VII

order to fulfil the general harmony of the universe⁠—in order to make even some plus or minus in the sum of existence. Just as every day the death of numbers of beings is necessary because without their annihilation the rest cannot live on⁠—(although we must admit that the idea is not a particularly grand one in itself!) “However⁠—admit the fact! Admit that without such perpetual devouring of one another the world cannot continue to exist, or could never have been organized⁠—I am ever ready to confess that I cannot understand why this is so⁠—but I’ll tell you what I do know, for certain. If I have once been given to understand and realize that I am ⁠—what does it matter to me that the world is organized on a system full of errors and that otherwise it cannot be organized at all? Who will or can judge me after this? Say what you like⁠—the thing is impossible and unjust! “And meanwhile I have never been able, in spite of my great desire to do so, to persuade myself that there is no future existence, and no Providence. “The fact of the matter is that all this does exist, but that we know absolutely nothing about the future life and its laws! “But it is so difficult, and even impossible to understand, that surely I am not to be blamed because I could not fathom the incomprehensible? “Of course I know they say that one must be obedient, and of course, too, the prince is one of those who say so: that one must be obedient without questions, out of pure goodness of heart, and that for my worthy conduct in this