The Confessions of Saint Augustine (Outler)/Book II/Chapter IX
What then was this feeling? For of a truth it was too foul: and
woe was me, who had it. But yet what was it? Who can understand his
errors? It was the sport, which as it were tickled our hearts, that
we beguiled those who little thought what we were doing, and much
disliked it. Why then was my delight of such sort that I did it not
alone? Because none doth ordinarily laugh alone? ordinarily no one;
yet laughter sometimes masters men alone and singly when on one whatever
is with them, if anything very ludicrous presents itself to their
senses or mind. Yet I had not done this alone; alone I had never done
it. Behold my God, before Thee, the vivid remembrance of my soul;
alone, I had never committed that theft wherein what I stole pleased
me not, but that I stole; nor had it alone liked me to do it, nor
had I done it. O friendship too unfriendly! thou incomprehensible
inveigler of the soul, thou greediness to do mischief out of mirth
and wantonness, thou thirst of others' loss, without lust of my own
gain or revenge: but when it is said, "Let's go, let's do it," we
are ashamed not to be shameless.