A sound creed and a bad morality,
that's the root of wisdom. You two gentlemen are too good to be
forgiving.'
'The paradox is somewhat forced,' said Gotthold.
'Pardon me, Colonel,' said the Prince; 'I readily acquit you of any
design of offence, but your words bite like satire. Is this a time,
do you think, when I can wish to hear myself called good, now that I
am paying the penalty (and am willing like yourself to think it
just) of my prolonged misconduct?'
'O, pardon me!' cried the Colonel. 'You have never been expelled
from the divinity hall; you have never been broke. I was: broke for
a neglect of military duty. To tell you the open truth, your
Highness, I was the worse of drink; it's a thing I never do now,' he
added, taking out his glass. 'But a man, you see, who has really
tasted the defects of his own character, as I have, and has come to
regard himself as a kind of blind teetotum knocking about life,
begins to learn a very different view about forgiveness. I will
talk of not forgiving others, sir, when I have made out to forgive
myself, and not before; and the date is like to be a long one. My
father, the Reverend Alexander Gordon, was a good man, and damned
hard upon others. I am what they call a bad one, and that is just
the difference. The man who cannot forgive any mortal thing is a
green hand in life.'
'And yet I have heard of you, Colonel, as a duellist,' said
Gotthold.
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