Yes, a horrible deed, even though the mother's life,
and, what is more, her happiness, depends upon it! Why must it be so?
Nobody knows, but everybody loudly maintains that view, crying,
'Bravo!'" Sanine laughed sarcastically. "Oh! you men, you men! Men
create for themselves phantoms, shadows, illusions, and are the first
to suffer by them. But they all exclaim, 'Oh! Man is a masterpiece,
noblest of all; man is the crown, the King of creation;' but a king
that has never yet reigned, a suffering king that quakes at his own
shadow."
For a moment, Sanine paused.
"After all, that is not the main point. You say that it is a vile
thing. I don't know; perhaps it is. If Novikoff were to hear of your
trouble, it would grieve him terribly; in fact, he might shoot himself,
but yet he would love you, just the same. In that case, the blame would
be his. But if he were a really intelligent man, he would not attach
the slightest importance to the fact that you had already (excuse the
expression!) slept with somebody else. Neither your body nor your soul
have suffered thereby.
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