swillers?
Do you think he on whom I am bringing to bear all the resources of this brain--this!"-- and again the big man tapped his forehead with tragic earnestness--"and whom you could as much move to side with us as you could move yonder peak of the Jura from its base--do you think he will deem better of our part for this ?" "Well, no." "No! No, a thousand times!" "But I count drunk the same as sober for that!" Grio cried, plucking up spirit and speaking with a gleam of defiance in his eye.

"For it is my opinion that you have no more chance of moving him than I have! And so to be plain you have it, Messer Basterga.

For how are you going to move him?
With what?
Tell me that!" "Ah!" "With money ?" Grio continued with a fluency which showed he spoke on a subject to which he had given much thought.

"He is rich and ten thousand crowns would not buy him.