"By purifying and regenerating our members we try, thirdly, to improve the whole human race, offering it in our members an example of piety and virtue, and thereby try with all our might to combat the evil which sways the world.

Think this over and I will come to you again.

" "To combat the evil which sways the world..." Pierre repeated, and a mental image of his future activity in this direction rose in his mind.

He imagined men such as he had himself been a fortnight ago, and he addressed an edifying exhortation to them.

He imagined to himself vicious and unfortunate people whom he would assist by word and deed, imagined oppressors whose victims he would rescue.