205.懂得漠视的技巧
懂得漠视的技巧。想得到你想要的东西,最精明的方法就是:假装毫不在乎。踏破铁鞋无觅处,得来全不费工夫。世上万物都是永恒之物的影子,都有影子的性质——它们逃离追逐者,却也追逐逃离它们的人。漠视亦是一种最为精明的报复方法。智者不会用笔来为自己辩解,这已是永恒的法则。如果你提笔辩护,总会留下痕迹,与其说是惩罚对手,不如说是让他们出名。小人的招数就是出来和伟人作对,用卑鄙的手段出名,因为他们不能从正道出名。假如伟人漠视那些卑鄙之徒,也许他们会就此了无声息。没有任何报复能像漠视那样,可把那些小人掩埋在卑微的尘土之下。无耻之人妄图借烧毁他们时代的世界奇观得以永垂青史。还击他人诽谤的办法就是漠视。和流言相争,反而对自己不利——即便让人相信了我们的清白,依然还会引起怀疑,对我们的对手来说,也是一种满足。这一点污迹所造成的阴影,即使不能完全抹黑我们的名声,也会削弱我们的光芒。
205.Knowhowtoplaythecardofcontempt
Knowhowtoplaythecardofcontempt。Itisashrewdwayofgettingthingsyouwant,byaffectingtodepreciatethem:generallytheyarenottobehadwhensoughtfor,butfallintoone'shandswhenoneisnotlookingforthem。Asallmundanethingsarebutshadowsofthethingseternal,theysharewithshadowsthisquality,thattheyfleefromhimwhofollowsthemandfollowhimthatfleesfromthem。Contemptisthemostsubtleformofrevenge。Itisafixedrulewiththewisenevertodefendthemselveswiththepen。Forsuchdefencealwaysleavesastain,anddoesmoretoglorifyone'sopponentthantopunishhisoffence。Itisatrickoftheworthlesstostandforthasopponentsofgreatmen,soastowinnotorietybyaroundaboutway,whichtheywouldneverdobythestraightroadofmerit。Therearemanywewouldnothaveheardofiftheireminentopponentshadnottakennoticeofthem。Thereisnorevengelikeoblivion,throughwhichtheyareburiedinthedustoftheirunworthiness。Audaciouspersonshopetomakethemselveseternallyfamousbysettingfiretooneofthewondersoftheworldandoftheages。Theartofreprovingscandalistotakenonoticeofit,tocombatitdamagesourowncase;evenifcrediteditcausesdiscredit,andisasourceofsatisfactiontoouropponent,forthisshadowofastaindullsthelustreofourfameevenifitcannotaltogetherdeadenit。