"
"Aye, but that is a great and a heavenly consideration, that
longing for ability to do good," said he--and, as he said so, I
could not help remarking a certain derisive exultation of
expression which I could not comprehend; and indeed I have
noted this very often in my illustrious friend, and sometimes
mentioned it civilly to him, but he has never failed to disclaim it.
On this occasion I said nothing, but, concealing his poniard in my
clothes, I hasted up the mountain, determined to execute my
purpose before any misgivings should again visit me; and I never
had more ado than in keeping firm my resolution. I could not help
my thoughts, and there are certain trains and classes of thoughts
that have great power in enervating the mind. I thought of the
awful thing of plunging a fellow creature from the top of a cliff
into the dark and misty void below--of his being dashed to pieces
on the protruding rocks, and of hearing his shrieks as he
descended the cloud, and beheld the shagged points on which he
was to alight. Then I thought of plunging a soul so abruptly into
Hell, or, at the best, sending it to hover on the confines of that
burning abyss--of its appearance at the bar of the Almighty to
receive its sentence.
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