He questioned and answered himself; he glorified and insulted himself. One could hear him from the street monologuing in his hut. The passers-by, who have their own way of appreciating witty people, said: he is an idiot.

[Il s’interrogeait et se répondait ; il se glorifiait et s’insultait. On l’entendait de la rue monologuer dans sa cahute. Les passants, qui ont leur manière à eux d’apprécier les gens d’esprit, disaient : c’est un idiot.]

Victor Hugo (1802–1885) French writer, journalist, human rights activist, politician

The Man Who Laughs [L’Homme qui rit; The Laughing Man; By Order of the King], Part 1, Preliminary, ch. 1 (1.0.1) (1869) [tr. Lavelle (2003)]
    (Source)

(Source (French)). Other translations:

He questioned himself, answered himself, praised himself, blamed himself. You heard him in the street soliloquizing in his van. The passers-by, who have their own way of appreciating clever people, used to say, "He is an idiot."
[tr. Unknown (1869); Unknown, Authorized (1871)]

He questioned himself and answered himself; he glorified himself and insulted himself. He could be heard from the street, indulging in a monologue in his hut. The passers-by, who have their own way of appreciating men of wit, said, "he is an idiot."
[tr. Hapgood (1888)]

He questioned and answered himself; he glorified and insulted himself. He could be heard from the street talking to himself in his hut. The passers-by, who have their own way of appreciating clever people, said: "He's a fool."
[tr. Phillips (1894)]