“What made him do it?”
It wasn’t so easy as I thought. Theft didn’t seem to fit the case.
“Well—he was tempted, and—er—didn’t seem to have as strict a moral standard as most people.”
“Um,” Roger considered, then: “This seems to be a complicated case. Was he completely without will, no force, no character?”
“Not at all,” I said sharply. “He had a great deal of will and any amount of character.”
“He sounds like a dangerous criminal—plenty of force and will and no moral standard.”
I felt irritated and raised my voice in a combative note:
“Now, Roger, don’t be narrow-minded. Can’t you imagine quite a fine person who mightn’t think stealing as wrong as you or I think it?”
Roger did not look irritated, but he looked determined and spoke with an argumentative firmness:
“Evie, I’ve always regarded you as an unusually intelligent woman. As such I’d like you to explain to me how a fine person of will and character can steal and not think it as wrong as you or I would think it.”