I should like to have written that, and I did try, but I couldn't. I
didn't quite like the last line, and tried to mend it, but I
couldn't."
I fancied I could see traces of bitterness against the instructors
of his youth in Ernest's manner, and said something to this effect.
"Oh, no," he replied, still laughing, "no more than St. Anthony felt
towards the devils who had tempted him, when he met some of them
casually a hundred or a couple of hundred years afterwards. Of
course he knew they were devils, but that was all right enough;
there must be devils. St. Anthony probably liked these devils better
than most others, and for old acquaintance sake showed them as much
indulgence as was compatible with decorum.
"Besides, you know," he added, "St. Anthony tempted the devils quite
as much as they tempted him; for his peculiar sanctity was a greater
temptation to tempt him than they could stand. Strictly speaking, it
was the devils who were the more to be pitied, for they were led up by
St. Anthony to be tempted and fell, whereas St. Anthony did not
fall. I believe I was a disagreeable and unintelligible boy, and if
ever I meet Skinner there is no one whom I would shake hands with,
or do a good turn to more readily.
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