Pagina 286 di 483

His words had a strange effect upon me. I compassionated him and

sometimes felt a wish to console him, but when I looked upon him,

when I saw the filthy mass that moved and talked, my heart

sickened and my feelings were altered to those of horror and

hatred. I tried to stifle these sensations; I thought that as I

could not sympathise with him, I had no right to withhold from

him the small portion of happiness which was yet in my power to

bestow.

"You swear," I said, "to be harmless; but have you not already

shown a degree of malice that should reasonably make me distrust

you? May not even this be a feint that will increase your triumph

by affording a wider scope for your revenge?"