It is marvellous, I admit.

But the very definition puts me beyond your power." "Why ?" "Because there is not a human being alive, and I do not believe that a human being ever lived, who had the sense of independent individuality which I have.

Let a man have the very smallest doubt concerning his own independence--let that doubt be ever so transitory and produced by any accident whatsoever--and he is at your mercy." "And you are sure that no accident could shake your faith in yourself ?" "My consciousness of myself, you mean.No.I am not sure.

But, my dear Unorna, I am very careful in guarding against accidents of all sorts, for I have attempted to resuscitate a great many dead people and I have never succeeded, and I know that a false step on a slippery staircase may be quite as fatal as a teaspoonful of prussic acid--or an unrequited passion.

I avoid all these things and many others.