Page 549 - the-idiot

‘Well, anyone who does not interest himself in questions
such as this is, in my opinion, a mere fashionable dummy.’
‘But it will lead at least to solidarity, and balance of inter-
ests,’ said Ptitsin.
‘You will reach that with nothing to help you but credit?
Without recourse to any moral principle, having for your
foundation only individual selfishness, and the satisfaction
of material desires? Universal peace, and the happiness of
mankind as a whole, being the result! Is it really so that I
may understand you, sir?’
‘But the universal necessity of living, of drinking, of
eating— in short, the whole scientific conviction that this
necessity can only be satisfied by universal co-operation
and the solidarity of interests—is, it seems to me, a strong
enough idea to serve as a basis, so to speak, and a ‘spring
of life,’ for humanity in future centuries,’ said Gavrila Ar-
dalionovitch, now thoroughly roused.
‘The necessity of eating and drinking, that is to say, solely
the instinct of self-preservation...’
‘Is not that enough? The instinct of self-preservation is
the normal law of humanity...’
‘Who told you that?’ broke in Evgenie Pavlovitch.
‘It is a law, doubtless, but a law neither more nor less
normal than that of destruction, even self-destruction. Is
it possible that the whole normal law of humanity is con-
tained in this sentiment of self-preservation?’
‘Ah!’ cried Hippolyte, turning towards Evgenie Pavlov-
itch, and looking at him with a queer sort of curiosity.
Then seeing that Radomski was laughing, he began to

The Idiot