apartment, the weak
health of your unequalled wife, your obscurity, your misfortunes; when I
look upon these, and contrast them with your mind, your talents, and all
that you were born and fitted for, I cannot but feel tempted to believe
with those who imagine the pursuit of virtue a chimera, and who justify
their own worldly policy by the example of all their kind."

"Virtue," said Glendower, "would indeed be a chimera, did it require
support from those whom you have cited."

"True,--most true," answered Crauford, somewhat disconcerted in reality,
though not in appearance; "and yet, strange as it may seem, I have known
some of those persons very good, admirably good men. They were extremely
moral and religious: they only played the great game for worldly
advantage upon the same terms as the other players; nay, they never made
a move in it without most fervently and sincerely praying for divine
assistance."

"I readily believe you," said Glendower, who always, if possible,
avoided a controversy: "the easiest person to deceive is one's own
self."

"Admirably said," answered Crauford, who thought it nevertheless one of
the most foolish observations he had ever heard, "admirably said! and
yet my heart does grieve bitterly for the trials and distresses it
surveys. One must make excuses for poor human frailty; and one is often
placed in such circumstances as to render it scarcely possible without
the grace of God" (here Crauford lifted up his eyes) "not to be urged,
as it were, into the reasonings and actions of the world."

Not exactly comprehending this observation, and not very closely
attending to it, Glendower merely bowed, as in assent, and Crauford
continued,--

"I remember a remarkable instance of this truth. One of my partner's
clerks had, through misfortune or imprudence, fallen into the greatest
distress. His wife, his children (he had a numerous family), were on
the literal and absolute verge of starvation. Another clerk, taking
advantage of these circumstances, communicated to the distressed man
a plan for defrauding his employer. The poor fellow yielded to the
temptation, and was at last discovered. I spoke to him myself, for I
was interested in his fate, and had always esteemed him. 'What,' said
I, 'was your motive for this fraud?' 'My duty!' answered the man,
fervently; 'my duty! Was I to suffer my wife, my children, to starve
before my face, when I could save them at a little personal risk? No:
my du