Victor Hugo. The man who laughs (№ 457685)

He was ready to shiver from the cold himself, if only this cold would freeze someone else. Being evil is a luxury. A man who is reputed to be poor, and is in fact poor, has only one treasure, which he will not give up for any other; this treasure is his malice. It's all about the satisfaction you get from playing a nasty trick on someone. This joy is more valuable than any money. The worse for the victim, the better for the joker. Catesby, Guy Fawkes' accomplice in the Papist gunpowder plot, said: "I wouldn't for a million pounds sterling give up the joy of seeing Parliament fly into the air."