The
human soul in its desires follows a sort of arithmetical progression,
the end and origin of which are equally unknown. Just as the
opium-eater must constantly increase his doses in order to obtain the
same result, so our mind, imperious as it is weak, desires that
feeling, ideas and objects should go on ever increasing in size and in
intensity. Hence the necessity of cleverly distributing the interest
in a dramatic work, and of graduating doses in medicine. Thus you see,
if you always resort to the employment of means like these, that you
must accommodate such daring measures to many circumstances, and
success will always depend upon the motives to which you appeal.
And finally, have you influence, powerful friends, an important post?
The last means I shall suggest cuts to the root of the evil. Would you
have the power to send your wife's lover off by securing his
promotion, or his change of residence by an exchange, if he is a
military man? You cut off by this means all communication between
them; later on we will show you how to do it; for _sublata causa
tollitur effectus_,--Latin words which may be freely translated "there
is no effect without a cause."
Nevertheless, you feel that your wife may easily choose another lover;
but in addition to these preliminary expedients, you will always have
a blister ready, in order to gain time, and calculate how you may
bring the affair to an end by fresh devices.
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