Dust and Ashes Or Demolished Author:Henryk Sienkiewicz Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. Schwarz considered matters carefully before deciding upon a definite line of study. "I have pledged my word of honor that my life should not be... more » spoiled," said he to Wassil- kiewicz, "at least by no foolish act of my own. That is the reason why I am not anxious to decide." As a matter of fact, the University was exercising a great power upon him. Young men from different parts of the world came and went, like flocks of young eagles. They flocked around science, drew from the fountain of wisdom, from life; they gave and received, and kept what they received within themselves, or scattered it on life's highways; they stagnated, fell, fought and conquered, some going straight to the bottom and others remaining at the surface of the unruly ocean on which they kept floating. There wasmovement and stir,—life reigned absolutely. The University appeared both a common refuge and a whirlpool of effervescent youthful intelligence. It opened its doors every year,ready to receive and make use of the many new possibilities and to lead forth the realized ones. It seemed a center of promise and rejuvenescence, every year it poured forth its waves of fresh forces offering light to the blind and abundant sources of nutrition for the enrichment of the human soil. The boat of Joseph Schwarz was, too, floating on the face of these waters,—where was it to land, and which course would it take? The different departments possessed equally great charm and attraction; they all tempted him in one way or another, while he was making his choice. Finally he embarked in good earnest and registered his name at the Department of Medical Sciences. Whatever happened, he must become rich —this was his main consideration in deciding the question. The main reason why he had faltered in his res...« less