“A baby can’t sin,” he said quietly, “yet I’ve seen some poor little beggars mishandled in a way that would make your blood boil.”
Corin shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ll allow that there are brutes in the world,” he admitted, “but there’s no undeserved suffering. What such a child suffered, it suffered for sins committed in a past life.”
David turned an amazed face upon him.
“Past life!” he ejaculated.
“Of course,” said Corin calmly. “How do you interpret such suffering if it isn’t inflicted for sins committed in a past life? Wouldn’t it be horrible injustice otherwise? You don’t, I suppose, imagine the Powers above to be unjust?”
“No,” said David simply. “I’ve never gone as far as that.”
“Then how on earth are you going to explain the apparent injustice of the world?” cried Corin. “Can’t you see that it apparently reeks with injustice?”
“Oh, Lord, yes! I see that fast enough,” said David grimly.
“Then how do you explain it?” demanded Corin.