[9]
Thus in his own eyes, his person and all that depends on him are
inviolable; rather than tolerate the slightest infringement on his
prerogatives he will dare all and sacrifice all.[10] A sensitive pride
(orgueil exalt?) is the best of sentinels to protect a right; for, not
only does it mount guard over the right to preserve it, but, again,
and especially, for its own satisfaction; the imagination has
conceived a personality appropriate for his rank, and this character
the man imposes on himself as his role. Henceforth, he not only
forces the respect of others, but he respects himself; he possesses
the sentiment of honor, a generous self-esteem which makes him regard
himself as noble and incapable of doing anything mean. In
discriminating between his actions, he may err; fashion or vanity may
sometimes lead him too far, or lead him astray, either on the path of
recklessness or on that of puerility; his point of honor may be fixed
in the wrong direction. But, in sum, and thanks to this being a fixed
point, he will maintain himself erect even under an absolute monarchy,
under a Philip II. in Spain, under a Louis XIV. in France, under a
Frederick II.
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