exhibit even greater power. You must continue in the path. Who knows what
you could do after years of self-denial, when a mere two weeks without
cigarettes have brought you this vision?

PERRON

And without coffee. Don't forget the café! And now that I am rich I shall
never go without it again. No, on the contrary, I shall have at least two,
and on a silver tray.

ALEXANDRE

Do you mean to say you really believe?--But it doesn't matter. Whether or
not the telegram came, the important fact is that you had the vision. It
is for this you must be grateful.

PERRON

Can a philosopher really be such a fool? Of course the telegram came! And
I am grateful!

ALEXANDRE

No. You are the most ungrateful of men. But why mention the telegram? What
matters is whether your vision arose from seeing the telegram or seeing
the telegraph boy? The philosophic truth is the same.

PERRON

Mon dieu! What difference does it make? But I swear I have the telegram,