Чума

           IlearnedthatIhadindirectlysupportedthedeathsofthousandsofmen,thatIhadevencausedtheirdeathsbyapprovingtheactionsandprinciplesthatinevitablyledtothem.Otherpeopledidnotseemtobebotheredbythis,oratleasttheydidnotspeakaboutitspontaneously.Butitstuckinmythroat.Iwaswiththem,yetIwasalone.WhenIdidhappentoexpressmymisgivings,theytoldmethatIhadtoconsiderwhatwasatstakeandoftengavemeimpressivereasonsforswallowingsomethingthatIcouldnotswallow.ButIrepliedthatthebigplaguesufferers,thosewhoweartheredrobes,alsohaveexcellentreasonsinsuchcases,andthatifIacceptedtheargumentsofforcemajeureandothernecessitiesputforwardbythelittleplaguesufferers,thenIcouldnotrejectthoseofthebigones.Theypointedouttomethatthebestwaytoprovetheredrobesrightwastoleavethemamonopolyoncondemnation.ButIdecidedthatifonegavewayonce,therewasnoreasontostop.ItseemsthathistoryhasshownthatIwasright;nowadaysit’safree-for-allinkilling.Theyareallcarriedawaybyafuryofkillingandcannotdootherwise.

           "Inanycase,mybusinesswasnotargument.Mybusinesswasthered-headedowl,thatdirtyoccasioninwhichdirty,plague-riddenmouthstoldamaninchainsthathewastodieandarrangedeverythingsothathewould,indeed,die,aftermanylongnightsofagonyinwhichhewaitedtobekilledwithhiseyesopen.Mybusinesswastheholeinthechest.