And later when he discovered that Voltaire was illegally reselling Prussian national debts, he merely laughed and said, 'Our philosopher friend here doesn't quite act like a philosopher when it comes to money,' before he swept the matter under the rug.
Talleyrand, slightly intoxicated, with a flush on his cheeks, said, "When I discovered Voltaire's experiences, I felt like I struck gold. As leaders of the Enlightenment movement, both were distinguished figures; why should I choose the life of hardship like Rousseau, instead of the pleasurable life of Voltaire? So, from that moment on, I decided to replicate the successful path of Voltaire. Of course, I don't have the talent for literary creation like Voltaire, so I had to work harder on this 'gift of gab'."
Arthur topped up Talleyrand's glass, "Looking at the results, your efforts with the 'gift of gab' were clearly very successful."
