once said to a sword, "How is it that men always speak of you with respect, while they hardly make any mention of me?"

"Because," said the sword, "you skim over the surface, while I go deeper."

"Just so," said the razor, "and thereby do them more harm than ever I can."

"You are quite right," said the strop, who was of course an ally of the razor; "men always call those great that do them the largest amount of harm. The greater the evil, the greater the glory!"