But it came to the same thing.

Was he never to know the joy of vigorous action ?--of asserting himself to some notable result?
He could do so now, if he chose.

In his hand were strings, which, if he liked to pull them, would topple down a goodly edifice, with uproar and dust and amazement indescribable: so slight an effort, so incommensurable an outcome! He had it in his power to shock the conventional propriety of a whole town, and doubtless, to some extent, of all England.

What a vast joke that would be--to look at no other aspect of the matter! The screamings of imbecile morality--the confusion of party zeal--the roaring of indignant pulpits! He laughed outright.
But no; of course it was only an amusing dream.

He was not malignant enough.