“ Conscience is a dreadful thing when it accuses man or boy ”
 Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861). copy citation

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Author Charles Dickens
Source Great Expectations
Topic conscience
Date 1861
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1400/1400-h/1400-h.htm

Context

“(much to his disturbance, as he sat slowly munching and meditating before the fire) , “because he had had a turn.” Judging from myself, I should say he certainly had a turn afterwards, if he had had none before. Conscience is a dreadful thing when it accuses man or boy; but when, in the case of a boy, that secret burden co-operates with another secret burden down the leg of his trousers, it is (as I can testify) a great punishment. The guilty knowledge that I was going to rob Mrs.” source