They attribute great deeds to me, sometimes calumniating me, but I pay little attention to men, keeping ever on my way.

Such in brief is my story, a story of one of the judgments of men." Elias fell silent as he rowed along.
"I still believe that you are not wrong," murmured Crisostomo in a low voice, "when you say that justice should seek to do good by rewarding virtue and educating the criminals.

Only, it's impossible, Utopian! And where could be secured so much money, so many new employees ?" "For what, then, are the priests who proclaim their mission of peace and charity?
Is it more meritorious to moisten the head of a child with water, to give it salt to eat, than to awake in the benighted conscience of a criminal that spark which God has granted to every man to light him to his welfare?
Is it more humane to accompany a criminal to the scaffold than to lead him along the difficult path from vice to virtue?
Don't they also pay spies, executioners, civil-guards?
These things, besides being dirty, also cost money." "My friend, neither you nor I, although we may wish it, can accomplish this." "Alone, it is true, we are nothing, but take up the cause of the people, unite yourself with the people, be not heedless of their cries, set an example to the rest, spread the idea of what is called a fatherland!" "What the people ask for is impossible.

We must wait." "Wait! To wait means to suffer!" "If I should ask for it, the powers that be would laugh at me." "But if the people supported you ?" "Never! I will never be the one to lead the multitude to get by force what the government does not think proper to grant, no! If I should ever see that multitude armed I would place myself on the side of the government, for in such a mob I should not see my countrymen.

I desire the country's welfare, therefore I would build a schoolhouse.