Dans cette soirée décisive, je n’avais pas besoin de son esprit ; il fallait seulement qu’il écrivît sous ma dictée, il n’avait qu’à écrire ce mot, que j’avais obtenu par mon caractère : ses habitudes de bas courtisan l’ont emporté.
On that decisive evening, I had no need of his cleverness; he had only to write down what I dictated to him, he had only to write those words which I had obtained by my own strength of character: he was led away by force of habit as a base courtier.