Fate seemed to determine that the smallest accidents in his life should combine to urge him into a career, which the terrible sphinx of the Maison Vauquer had described as a field of battle where you must either slay or be slain, and cheat to avoid being cheated. You leave your conscience and your heart at the barriers, and wear a mask on entering into this game of grim earnest, where, as in ancient Sparta, you must snatch your prize without being detected if you would deserve the crown.
Hala, halako fatalitate-suerte batengatik, haren bizitzako gertakaririk xumeenak elkartu ziren urratu beharra zuen bide horretarat bultzatzeko, non, Maison-Vauquereko esfinge beldurgarriaren arabera, beharrezkoa izanen baitzuen, gudu-zelai batean bezala, hilaraztea hila ez izateko, trunparaztea trunpatua ez izateko; non mugan beharko baitzuen bere kontzientzia, bere bihotza utzi, mozorro bat jantzi, gizonez urrikaldu gabe jokatu, eta, Lazedemoniok bezala, inork ikusi gabe bere fortuna hartu, koroaren merezient izatekotz.