Rorlund: Ah, you are thinking of the railway--of all the
dangerous excavating and blasting, and that sort of thing--

Bernick: Yes--quite so--I am thinking of the railway. And,
besides, the coming of the railway will mean the starting of
factories and mines. But do not think, nevertheless--

Rorlund: My dear Mr. Bernick, you are almost over-conscientious.
What I think is that, if you place the affair in the hands of
Providence--

Bernick: Yes--exactly; Providence--

Rorlund: You are blameless in the matter. Go on and build your
railway hopefully.

Bernick: Yes, but now I will put a special instance to you.
Suppose a charge of blasting-powder had to be exploded in a
dangerous place, and that unless it were exploded the line could
not be constructed? Suppose the engineer knew that it would cost
the life of the workman who lit the fuse, but that it had to be
lit, and that it was the engineer's duty to send a workman to do
it?

Rorlund: Hm--

Bernick: I know what you will say. It would be a splendid thing
if the engineer took the match himself and went and lit the fuse.
But that is out of the question, so he must sacrifice a workman.