The Nuptial Flight 
the stronger. Necessity brings them to- 
gether, and compels them to help each other; 
but the secret wish of every individual is to 
harm his neighbour as soon as this-can be 
done without danger to himself. The one 
substantial pleasure of the village is pro- 
cured by the sorrows of others. Should a 
great disaster befall one of them, it will 
long be the subject of secret, delighted com- 
ment among the rest. Every man watches 
his fellow, is jealous of him, detests and 
despises him. While they are poor, they 
hate their masters with a boiling and pent- 
up hatred because of the harshness and 
avarice these last display; should they in 
their turn have servants, they profit by their 
own experience of servitude to reveal a 
harshness and avarice greater even than that 
from which they have suffered. Icould give 
you minutest details of the meanness, deceit, 
injustice, tyranny, and malice that underlie 
this picture of ethereal, peaceful toil. Do 
not imagine that the sight of this marvellous 
sky, of the sea which spreads yonder behind 
the church and presents another, more sen- 
sitive sky, flowing over the earth like a great 
273 s 
