If you are so healthy and reasonable it's because you regard almost everything from the relative point of view, and only ask life for such gifts as it can bestow.

But when your absolute ideas of justice come upon you, you lose both equilibrium and reason.

At the same time, I must say that we are all liable to err in much the same manner." Marie, who was still very flushed, thereupon answered in a jesting way: "Well, it at least proves that I'm not perfect." "Oh, certainly! And so much the better," said Guillaume, "for it makes me love you the more." This was a sentiment which Pierre himself would willingly have re-echoed.
The scene had deeply stirred him.

Had not his own frightful torments originated with his desire for the absolute both in things and beings?
He had sought faith in its entirety, and despair had thrown him into complete negation.

Again, was there not some evil desire for the absolute and some affectation of pride and voluntary blindness in the haughty bearing which he had retained amidst the downfall of his belief, the saintly reputation which he had accepted when he possessed no faith at all?
On hearing his brother praise Marie, because she only asked life for such things as it could give, it had seemed to him that this was advice for himself.