Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/162

124 "Either that," said Arthur, "or else I must give up my belief in God's perfect justice. But let me put one more case, which will show my meaning even more forcibly. Let the one man be in a high social positionthe other, say, a common thief. Let the one be tempted to some trivial act of unfair dealingsomething which he can do with the absolute certainty that it will never be discoveredsomething which he can with perfect ease forbear from doingand which he distinctly knows to be a sin. Let the other be tempted to some terrible crimeas men would consider itbut under an almost overwhelming pressure of motivesof course not quite overwhelming, as that would destroy all responsibility. Now, in this case, let the second man make a greater effort at resistance than the first. Also suppose both to fall under the temptationI say that the second man is, in God's sight, less guilty than the other."

Lady Muriel drew a long breath. "It upsets all one's ideas of Right and Wrongjust at first! Why, in that dreadful murder-trial, you would say, I suppose, that it was possible that