One may feel a certain indifference to the death penalty, one may refrain from pronouncing upon it, from saying yes or no, so long as one has not seen a guillotine with one's own eyes: but if one encounters one of them, the shock is violent; one is forced to decide, and to take part for or against.

Some admire it, like de Maistre; others execrate it, like Beccaria.

The guillotine is the concretion of the law; it is called vindicte; it is not neutral, and it does not permit you to remain neutral.

He who sees it shivers with the most mysterious of shivers.

All social problems erect their interrogation point around this chopping-knife.