"I was born, on the contrary, with the most detestable instincts, with the germ of all vices." "Like Socrates ?" "Like Socrates, exactly.

And if my father had not chastised me in time, if my mother had not been a saint, finally, if I had not myself placed, with the utmost energy, my will at the service of my conscience, I would be to-day, a faithless and lawless scoundrel." "But nothing proves that you will not turn out a scoundrel one of these days, my dear friend.

There is no one but may become a scoundrel at the proper time.

Everything depends upon the extent and strength of the temptation.

Whatever may be your instinct of honor and dignity, are you yourself quite sure never to meet with a temptation sufficiently powerful to overcome your principles?
Can you not conceive, for instance, some circumstance in which you might love a woman enough to commit a crime ?" "No," said Lucan; "do you ?" "I!--I deserve no credit.