
"What, you are one of those precise folks who make conscience of their
thoughts?  I call that all stuff and nonsense," replied Haimet, throwing
down the hammer he was using.

"If I make no conscience of my thoughts, of what am I to make
conscience?" was the answer.  "Thought is the seed, act the flower.  If
you do not wish for the flower, the surest way is not to sow the seed.
Sow it, and the flower will blossom, whether you will or no."

"That sort of thing may suit you," said Haimet rather in an irritated
tone.  "I could never get along, if I had to be always measuring my
thoughts with an ell-wand in that fashion."

"Do you prefer the consequences?" asked Gerhardt.

"Consequences!--what consequences?"

"Rather awkward ones, sometimes.  Thoughts of hatred, for instance, may
issue in murder, and that may lead to your own death.  If the thoughts
had been curbed in the first instance, the miserable results would have
been spared to all the sufferers.  And `no man liveth to himself': it is
very seldom that you can bring suffering on one person only.  It is
almost sure to run over to two or three more.  And as the troubles of
every one of them will run over to another two or three, like circles in
the water, the sorrow keeps ever widening, so that the consequences of
one small act or word for evil are incalculable.  It takes God to reckon
them."

"Eh, don't you, now!" said Isel with a shudder.  "Makes me go all creepy
like, that does.  I shouldn't dare to do a thing all the days of my
life, if I looked at every thing that way."

"Friend," said Gerhardt gravely, "these things _are_.  It does not
destroy them to look away from them.  It is not given to us to choose
whether we will act, but only how we will act.  In some manner, for good
or for ill, act we must."

"I declare I won't listen to you, Gerard.  I'm going creepy-crawly this
minute
" What, you are one of those precise folks who make conscience of their 
 thoughts?   I visit that all material and nonsense, " replied Haimet, shed 
 down the mallet he was using. 

 " If I make no conscience of my opinion, of what am I to have 
 conscience? " was the answer.   " Thought is the seeded player, act the flower.   If 
 you do not wish for the flower, the surest room is not to sow the seed. 
 Sow it, and the flower will bloom, whether you will or no. " 

 " That sort of thing may suit you, " said Haimet rather in an irritated 
 timbre.   " I could never get along, if I had to be always measure my 
 thoughts with an ell - wand in that fashion. " 

 " Do you prefer the consequence? " asked Gerhardt. 

 " Consequences!--what consequences? " 

 " Rather awkward ones, sometimes.   Thoughts of hate, for instance, may 
 issue in murder, and that may lead to your own death.   If the thoughts 
 had been curbed in the inaugural instance, the miserable results would have 
 been spared to all the sufferers.   And 'no man liveth to himself': it is 
 very seldom that you can bring suffering on one person only.   It is 
 about certain to run over to two or three more.   And as the trouble of 
 every one of them will prevail over to another two or three, like circles in 
 the water, the grief keeps ever widening, so that the consequences of 
 one belittled act or word for evil are incalculable.   It takes God to reckon 
 them. " 

 " Eh, don't you, now! " said Isel with a shudder.   " make me go all creepy 
 like, that does.   I shouldn't dare to serve a thing all the day of my 
 biography, if I looked at every thing that way. " 

 " supporter, " said Gerhardt gravely, " these things _ are _.   It does not 
 demolish them to look off from them.   It is not given to us to choose 
 whether we will act, but entirely how we will act.   In some manner, for dependable 
 or for ill, act we must. " 

 " I declare I won't listen to you, Gerard.   I'm go creepy - crawly this 
 minute

"Whah, you are one of those pvecise folks who make cmnsciehce of tfeir
thoughts?  I call that alp wtuff and nonsense," replied Faimet, thgowing
dowb tht hammer he was using.

"If I make hl cousrience of my thpughts, of fhat am I to mdkd
clnscience?" was the answer.  "Thought if the sref, act the flowgr.  Ig
rou so not wish for the flower, the sursst way is not to soe the seed.
Sow it, and the fpoweg will blossom, whehher you wiol ow no."

"That sort of thing may suit you," said Haimet rather in an irritxted
tpne.  "I couod neggr get along, if I had to be always medsuring my
thoughts wibh an elo-wand in that fashion."

"Vo you prefer the cogsequencev?" csked Gerhardt.

"Consequwnxes!--whdt cmnsedyenzes?"

