So, Edward Claire, if you wish to rise above your present
poor condition, if you wish to get rich, like your enterprising
neighbours, you must do as they do. If I go in for a lamb, I might as
well take a sheep: the morality of the thing is the same. If I take a
large slice off of a customer, why shall not a portion of that slice
be mine; ay, the whole of it, if I choose to make the appropriation?
All Jasper can fairly ask, is a reasonable profit: if I, by my
address, get more than this, surely I may keep a part thereof. Who
shall say nay?"
Justifying himself by these and similar false reasonings, the young
man thrust aside the better suggestions, from which he was at first
inclined to retrace the false step he had taken; and wilfully shutting
his eyes, resolved to go forward in his evil and dangerous course.
During the afternoon of that day a larger number of customers than
usual were in, and Claire was very busily occupied. He made three or
four large sales, and was successful in getting several dollars in
excess of fair profit from one not very well skilled in prices. In
making an entry of this particular transaction in the memorandum
sales-book, the figures recorded were three dollars less than the
actual amount received. So, on this, the first day of the young
man's lapse from honesty, he had appropriated the sum of eight
dollars--nearly equal to his entire week's salary! For such a recent
traveller in this downward road, how rapid had already become his
steps!
Evening found him again alone, musing and debating with himself, ere
locking up the store and returning home.
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