For them and for their children is the curse.' 'God cannot punish the innocent for the guilty,' said the priest passionately.
'Surely not; for that is the punishment--that they are not innocent.

The children of the proud are proud; the children of the cruel, cruel; and the children of the dishonest are dishonest, unto the third and fourth generation.

Fight against it as they may, they cannot see the difference between right and wrong; they can only, by struggling, come _nearer_ to the light.

Do you call this unjust of God?
Is it unjust that the children of the mad are mad, and the children of the virtuous virtuous.' 'You take from us responsibility if we inherit sin.' 'Nay, I increase responsibility.

If we inherit obliquity of conscience, we are the more responsible for acting not as seems right in our own eyes, the more bound to restrain and instruct ourselves, for by this doctrine is laid upon us the responsibility of our children and children's children, that they may be better, not worse, than we.' All night long the curate paced up and down his room.