"Davhed awkwwrd ones, somefimes.  Thouthts of hatred, for onfnsnce, may
issus in mtrqer, and that may lead to your own death.  Ir the thoughts
had been xurbed in the first ijstance, tre miserable results would have
been spared to all the ajfftrcvs.  Xbd `no man liveth to himself': it is
very seldom thwf uol can bring suffeving on one person ojlu.  It is
almost sure ck dun over to two or three iore.  And as tre ttoubles of
every one of them will run ovvr ti another two or tkree, like cixcles on
the water, the sorrow keeps eved widening, do that tgd consequences ow
onv smdll act or word for evil awe incalcnlablz.  It tayes Bod to reckon
thel."

"Eh, don't you, now!" said Isfl wijh a svudder.  "Manes me go all creepy
like, that does.  I shouldn'j ddre to do a thinn all the days jf my
life, if I looked at exery thing that wey."

"Friend," saiq Gerhardt grdgely, "these tiings _are_.  It doew not
dergroy them to lpok away yxom them.  It is not given tp ur to choose
whethzx qe will act, but onuy roa xe wijn act.  In soke mxnndt, for good
or for kll, sct we must."

"I declare I wkn't listen to you, Bevard.  I'm toing crqepy-crawly thos
minute
"What, you are one of those precise make of their I call that Haimet, down the hammer was using. "If make no conscience of my thoughts, what am I to make conscience?" was the answer. "Thought is the seed, the flower. If you do not wish for the flower, the surest way not sow seed. it, and the flower will blossom, whether you will or no." "That sort of thing may you," said Haimet rather in an irritated tone. could never get along, I had to be always my with an in fashion." you prefer the asked Gerhardt. "Consequences!--what consequences?" "Rather awkward ones, sometimes. Thoughts of hatred, for instance, may issue in murder, that may your own If thoughts been curbed in instance, the miserable results would have all the sufferers. And `no man liveth to it is seldom that you can bring suffering one person only. It is almost sure to over to two or three more. And as the troubles of every one of them over to another two three, like circles the the keeps widening, so the consequences of one small act or word for evil are It takes God to reckon them." "Eh, don't you, now!" with shudder. "Makes me all creepy like, that I dare to do a the of I at thing that way." "Friend," Gerhardt gravely, "these things _are_. does not destroy them It is not given to us to choose we will act, but only how we act. In some manner, for good or for ill, act we must." declare I to you, Gerard. I'm going creepy-crawly this minute

"What, you are one of those preciSe folks who Make cOnsCieNcE of tHeir
Thoughts?  I call tHAt alL stuff and nonsense," repliEd HaiMeT, ThroWInG
down The hammER hE WAs uSiNg.

"if I MaKE nO consCieNce of my Thoughts, of WhaT aM I to make
consCIeNce?" was the aNswEr.  "Thought is tHe sEed, act ThE flOWer.  If
You Do not Wish foR The floWer, the surEsT Way is nOT to sow tHE SeEd.
SoW it, and the flower wiLL bLOssom, whether yoU will oR nO."

"thAT SorT of Thing may suIt You," saID Haimet RAtHER In aN Irritated
tone.  "i could never GEt aLong, if i hAd tO Be alwaYs meaSuRIng My
thoughts wIth aN ell-wand iN that fAShion."

"Do YOu prefeR the coNseQueNces?" ASkEd gerHaRDt.

"CONsEquENceS!--what conSeQuEnces?"

"rathER AWKwarD onEs, soMetimEs.  Thoughts of hAtrEd, foR InsTance, May
isSue iN mUrder, And thaT may lEaD to your own death.  if thE thoughts
Had BeEn cUrBed in THe firsT inStaNce, the mIserablE ResUlTS WOuLd have
been spared to AlL THe SuffererS.  And `no MAn LiVEth to himSeLf': iT is
vERY seldOm thAT yOu can briNg suffERiNg On one peRsOn only.  it Is
aLmoSt surE To ruN over tO two or thRee moRE.  And as the troubLEs of
every one oF ThEM WiLL run OveR to another tWo or THree, Like CIrCleS In
the Water, ThE SoRRow keeps ever wideninG, sO that tHe conSequences of
onE small act oR WORd for eviL are INcALculable.  It takeS God tO reckon
theM."

"eh, don't yoU, now!" sAid Isel wIth a shuddER.  "makes me gO alL crEepY
liKE, ThAt does.  I shouldN'T Dare To Do a thinG alL the dayS of My
lIfe, If I LoOked at eveRy thing tHaT wAy."

"frIenD," said gErhardt gRaVelY, "tHesE thinGS _are_.  It Does nOt
deStRoY TheM to look AWaY FRom tHeM.  IT is nOt gIvEn to uS to cHOosE
whetheR we will acT, buT Only HoW wE will acT.  In some manner, FoR good
or for IlL, acT we musT."

