whilst he was thus standing surveying his riches, all at once there was a loud knock close by him. the knock was not at the door of his room, but at the door of his heart. it opened, and he heard a voice which said to him, "hast thou done good to thy family with it? hast thou considered the necessities of the poor? hast thou shared thy bread with the hungry? hast thou been contented with what thou hast, or didst thou always desire to have more?" the heart was not slow in answering, "i have been hard and pitiless, and have never shown any kindness to my own family. if a beggar came, i turned away my eyes from him. i have not troubled myself about god, but have thought only of increasing my wealth. if everything which the sky covers had been mine own, i should still not have had enough."