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In your anxiety to get all the juice you can out of a sin, you make
a man repent of it in three or four different ways. For instance, you
found fault with me for lying to that tramp, and I suffered over that.
But it was only yesterday that I told a tramp the square truth, to wit,
that, it being regarded as bad citizenship to encourage vagrancy, I
would give him nothing. What did you do then: Why, you made me say to
myself, 'Ah, it would have been so much kinder and more blameless to
ease him off with a little white lie, and send him away feeling that if
he could not have bread, the gentle treatment was at least something to
be grateful for!' Well, I suffered all day about that. Three days before
I had fed a tramp, and fed him freely, supposing it a virtuous act.
Straight off you said, 'Oh, false citizen, to have fed a tramp!' and I
suffered as usual. I gave a tramp work; you objected to it--after the
contract was made, of course; you never speak up beforehand. Next, I
refused a tramp work; you objected to that. Next, I proposed to kill a
tramp; you kept me awake all night, oozing remorse at every pore. Sure
I was going to be right this time, I sent the next tramp away with my
benediction; and I wish you may live as long as I do, if you didn't make
me smart all night again because I didn't kill him. Is there any way of
satisfying that malignant invention which is called a conscience?"
"
"
"
Ha, ha! this is luxury! Go on!"
But come, now, answer me that question. Is there any way?"
Well, none that I propose to tell you, my son. Ass! I don't care what
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