Conscience -- Volume 1

home early, but she cleared off the table,

ains of the chicken," she sai

aw that she had thought not only of his breakfast for the fol

heart you h

think of th

tenderness and

uld do somet

of use to him, and that his experiments might be rudely interrupted the next morning or in a few days, was not a sufficient reason for being idle. He had work to do, and he

pain, by preoccupation or by misery. In the street he could think of Phillis, be he hungry or sleepy; at his desk

of which he boasted; for although he knew that he had others

uch as I wish. My will never

aw upon his memory for certain facts, he found that it did not obey him as usual; there were a hesitation, a fogginess, above all, extraordinary w

ormal state, and his will o

him mechanically from time to time. The name w

ly spoken, and to which he had attached no importance at the moment

not s

man, even as wicked as this one, and yet, in talking of it, he foun

lis herself

e his executor, but this was the scruple of a simple conscience, for

erest of so much a hundred on a dot, advised him to hasten the death o

e mad to pursue this idea; then immediately, to get rid of it, he set to wor

not control his will, he t

ll the difficulties against which he had struggled, and which would overwhelm him,

no more creditors.

lm spirit that the fever of material troubles would not d

lture-tubes were not broken; his vases, his balloons, were not at the second-hand dealer's. He continued this train of thought to the resul

tion was

side,

side, humanit

ty deaths, and who would, anyho

would profit by a discovery o

stood out on his hands, and

the possibility of which he admitted? Or fr

think about it,

igent men, before engaging in a

ie's death h

ntrary, everyt

ruples, or Brigard's belie

m, would he not be

ld he shrink? Wh

en they came to a decision on good grounds. It was before that they

, in which their hand is plainly seen. As for him, he was a man of science and precision, and he would not compromise himself by act or sentiment; there would be nothing to fear during the action, and nothing afterward. Caffie st

was inundated by perspira

e fire had long since gone out; out-of-doors the street noises had ceased, and i

made men, the successful men, who have not left some corpses on the road behind them

work, than to make a way by blows; but he had not chosen this road, he was thrown into it by circumstances, by fate, and whoever wish

on, undoubtedly. Robber! The word was yet more vile than that of assassin. But who would miss the few banknotes that he would take from the safe? T

and he was angry with himself for being so nervous,

d a man dressed like a

rdon for distu

do you

wife, if you will be so g

he matter

The nurse does not know what t

e tell you to

sent me to D

el

up on account of his bronchitis. An

is r

onest man, but we are not rich;

nd. Wait a

llowed the laborer, who, on the wa

Saniel asked, interrup

la Cor

a room that was perfectly clean, in spite of its poverty. As soon as Saniel e

child

es

well; let

e a careful examination of th

to die. Save

ve you," he said, very

rom the bed and

ave the mother is

mained a long time with the patient. When he reached the street a neighboring c

ill this child, who had, perhaps, sixty or seventy years of happy life before it, and he hesitated at the death of Caffie, to whom remained only a miserable existence of a

object that glittered in the glare of the gas. He approached it, and found that it was a bu

en looking all about him, and seeing no one in the deserted street, and

fate wa

ITOR'S B

es as one may be, one

nt as a s

self is strength, bu

s a bad weig

n affair of environm

y to make myself

e last word of the

e virtue of work

persons ha

own something who w

id not lose my fri

for light reading, a

nciple was never

as never disturbed or

e the deed,

onscience is the prop