We entered the house, I picked out a good seat by the sitting room, for I never liked leaving the company of skirts for long . . .
*****
It all seems fine to me in its own fashion; and so, in the countryside I am happy in a country way, and in the city I am entertained in a city way.” They celebrated my answer as if it were a pronouncement worthy of Cato, and the lady continued the praise, saying, “Yes, indeed, the college boy is talented, though it would be more seemly if he weren’t so mischievous, from what Januario has told us.” Januario was a young man of eighteen or nineteen years—the lady’s nephew, my own classmate, and a great friend. I turned out as I did because he was such a joker and a tremendous rogue, and I never fell out of step with him, nor did I neglect to learn from his every lesson.
*****
But after all, he was my teacher and my most constant friend; and in carrying out these sacred duties, he did not neglect two things that concerned me deeply and that stood me in good stead throughout my life, and these were: to inspire me with his bad habits; and to divulge my gifts and my sobriquet, Periquillo Sarniento, the Mangy Parrot, everywhere; so that, thanks to his loving and active diligence, I have kept it through grammar school, through my study of philosophy, and into public life whenever possible. Tell me, my children, if it would not be ungrateful for me, in my life story, to neglect to name and profusely thank such a useful friend, such an effective teacher, the public crier of my glorious deeds; for all these titles were faithfully fulfilled by the great and meritorious Juan Largo.
*****
The reason we don’t always see them is that God keeps them far away, and only lets them into our sights when they need to portend the death of some king or other, the birth of some saint, or peace or war in some city, and that’s why we don’t see them every day; because God doesn’t make miracles unnecessarily.
*****
I was easily tamed by reason, for in reality the truth is sometimes so penetrating and well demonstrated that it gets into our heads despite our self-love. What poor wretches are those whose minds are so obtuse that they cannot grasp the most obvious truths! And even more wretched, those who are so obstinate that they close their eyes to keep from seeing the light! How little hope either type has of ever being tamed by reason!
*****
Here’s the thing: I got a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, so I’m a physicist. I detest my physics and all the physicists in the world, if they’re as pinheaded as I am. Damn my sins!
manwithoutqualities 