Although Talleyrand said so, Arthur still felt that after losing this 83-year-old elder, the world seemed a bit less colorful. He regrettably said, "I respect your personal decision, but I still think that you might be leaving a bit too hastily."
"You think I am leaving in haste, but there are also many people who have told me that I have dragged it out too long," Talleyrand replied with a calm smile on his face. "Arthur, deciding to retire is actually not a difficult decision to make. The hard part is exiting gracefully at the right time. I believe that I have accomplished enough and can proudly announce like the philosophers: 'The furrow has been smoothed, the starlight has dimmed, the oriole's song has paused, the rose's fragrance has dispersed.'
