Then I fled over meadows inland
and returned home after dark. Neither I nor anybody else was ever
associated with the affair, and the death of Job Trevose has always
been ascribed to misadventure--the easier to believe since he was
not a temperate man.
From this experience I won, not remorse, but manhood. I rejoiced in
what I had done. But I did not tell any living soul and only my wife
ever heard the truth. Time passed and I proceeded with my life in
normal fashion, learning myself and increasing my understanding of
human nature. I was never under any domination of passion, but
exercised great restraint and found that only by self-knowledge and
self-command comes power. I did not seek forbidden fruit, but did
not shun it. My life proceeded orderly; I chose the profession of
dentist, as being likely to introduce me to people of a more
interesting type than my father's acquaintance; and I kept an open
mind for myself, but a shut mind for others.
My chief joy at this season was represented by my occasional visits
to Italy with my mother.
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