The Sorcery Club by Elliott O'Donnell
page 46 of 364 (12%)
page 46 of 364 (12%)
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"Nor I either," Kelson put in rather hurriedly.
"Well, I didn't suppose you had!" Hamar laughed; "though, after all, more than half the world does thieve--all employers steal labour from their employés, all tradesmen steal a profit--the wholesale man from the middleman--the middleman from the retailer. Every Government thieves. Look at England--righteous England! At one time or another she has stolen land in every part of the world. But theft is an ugly word. When statesmen steal it's called diplomacy, when the rich steal it's called kleptomania or business, and it's only when the poor steal that stealing is termed theft. We who have every excuse--we who are starving--will be content with--that is to say--we will only take--just enough to keep us alive--a few lumps of sugar, a handful of raisins, or a loaf of bread. How about that?" "I might manage that," Curtis said. "I might--but I don't want to get caught." "And you, Matt?" "I don't mind stealing food so much," Kelson said. "In the face of so much wealth--and waste too--it seems a bigger sin to starve than to steal a loaf of bread." "The lying and stealing are fixed then," Hamar laughed. "What you have to do, too, is to make the most of every opportunity you can find of doing people--present company excepted--bad turns." "I don't see how--in our present condition--we can do any one much harm," Curtis remarked. "We haven't even the means to buy a tin sword, |
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