OF THE PALE CRIMINAL 45
And thou, red judge, if thou wert to declare aloud all that thou hast done in thy thoughts, everybody would cry : ' Away with this filth and worm of poison ! '
But one thing is thought, another is deed, another is the picture of the deed. The wheel of reason roll- eth not between them.
A picture made this pale man pale. Of the same growth with himself was his deed when he did it ; but when it was done, he could not bear the picture of it.
He ever saw himself as the doer of one deed. Madness I call that : the exceptional was engrained upon his nature.
The streak of chalk paralyseth the hen ; the stroke he struck paralysed his poor reason. Madness after the deed I call that.
Listen, ye judges ! There is, besides, another mad- ness : it is before the deed. Alas, ye did not creep far enough into this soul !
Thus speaketh the red judge : ' Why did that crim- inal murder? He was going to rob.' But I say unto you : his soul asked for blood, not for prey : he was thirsting for the happiness of the knife !
But his poor reason understood not that madness and persuaded him. ' What is blood worth ! ' it said ; ' wouldst not thou at least make a prey along with it ? take revenge along with it ? '
And he hearkened unto his poor reason : like lead
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