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　　To those who have never wavered in conscience, the predicament ofthe individual whose mind is less strongly constituted and whotrembles in the balance between duty and desire is scarcelyappreciable, unless graphically portrayed. Those who have neverheard that solemn voice of the ghostly clock which ticks withawful distinctness, "thou shalt," "thou shalt not," "thou shalt,""thou shalt not," are in no position to judge. Not alone insensitive, highly organised natures is such a mental conflictpossible. The dullest specimen of humanity, when drawn by desiretoward evil, is recalled by a sense of right, which isproportionate in power and strength to his evil tendency. Wemust remember that it may not be a knowledge of right, for noknowledge of right is predicated of the animal's instinctiverecoil at evil. Men are still led by instinct before they areregulated by knowledge. It is instinct which recalls thecriminal--it is instinct (where highly organised reasoning isabsent) which gives the criminal his feeling

　　When Carrie renewed her search, as she did the next day, going tothe Casino, she found that in the opera chorus, as in otherfields, employment is difficult to secure. Girls who can standin a line and look pretty are as numerous as labourers who canswing a pick. She found there was no discrimination between oneand the other of applicants, save as regards a conventionalstandard of prettiness and form. Their own opinion or knowledgeof their ability went for nothing.

　　"No," she said coyly, "but what can I do?"

　　"I'll ask him in the morning."

　　"And I'm telling you," he said in the end, slightly recoveringhimself, "what you'll not get."

　　"When will I see you again?"

　　"Going to be in town long?"

　　"All right," replied Hurstwood, sitting down in silence. He wassick of the grind of this thing.

　　Carrie listened most good-naturedly.