Collected works > Edinburgh edition, 1894-98 - Works of Robert Louis Stevenson > Volume 7, 1895 - Tales and Fantasies, Volume II

THE CIGAR DIVAN
aptitudes and knowledge. By the defects of your
education you are more disqualified to be a working
man than to be the ruler of an empire. The gulf,
sir, is below ; and the true learned arts — those which
alone are safe from the competition of insurgent
laymen — are those which give his title to the artisan.'
' This is a very pompous fellow,' said Challoner in
the ear of his companion.
' He is immense,' said Somerset.
Just then the door of the divan was opened, and a
third young fellow made his appearance, and rather
bashfully requested some tobacco. He was younger
than the others ; and, in a somewhat meaningless
and altogether English way, he was a handsome lad.
When he had been served, and had lighted his pipe
and taken his place upon the sofa, he recalled him-
self to Challoner by the name of Desborough.
* Desborough, to be sure,' cried Challoner. * Well,
Desborough, and what do you do ? '
'The fact is,' said Desborough, 'that I am doing
nothing.'
' A private fortune possibly 1 ' inquired the other.
' Well, no,' replied Desborough, rather sulkily. ' The
fact is that I am waiting for something to turn up.'
' All *in the same boat ! ' cried Somerset. ' And
have you, too, one hundred pounds ? '
' Worse luck,' said Mr. Desborough.
'This is a very pathetic sight, Mr. Godall,' said
Somerset : ' three futiles.'
'A character of this crowded age,' returned the
salesman.
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