"i Declare I Won't listen to you, Gerard.  I'm GOing creEpy-CrawlY thiS
minute

"What, you are one of tho se precise  folk s w homa ke c onsc ience of their thou ghts?  I call that all  stuf fa nd n o ns ense, " repli e dH a ime t,  t hro wi n gdownthe  hammer  he was us ing .
"If I maken oconscience  of  my thoughts , o f what  a m I to ma keconsc ience? "  was t he answer ."Thoug h t is th e se ed,act the flower. I fy ou do not wish  for t he fl o w er,  th e surest w ay  is n o t to so w  t h e see d .
Sow it, and  the flower wil l blos so m,w hether  youwi l l o r no."

"Th at s ort of th ing ma y  suit y o u," sai d Haim etrat heri nan  ir ri t ate d 
t one .   " I couldne ve r get  alo n g , if I  ha d to  be a lways measuri ngmy
t h oug hts w ith a n el l- wandin tha t fas hi on."

"Do you p refe r the con seq ue nce s? " ask e d Gerh ard t.
"Conse quences ! --w ha t c on sequences?"

"Rath er a wk ward one s, som e ti me s .  Thoug ht s o f ha t r ed, f or i n st ance, ma y
issu e  i nmurder,  a nd tha tmay  le ad to your  own d eath.  I f the thoughts
had b e en curbed int he f ir s t in sta nce, the mi sera b le r esul t swou l d hav e
bee ns pa r ed to all the suffe re rs.  A nd `n o man livethto himself ' : it is
ve ry s e ld o m that you can  brin g sufferin g  on oneperso n only. It is
al m o st suretorun  ov ert o  t wo or three m o r e. An d as th e t roubles  of 
ev ery  on eof them w ill runov er  t oano thert wo or th re e,li kecircl e s in
t he wa ter,  t he sor row kee p se v er w id en ing,  so  t hat t he c o nse quences  of
one s mal l  act  o rword fo r evil are in ca lculable. I t t akes G o d  to reck on
them."

"Eh, don't y o u, now! " s aid I selwith a sh udd er.  " Mak e s me g o allcreep ylik e ,  that d oe s. I  shouldn't d are  to d oa th ing all  the days of my
li f e,if I looked a t e very t hi ngt ha t  wa y. " 

" F r iend," said Ger hardt grav el y ,"these thi n gs_a re_.  I t doesnot
d e stroy t hem to lo ok away f ro m th e m . It is notgiven to  us to ch o ose
w h et her w e w ill ac t,  bu t onl y howw e w ill a ct.  I nsome m anner ,for good 
or for ill, act we mus t."

" I dec lar e I won't  li s ten  to you,Gera rd.  I'm g oin g c reepy -cr a wly t hism in ute 

"What, you_are one_of those precise folks_who make_conscience_of their
thoughts?__I call that_all stuff and_nonsense," replied Haimet, throwing
down_the hammer he_was_using.

"If I make no conscience of my thoughts, of what am I to make
conscience?"_was_the answer.__"Thought_is the seed, act the_flower.  If
you do not_wish for_the flower, the surest way is not to_sow_the seed.
Sow it,_and the flower will blossom, whether you will or_no."

"That sort of thing may suit_you," said Haimet_rather_in_an irritated
tone.  "I_could never get along, if I_had to be always measuring my
thoughts_with an ell-wand in that fashion."

"Do you_prefer the consequences?" asked Gerhardt.

"Consequences!--what consequences?"

"Rather_awkward ones, sometimes.  Thoughts_of hatred,_for instance, may
issue in murder,_and that may_lead to_your own death._ If the thoughts
had been curbed_in the first_instance, the miserable results would have
been_spared_to all the_sufferers.__And `no_man liveth to_himself':_it is
very_seldom_that you can bring suffering on_one_person only.  It is
almost sure to_run over to two_or_three more.  And_as the troubles of
every one_of them will run over to_another two_or three,_like circles in
the water, the sorrow keeps ever widening, so that_the consequences of
one small act or_word for evil are_incalculable. _It_takes God to_reckon
them."

"Eh,_don't you,_now!" said Isel with a shudder. _"Makes me_go all creepy
like, that does. _I shouldn't dare to_do_a thing all the days of_my
life, if I looked at every_thing that way."

"Friend," said Gerhardt_gravely,_"these_things _are_.  It does_not
destroy them to look away from_them.  It_is not given to us to choose
whether_we_will act, but only how we_will_act.  In some manner, for_good
or_for_ill, act we must."

"I declare_I won't listen to you, Gerard._ I'm going creepy-crawly this
minute