And with it all, when the
hour of enjoyment comes, he must insist on his mind being free;
expelling every preoccupation, nonchalantly accepting risks like a
youth, he must abandon himself to the hour. Let him practise
lightheartedness as though it were charity. Indeed, it is charity--to
his household, for instance. Ask his household.
He says:
"All this is very dangerous. My friends won't recognize me. I may go
too far. I may become an idler and a spendthrift."
Have no fear.
III - THE RISKS OF LIFE
I
By one of those coincidences for which destiny is sometimes
responsible, the two very opposite plain men whom I am going to write
about were most happily named Mr. Alpha and Mr. Omega; for, owing to a
difference of temperament, they stood far apart, at the extreme ends
of the scale.
In youth, of course, the differences between them was not fully
apparent; such differences seldom are fully apparent in youth. It
first made itself felt in a dramatic way, on the evening when Mr.
Alpha wanted to go to the theatre and Mr. Omega didn't. At this period
they were both young and both married, and the two couples shared a
flat together. Also, they were both getting on very well in their
careers, by which is meant that they both had spare cash to rattle in
the pockets of their admirably-creased trousers.
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