Neither was it without reason that Dickens, our great student of human nature, made of Quilp a twisted dwarf, and Stagg a blind man his most dangerous characters.

Some years ago I was well acquainted with a very decent man, a printer; he had lived for years beyond reproach; he was both a good workman, husband and father.

But he lost his right arm, the result of an accident at his work, and his character changed from that day.

He became morose, violent and cruel, and obsessed with altogether false ideas.

He could not reason as other men, and he became dangerous and explosive.