the choir invisible-第42部分

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t。　No　man　can　look　me　in　the　eyes　and　say　I　ever　wronged　him　for　my　own　profit；　none　may　charge　that　I　have　smiled　on　him　in　order　to　use　him；　or　call　him　my　friend　that　I　might　make　him　do　for　me　the　work　of　a　servant。

〃Do　not　imagine　I　fail　to　realize　that　I　have　added　my　full　share　to　the　general　evil　of　the　world：　in　part　unconsciously；　in　part　against　my　conscious　will。　It　is　the　knowledge　of　this　influence　of　imperfection　forever　flowing　from　myself　to　all　others　that　has　taught　me　charity　with　all　the　wrongs　that　flow　from　others　toward　me。　As　I　have　clung　to　myself　despite　the　evil；　so　I　have　clung　to　the　world　despite　all　the　evil　that　is　in　the　world。　To　lose　faith　in　men；　not　humanity；　to　see　justice　go　down　and　not　believe　in　the　triumph　of　injustice；　for　every　wrong　that　you　weakly　deal　another　or　another　deals　you　to　love　more　and　more　the　fairness　and　beauty　of　what　is　right；　and　so　to　turn　with　ever…increasing　love　from　the　imperfection　that　is　in　us　all　to　the　Perfection　that　is　above　us　allthe　perfection　that　is　God：　this　is　one　of　the　ideals　of　actual　duty　that　you　once　said　were　to　be　as　candles　in　my　hand。　Many　a　time　this　candle　has　gone　out；　but　as　quickly　as　I　could　snatch　any　torchwith　your　sacred　name　on　my　lipsit　has　been　relighted。

〃My　candles　are　all　beginning　to　burn　low　now。　For　as　we　advance　far　on　into　life；　one　by　one　our　duties　end；　one　by　one　the　lights　go　out。　Not　much　ahead　of　me　now　must　lurk　the　great　mortal　changes；　coming　always　nearer；　always　faster。　As　they　approach；　I　look　less　to　my　candles；　more　toward　my　candles；　more　toward　my　lighthousesthose　distant　unfailing　beacons　that　cast　their　rays　over　the　stormy　sea　of　this　life　from　the　calm　ocean　of　the　Infinate。　I　know　this：　that　if　I　should　live　to　be　an　old　man；　my　duties　ended　and　my　candles　gone；　it　is　these　that　will　shine　in　upon　me　in　that　vacant　darkness。　And　I　have　this　belief：　that　if　we　did　but　recognize　them　aright；　these　ideals　at　the　close　of　life　would　become　one　with　the　ideals　of　youth。　We　lost　them　as　we　left　mortal　youth　behind；　we　regain　them　as　we　enter　upon　youth　immortal。

〃If　I　have　kept　unbroken　faith　with　any　of　mine；　thank　you。　And　thank　God！〃





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