"Mother dear," resumed Ian, "the only Way to get at what IS right is to do what seems right. Even if we mistake there is no other way!"
"You would do evil that good may come! Oh, Ian!"
"No, mother; evil that is not seen to be evil by one willing and trying to do right, is not counted evil to him. It is evil only to the person who either knows it to be evil, or does not care whether it be or not."
"That is dangerous doctrine!"
"I will go farther, mother, and say, that for Alister to do what you thought right, if he did not think it right himself—even if you were right and he wrong—would be for him to do wrong, and blind himself to the truth."
"A man may be to blame that he is not able to see the truth," said the mother.
"That is very true, but hardly such a man as Alister, who would sooner die than do the thing he believed wrong. But why should you take it for granted that Alister will think differently from you?"
"We don't always think alike."
"In matters of right and wrong, I never knew him or me think differently from you, mother!"
"He is very fond of the girl!"