Tormented by Kind Praise

M. Waldman inflicted torture when he praised, with kindness and

warmth, the astonishing progress I had made in the sciences. He soon perceived

that I disliked the subject; but, not guessing the real cause, he attributed my

feelings to modesty, and changed the subject from my improvement to the science itself,

with a desire, as I evidently saw, of drawing me out. What could I do? He meant to please,

and he tormented me. I felt as if he had placed carefully, one by one,

in my view those instruments which were to be afterwards used in putting me to a slow and

cruel death. I writhed under his words, yet dared not exhibit the pain I felt.