ce. Something had
ever to be learnt, something ever to be done, which none other could
do, and he only felt happy in the task of increasing the difference
between that which he could do, and that which the others could, so
that none could be even distantly compared to him.

The education of ambitious minds, determined to render subject to
themselves the sleepy mediocrity found in other schools, was ever a
principal object of the Order, and this result of education had been
brilliantly attained in Paul. He could be named a pattern scholar of
the Institution.

If on the one side the self-consciousness of the young man had been
excited to a degree verging on presumption, so on the other side had
the moral nature been rendered slavishly subservient. The Fathers
of the Society had based the education of their pupils on the
psychologically thoroughly correct idea that nothing brings man down to
such unconditional dependence as consciousness: the superiors know thy
whole past, they know all thy errors, thy secret inclinations and sins,
thou art absolutely transparent to them. The first thing therefore that
had been required of Paul as indeed of every other pupil on his entry
into College, was a general confession, in which he had to mention not
only his faults but his preferences. With a child's hand and with his
hot southern phantasy had he noted down all his vices, and owing to the
mental excitement caused by the death of his sister and his beloved
mother, the despairing boy had portrayed himself as a young miscreant.
The Rector praised his candor and the severity with which he judged
himself and recommended him one of the teachers of the establishment as
confessor and spiritual guide. He then learnt from his school-mates,
that the secret of the confessional usually observed so strictly did
not avail in the College, but that according to the revelations made
the confessor drew up his report to the Rector. He was henceforth
called upon for a daily record of his actions, thoughts, and feelings,
and a strict watch was observed as to whether a pupil kept back or
omitted anything. At the same time an especial monitor was appointed
over each individually, whose duty it was to watch, reprove, or
denounce. This system was all the more pernicious as regarded the
relation of the boys one towards another, as the accused was allowed to
escape unpunished, if he could manage to prove the accuser guilty of
the same misdemeanor, whilst if