Rousseau is so persuasive that Voltaire is almost convinced that he should burn his books, too. But while the two men are riding into the country, where they are going to dinner, they are attacked in the dark of the forest by a band of thieves, who strip them of everything, including most of their clothes.

``You must be a very learned man,'' says Voltaire to one of the bandits.

``A learned man?'' the bandit laughs in his face.

But Voltaire perseveres. He goes to the chief himself. ``At what university did you study?'' he asks. He refuses to believe that the bandit chief never attended a higher institution. ``To have become so corrupt,'' he says, ``surely you must have studied many arts and sciences.''

The chief, annoyed by these questions, knocks Voltaire down and shouts at him that he not only never went to any school, but never even learned how to read.

When finally the two bedraggled men reach their friend's home, Voltaire's fears are once again aroused. For it is such a distinguished place, with such fine works of art and such a big library, that there can be little doubt but that the owner has become depraved by all this culture.

To Voltaire's surprise, however, their host gives them fresh clothes to put on, opens his purse to lend them money and sits them down before a good dinner.

Immediately after dinner, however, Rousseau asks for still another favor. Could he have pen and paper, please? He is in a hurry to write another essay against culture.