The man who lies to himself can be more easily

offended than anyone. You know it is sometimes very pleasant to take

offence, isn't it? A man may know that nobody has insulted him, but

that he has invented the insult for himself, has lied and

exaggerated to make it picturesque, has caught at a word and made a

mountain out of a molehill- he knows that himself, yet he will be

the first to take offence, and will revel in his resentment till he

feels great pleasure in it, and so pass to genuine vindictiveness.