The Seven Pillars

Оглавление

Wenceslao Fernández-Flórez. The Seven Pillars

The Seven Pillars

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

PROLOGUE

In which Satan acts with results apparent only in. the second part of this Book

PART I

1

In which Humanity begins to file before us

II

In which Big Business is presented and a young. man of exemplary conduct appears

III

Which relates to a conversation in Adriana’s. dressing-room

IV

Which treats of a humble life and of a punch without. lemon

V

In which twenty fat men are seated at table

VI

In which, although there are many serious events, the. chief personality is a worm

VII

In which the Devil decides on the most important act of. his career

PART II

I

Thanks to which, the reader can peep into the coffers of. Theophilus Alp and the stomach of Truffe

II

In which Olivan refused a throne, and contented himself. with a post

III

Which contains more subjects than an epitaph could hold

IV

In which there is described the portent that love must listen. to Reason

V

The Seven Pillars

Отрывок из книги

Wenceslao Fernández-Flórez

Published by Good Press, 2021

.....

Next, a thin solemn man, dressed in black, came to the front of the balcony and made a speech to the children. It was Theophilus Alp, the founder and director of the Savings Bank. His dreary voice was heard at every public function, preaching the benefits of saving. What was he up to now? He congratulated the children rescued by Granmont from misery and poverty, and urged them to open a Savings Bank account with the twenty-five pesetas which the magnate had given to each of them.

“Save,” he shouted, “and show that you are civilised beings. A civilised man is distinguished from everyone else by the fact that he saves. The savage never saves; he lives for the day and takes no thought for the future. If you will get in the habit of saving from your infancy, you will have gone a long way towards being useful to your country and to yourselves. A famous author has said, ‘Saving is the elementary school of capitalism.’ ”

.....