The heart of man cannot remain long in one extremity.
 Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831). copy citation

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Author Victor Hugo
Source The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
Topic heart
Date 1831
Language English
Reference
Note Translation by Isabel F. Hapgood in 1888
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2610/2610-h/2610-h.htm

Context

“He laid the whistle on the floor and fled. CHAPTER IV.EARTHENWARE AND CRYSTAL. Day followed day. Calm gradually returned to the soul of la Esmeralda. Excess of grief, like excess of joy is a violent thing which lasts but a short time. The heart of man cannot remain long in one extremity. The gypsy had suffered so much, that nothing was left her but astonishment. With security, hope had returned to her. She was outside the pale of society, outside the pale of life, but she had a vague feeling that it might not be impossible to return to it.” source